News

As we embark on the start of another crabbing season in Tabasco Cove. The fleet...well...ummm...Island Girl left our Cove for the Chesapeake Bay! *giggles*- channeling my Deadliest Catch- Seriously ya'll, we are hunting the Big Boys today. Captain Richard and I are over the moon excited to welcome back all of our old Coveside friends and meet new ones for the first time! We do things differently here. Lately, I have been tootling around the web and noticed, again, the problem of labeling the boys as #1's and #2's. There are no industry standards that define these terms. Ya'll, I have something to say!

The crew of the “Island Girl” culls (or grades) all of our crabs before docking to insure that EVERY crab is of PREMIUM quality and meets exact sizing to our highest standards. #1 Males are a minimum of 6 inches and go up in size. #2 Males are measured between 5 ¼” – 5 7/8”. By Maryland law, we can catch 5 inch crabs until mid-July. But, we never keep any crab below 5¼”. We leave these boys in the bay to grow and mate another cycle. We believe our practice, to leave the small crabs in the bay, is better for the crab population and for you, as consumers, too. Really ya'll, who wants to eat a 5 inch crab? We will catch those little crabs another day. Here, at Coveside,there is NO difference in QUALITY between our #1 and #2 crabs; it is simply a matter of size. I am seeing folks labeling #1 boys at 5 1/2 inches. That is simply ridiculous! At Coveside, a 5 1/2 inch boy is in the smaller third of our#2 boys! The Big Boy's start at 6 inches and go up. That is how we roll at Coveside. Our crabs are kiss your momma jammed packed. Any crab that does not meet that high bar goes right back into the bay! Please ya'll, help spread the word. When only the very best will do, it's time for Coveside Crabs! Crabby Love ~Lee