Cape Cod Blue Crab

[robc22]

We may be at the bluecrab's northern most range but they still grow pretty big up this way. A buddy posted this pic on face book earlier. The crab was caught on the lower cape..........

[CaptMoose]

That's a healthy looking crab there.  He looks thick and tasty.  

[BirdsNestKing]

Nice!

[tattoo]

GREAT looking crab

[Chet]

That's a keeper.

I wonder if the bluecrab northern range can or will spread further north. Heading around and up the ocean side of the Cape seems unlikely due to the salty open ocean water, but why aren't the crabs headed up the canal (under the Bourne and Sagamore bridges)? We know there are crabs in the Marian/Wareham/Buzzard's bay area, so it would make sense that there should be crabs in the lower part of the canal? And once the crabs made it into the bay side of the Cape, they could probably live year round at Sandy Neck, Plymouth or Duxbury or even further north? Boston Harbor?

Now maybe this can happen naturally if we have a couple more warm winters? Or perhaps we can 'introduce' blue crabs to the bay side? I'm not for playing mother nature, but if New England is to become the new North Carolina (global warming) anyway, it's inevitable?

Would be great if I could just crab in Southie! (instead of having to travel to Southern MA and CT)

[robc22]

That's a keeper.

I wonder if the bluecrab northern range can or will spread further north. Heading around and up the ocean side of the Cape seems unlikely due to the salty open ocean water, but why aren't the crabs headed up the canal (under the Bourne and Sagamore bridges)? We know there are crabs in the Marian/Wareham/Buzzard's bay area, so it would make sense that there should be crabs in the lower part of the canal? And once the crabs made it into the bay side of the Cape, they could probably live year round at Sandy Neck, Plymouth or Duxbury or even further north? Boston Harbor?

Now maybe this can happen naturally if we have a couple more warm winters? Or perhaps we can 'introduce' blue crabs to the bay side? I'm not for playing mother nature, but if New England is to become the new North Carolina (global warming) anyway, it's inevitable?

Would be great if I could just crab in Southie! (instead of having to travel to Southern MA and CT)

 I see blue crabs pulled through the ditch all the time by the current....They get trapped in the current and end up down in sandwich..I have seen a half a dozen in a single night sometimes..nothing has ever come of it...........This already would of happened if it was in the cards........

[Ronster]

Nice looking crab.

[masspi]

Way too much salt

[masspi]

On the nightly news tonight on Channel 4 (WBZ) there was a report of a lobsterman in Marblehead (MA North Shore coast, near NH) a good sized Blue Crab in one of his traps.  This is not only rare, but the lobsterman said that in 50 years he has never seen one.  Maybe there is something to Global Warming ?

[Chet]

Fascinating. And the timing is interesting as well given the conversation. Hard to disagree it was probably a stowaway carried north, otherwise there'd need to be at minimum a breeding population and there would be many more caught. Also funny how they're keeping the crab alive and feeding it herring. Wonder if they're just keeping it isolated in a Lobster tank, but if so it will die sooner than later in that salty cold water? And it's pinching those who are handling it and saying it's faster than the crabs (rock?) native to the north shore of MA. No kidding! That was the the best part of that news story: http://www.salemnews.com/local/x1495166153/Local-fisherman-finds-rare-blue-crab