More information

Brown crab

Quality mark Cultivation
/Keurmerk Wild
Green
Second choice
Avoid
Welzijn
Informatie over vissoort
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General

Lobsters and crayfish

Lobsters live in saltwater whilst crayfish live in freshwater habitats. Lobsters and crayfish are most often caught using pots or traps. Most lobsters are equipped with ten legs and two scissors as front legs. With these scissors, they are able to grab, cut or crack their food. Did you know lobsters and crayfish, just lie snakes, change their skin because their shell does not grow with their bodies? After changing their shell the animal grows fast and increases in weight.

There are many different lobster species. Most common are the American lobster in the north-western Atlantic ocean, and the European lobster in the north-eastern Atlantic ocean. Lobsters have a relatively slow growth rate and reach sexual maturity at a late age. Another frequently consumed lobster is the Norway lobster. This species is way smaller than the American and European lobster. This species occurs in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Mediterranean sea.

 

 

Brown crab

The brown crab is a large, reddish-brown crab with large and very strong chela’s (claws). Although most parts of this crab are edible, the claws are sold most often and are even regarded as a delicacy in some countries. The brown crab is common along the coasts of the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea and lives at depths of up to 300 m. They prefer rocky bottoms or ship wrecks and feed on other crustaceans and molluscs. 

 

Brown crab

Cancer pagurus
Origin

Atlantic Ocean, north-east (FAO 27)
Deelgebieden: Irish Sea

Farming- / Catch method

Pots and traps

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The [fishing pressure] on brown crab in France is not too high and the stock is not being overfishedOverfished:
A stock is overfished when the stock size has decreased so far that it can no longer produce a maximum sustainable yield. The size of the fish populations is insufficient to reproduce in the long term. 
. The brown crab is however vulnerable to fishing pressure, because they grow slowly and reach sexual maturity late.

The fishing of the crabs is done with cages. This is a passive fishing gear and very selective; seabed disturbance and bycatch are not an issue in this fishery.

The management is partially effective. There are no [catch limits] for this fishery, but the fishery works in a transparent way and complies with the law and regulations.

 

Brown crab

Cancer pagurus
Origin

Atlantic Ocean, north-east (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Beam trawl

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The [fishing pressure] on the brown crab is high and many stocks are being overfishedOverfished:
A stock is overfished when the stock size has decreased so far that it can no longer produce a maximum sustainable yield. The size of the fish populations is insufficient to reproduce in the long term. 
. Brown crabs are vulnerable to fishing pressure, because they grow slowly and reach sexual maturity late.

Brown crab is bycatch in the beamtrawl fishery. In this fishery, more than 50% of the catch is discarded, of which the largest part dies. The seabed is ploughed through by heavy chains to hunt the flatfish out of the seabed. The fuel use for fishing is very high.

There are no [catch limits] for brown crab.

Brown crab

Cancer pagurus
Origin

Atlantic Ocean, north-east (FAO 27)

Farming- / Catch method

Pots and traps

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

The [fishing pressure] on the brown crab is high and many stocks are being overfishedOverfished:
A stock is overfished when the stock size has decreased so far that it can no longer produce a maximum sustainable yield. The size of the fish populations is insufficient to reproduce in the long term. 
. Brown crabs are vulnerable to fishing pressure, because they grow slowly and reach sexual maturity late. The fishing of the crabs is done with cages. This is a passive fishing gear and very selective; seabed disturbance and bycatch are not an issue in this fishery.

 

ASC label

Fish with the ASC label is farmed in a sustainable manner.

MSC label

Fish with the MSC label is caught sustainably.

Good fish

This fish is not being overfished or is being responsibly farmed, with minimal impact on the environment.

Second choice

This fish is a second choice. There are still some improvements to be made in this fishery or fish farm.

Avoid

Do not buy this fish. It's being overfished or the way it's farmed or caught has a negative impact on the environment.

Welfare

There is fish available of this species that is farmed or caught using high welfare standards.

GlobalG.A.P.

GlobalG.A.P. certified farms are doing a step in the right direction in terms of sustainability. A few species with this label are getting a better score on the VISwijzer.

Organic

Organic standards are the strictest when it comes to fish feed. They also require certain measures for animal well-being.