Blue Crab Died Before Cooking

3 Ways to Keep Blue Crabs Alive wikiHow

WEBMay 10, 2023 · 3. Cover the cooler with a moist burlap bag. This is to ensure that the crabs stay moist. If blue crabs are not kept moist, their gills will dry out, and they will die. It is …

1. Buy a cooler. Buy a regular sized cooler from your local depot or sporting goods store. If you are planning to store more than five crabs, it is recommended that you buy a larger cooler. This way you will not need to stack the crabs on top of each other. Alternatively, you can use a wooden bushel basket to store the crabs. This method is ideal for commercial Watermen.
2. Layer the bottom of the cooler with icepacks. This will keep the temperature around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature cooler than 50 degrees Fahrenheit will kill the crabs. You can place a moist towel over the icepacks to keep the cooler moist and to prevent the crabs from becoming too cold. Alternatively, you can place ice, covered with a moist cloth, at the bottom of the cooler. However, you will need to drain the water from the melted ice periodically. Any standing water can cause the crabs to suffocate. Do not put ice or ice packs on top of the crabs.
3. Cover the cooler with a moist burlap bag. This is to ensure that the crabs stay moist. If blue crabs are not kept moist, their gills will dry out, and they will die. It is recommended that you use a burlap bag because it allows oxygen to pass through. The crabs need to be well oxygenated in order to stay alive. Place the cooler in a dark, shaded area away from the sun. This will also prevent the crab’s gills from drying out. Blue crabs can live out of the water for up to 24 hours as long as they are kept cool and moist.
4. Buy a standard five-gallon bucket. Drill holes into the sides and bottom of the bucket. The holes need to be big enough to allow water to flow through, but small enough to ensure that the crabs cannot escape. Alternatively, you can buy a specially designed wooden box to store the crabs in. This method is ideal if you live near the water where the crabs were caught. If not, use the cooler method to store the crabs.

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