July 5, 2016 โ Seafood traceability is a global concernโand the bay isnโt exempt: The crab on Chesapeake menus may come from elsewhere in the country, or might be an entirely different species from Asia. Here are a few tips for determining whether the crab youโre eating is local.
Know your species
Callinectes sapidus, Atlantic blue crab, is harvested from the bay as well as the Carolinas and the Gulf. The usually cheaper Portunus pelagicus, Asian blue swimming crab, is imported. Beware ambiguous descriptors such as โblue crabโ (versus โChesapeake blue crabโ or โlocal blue crabโ) and, in preparations like crabcakes, โChesapeake-style.โ
Know your season
Legally, the Chesapeake crab harvest runs from April to mid-December, with the fattest, heaviest crabs typically arriving in late summer/early fall. Those Memorial Dayโweekend jumbos? Likely not local.