Stone crab season opens October 15 in state and federal waters ... get your claw crackers ready!

STAFF REPORT - Florida’s recreational and commercial stone crab claw harvest season opens Oct. 15 in state and federal waters.

To be harvested, stone crab claws must be at least two and 3/4 inches in length when measured from the elbow to the tip of the lower immovable portion of the claw (see illustration). Claws may not be taken from egg-bearing female stone crabs.

Recreational harvesters can use up to five stone crab traps per person.

Both claws of the stone crab may be taken if the claws are of legal size, but this practice leaves the crab with few alternatives to defend itself from predators.

There is a recreational daily bag limit of one gallon of claws per person or two gallons per vessel, whichever is less.

The season will be open through May 15, 2013.

More information is available online at MyFWC.com/Fishing (click on “Saltwater”).