Crab pulling in Cha-am

[PeteC]

Photos at: http://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/trave ... -in-cha-am

Cha-am in Phetchaburi province is a beach town whose many local fishermen are keen at catching blue crabs. Among the most famous groups are the fishermen of Ban Klong Thian and Saphan Hin, who catch blue crabs from the Saphan Hin canal and keep their crab-filled nets submerged in water to ensure freshness. So when buyers come to purchase the crabs, the fishermen simply pull the nets up from the canal and take out the catch. Indeed, this so-called "crab pulling" practice makes Cha-am's crabmeat highly renowned for its freshness and good taste.

February is the high season for catching blue crab in Cha-am. And food enthusiasts are invited to join the 2nd "Crab Pulling Festival", which will be held Feb 11-19, along Cha-am beach. The festival's objectives are to promote local tourism, preserve the local fishermen's way of life, and encourage people to help in the conservation of blue crabs. Muang Cha-am Municipality regularly gives baby blue crabs to local fishermen to release them into the sea in order to help promote the conservation of the traditional crab catching method as well. It also supports the fishing communities' blue crab banks where crab eggs are deposited for raising until baby crabs are born, then after growing to a certain size they are released into the sea. Each female crab can carry 30,000-1 million fertilised eggs, but no more than 30% of these will produce offspring.

Activities at the festival will include the sale of fresh seafood and blue crabmeat dishes by local fishermen, a demonstration of crab pulling, sale of local products, as well as concerts throughout the entire event.

Call the TAT Phetchaburi Office on 03-247-1005/6 or Muang Cha-am Municipality on 03-247-1123/4.

[Johnnywastaken]

...I'm all over this....I love crabs...but I prefer the honker green ones...as the blue crabs are alot of work... are the blue crabs the equivalent to soft shelled crabs served in restaurants...?

[Bamboo Grove]

Has anybody else tried the soft shelled crabs? I remember the first time I ever went to Ranong, must have been 1990 or 1991 and was introduced to them. Ah, so delicious.

[PeteC]

The blue shell crabs I've seen are hard shell, just like all others. To my knowledge all crabs are "soft shell" only at a certain time each year, or perhaps only during the first few months of their lives, I'm not sure. I know that back in the USA, Chesapeake Bay crabs had a soft shell season and it was short. Perhaps here they use the hammer method so all crabs can be soft shell? Pete

[PeteC]

Here's the scoop on soft shell crabs. Pete

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft-shell_crab