THE AMERICAN CRAB INDUSTRY 



609 



Table 132. Statistics on the Production of Crabs by States— Continued. 

 Stone Crabs (1945 production). 



Pounds Value 



Florida 133,400 $ 45,435 



Dungeness Crabs. 



Pounds Value 



Washington 11,973,200 $1,080,998 



Oregon 7,531,700 655,259 



California 10,733,400 1,304,918 



Alaska ^ 2,438,600 131,436 



1 The Alaska statistics are for the year 1946; all others are 1947. 

 King Crab, 1948 Production. 



Pounds Value 



Alaska 2,133,354 $ 96,001 



Source: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 



Gulf coasts. Supplies of crab meat can always be found in the sea food markets 

 of the large interior cities, and soft crabs are available in season. 



The latest statistics relative to the production of crabs by states is presented 

 in Table 132. 



Species of Economic Importance 



The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), commercially the most important Ameri- 

 can crab, is found on the Atlantic Coast from Massachusetts Bay to at least as 

 far south as the northern part of South America. It is common along the United 



(Courtesy U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service) 



Fig. 29-1. The blue crab of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts is one of the 

 most popular of seafoods. 



