Crab and Prawn Facts

One of the questions we get from our guests are what types of fish or sea creatures will we be able to catch on our trips.
Please check thegovernment websiteregarding seasonal closures and catch limits regardin g the different types of salmon.

Dungeness Crab

Dungeness crab thrive in cold water, making the ocean off British Columbia a prime fishing area. They prefer sandy areas and live at variable depths but they are most abundant above 50-metre depths. They feed primarily on live prey including fish, crustaceans, clams and worms but will also scavenge.

Crabbing can be done all year round; however, commercial crabbing season starts July 1st so it is not recommended to crab during this time because most crabs will tend to be undersized.

Dungeness Crab

Crabbing can be done all year round; however, commercial crabbing season starts July 1st so it is not recommended to crab during this time because most crabs will tend to be undersized.

Spot Prawns

British Columbia spot prawns are found all along the North American Pacific coast from southern California to Alaska. They are also found in along Korea and Japan. They live in typically in rocky habitats along the seafloor rom intertidal zones to depths greater than 400 m.

They are characterised by four distinct white spots on their body, a pair of spots behind their head, an a pair of spots in front of the tail.

Creative Commons Portrait by Will Scullin is license under CC by 2.0

Creative Commons Portrait by Will Scullin is license under CC by 2.0

The traps lie along the rocky ocean floor at depths ranging from 40 to 100 metres. This method has minimal impact on ocean habitat and very low levels of by-catch of other species. The fisherman returns later in the day to collect their haul.

Crabbing can be done all year round; however, commercial crabbing season starts July 1st so it is not recommended to crab during this time because most crabs will tend to be undersized.