Some folks mark the seasons by the calendar, others by the weather, and some by the freshest catch available. For many along the coast, a few weeks from late April through June means one thing: soft-shell crab season. Traditionally, folks mark the start of the season by the first full moon in May, but you can usually find a few a little earlier.

It's unclear exactly when soft-shell blue crabs first entered the North Carolina market. There are reports of recorded landings as far back as 1987, though it’s believed that most of the soft-shells were heading north to Maryland in those early years. Currently, soft-shell harvests continue to travel north, but there’s also an expanding market here at home in NC.

In recent decades, soft-shell crabs have become a local delicacy. You can spot them on menus up and down the coast and at fish markets throughout the region. Murray Bridges of Dare County and NC Sea Grant partnered up over 40 years ago to create the soft-shell industry we have today - approximately 350,000 lbs with a farm gate value of over $2,500,000 in 2021.

Soft-shell crabs are harvested within hours of molting, the process by which a crab sheds its too-small shell. While a lucky beachcomber might stumble across a blue crab mid-molt, commercial crabbers take a more deliberate approach. They sort through their hard-crab catch, looking for those preparing to molt. These are known as "peelers" and are identified by distinctive color patterns and other physical markers. Peelers then go into shallow holding tanks and are watched closely, because the window between molting and the hardening of a new shell is short.

NC Sea Grant, headquartered at NC State with campuses across the UNC System, leads research aimed at building more resilient coastal communities and economies, supporting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, promoting healthy ecosystems, and fostering environmental education and workforce development. To learn more about their research into the state of North Carolina's blue crab fisheries, visit their Coastwatch website.

I recently kicked off soft-shell crab season with a traditional fried soft-shell sandwich, topping freshly baked buns with a bar-b-que tartar sauce and locally grown lettuce. Roasted potatoes from my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box made the perfect side. And for dessert? Another in-season favorite, locally grown strawberries with whipped cream and biscuits.

New to soft-shell crabs? You can find them at many local seafood restaurants, or try your hand at cooking them at home. If purchasing from a local fishmonger, ask them to clean the crabs for you - otherwise, you'll need to do it at home before cooking. Even if you've cooked soft-shell crabs for years, NC Sea Grant's Mariner’s Menu” may have a variation you haven't tried yet, with recipes highlighting fish and shellfish from across North Carolina waters.

Morgan King is the County Extension Director and Local Foods Agent for N.C. Cooperative Extension - Brunswick County Center. You can reach her at morgan_king@ncsu.edu.