October 15, 2010

Stone Crab Season Begins October 15th

Stone crab season starts today and runs through May 15th 2011. Stone crabs are Florida's only renewable seafood resource, according the the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Stone crab claws are harvested and the body is returned to the water to generate new claws. Both claws of a stone crab may be harvested if they are of legal size, although this practice makes it difficult for the crab to defend itself from predators.

Stone Crab Rules
■No females with eggs
■2 3/4-inch claw
■Open season: Oct. 15 - May 15
■Bag limit: 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons per vessel, whichever is less

Stone Crab Harvesting Gear
■It is unlawful to use any device that can puncture, crush, or injure the crab body, such as spears, grains, grabs, hooks, or similar devices
■Maximum of 5 stone crabs traps per person as described in the summary of stone crab trapping rules below

Stone Crab Trapping Rules
■5-trap maximum
■Buoy must have a legible "R" at least two inches high, permanently affixed to it. Buoys are not required if trap is fished from a dock.
■Trap shall have harvesters name and address permanently affixed to it in legible letters.
■Traps must be pulled manually. Any vessel that is rigged with a trap puller will be considered a commercial vessel and the appropriate licenses will be
required.
■Traps must be pulled only during daylight hours.
■Traps must not be placed in navigational channels of the Intracoastal waterways, or in navigational channels maintained and marked by any county, municipal, state or federal
governmental agency.
■A Florida recreational fishing license is required to harvest stone crabs under the recreational fishing regulations.
■Stone crab trap specifications are the same for recreational and commercial harvesters.

The popularity of the Florida stone crab has grown again in recent years and is considered to be one of the best varieties to eat, as well as one of the more expensive.The claws are prepared in the same manner as blue crab claws.The bodies of these crabs are relatively small and so are rarely eaten, but the claws which are large (more like a lobster than a crab) and strong enough to break an oyster's shell, are considered a delicacy. Harvesting is accomplished by removing one or both claws from the live animal and returning it to the ocean where it can regrow the lost limb(s). To be kept, claws must be 2.75 inches long, measured from the tips of the immovable finger to the first joint. If both claws are legal size they may both be taken. Studies by the state of Florida have shown that removing both claws do not harm the Florida stone crab in any way when removed properly. In fact numerous studies have shown that by removing both claws, Florida stone crabs are forced to eat sea grass which has been proven to be more healthy for their diet and regenerate their claws faster and female Florida stone crab have more baby stone crabs since they are unable to fend off the advancements of the male crabs. These studies are what caused the State of Florida to change the laws to allowing two claws to be removed instead of just one.
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Boat Slips and Marinas For Sale

There are currently boatslips for sale at the following marinas:
Turtle Cove - Tarpon Springs, Island Yacht Club at Island Estates, - Clearwater, Pasadena Yacht & Country Club - St Petersburg. Prices range from $35k to @250k. There are also marinas for sale from $1 Million. For more information on Pinellas County Real Estate visit PropCo Real Estate or call toll free 888-499-5454.


Boat Ramps, Marinas, Yacht Clubs, and Storage

BOAT RAMPS

Belleair Causeway Boat Ramp 10 Ramps, 108 Parking Spaces
Park St. and Elbow Lane North, St. Petersburg

Jungle Prada Park 2 Ramps, 16 Parking Spaces
Park St. and Elbow Lane North, St. Petersburg

Madeira Beach Municipal Marina 1 Ramp, 0 Parking Spaces
503 150th Ave., Madeira Beach

Maximo Park 5 Ramps, 47 Parking Spaces
34th St. and Pinellas Point Dr. South, St. Petersburg

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Dunedin City Marina 1 Ramp, 0 Parking Spaces
51 Main St., Dunedin

Bay Vista Park 1 Ramp, 15 Parking Spaces
4th St. and Pinellas Point Dr. South, St. Petersburg

Coffee Pot Park 1 Ramp, 20 Parking Spaces
1st St. and 31st Ave. Northwest, St. Petersburg

Crisp Park 2 Ramps, 30 Parking Spaces
Popular St. and 35th Ave. Northeast, St. Petersburg

Demen's Landing Park 2 Ramps, 15 Parking Spaces
Bayshore Dr. and 2nd Ave. South, St. Petersburg

Grandview Park 2 Ramps, 40 Parking Spaces
6th St. and 39th Ave. South, St. Petersburg

Safety Harbor Marina (Municipal) 1 Ramp, 0 Parking Spaces
Tampa bay, 750 Main St, Safety Harbor

St. Petersburg Municipal Marina 2 Ramps, 0 Parking Spaces
300 Second Ave., SE, St. Petersburg

Sunlit Cove Park 1 Ramp, 5 Parking Spaces
Sunlit Cove Dr. and Bay St. Northeast, St. Petersburg

Park Boulevard Boat Ramp
18651 Gulf Boulevard Indian Shores

War Veterans' Memorial Park
9600 Bay Pines Boulevard, St. Petersburg

Ft. De Soto Park - 3500 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde

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MARINAS & YACHT CLUBS

Bay Pines Marina, St Petersburg 727-392-4922
Blind Pass Marina, St Pete Beach 727-360-4281
Boca Ciega Yacht Club 727-321-7295
Clearwater Harbor Marina 727-462-6954
Clearwater Municpal Marina 727-462-6954
Clearwater Yacht Club 727-447-6000
Carlouel Yacht Club 727-446-9162
Hubbards Marina, Johns Pass Madeira Bch 727-392-0167
Isla Del Sol Yacht Club, St Petersburg 727-906-4752
Island Yacht Club, Clearwater 727-461-2315
Island Harbor Marina, Palm Harbor 727-784-3014
Lighthouse Point Marina, St Petersburg 727-384-3625
Madeira Beach Municipal Marina 727-399-2631
Madeira Beach Yacht Club 727-393-0778
Maximo Marina, St Petersburg 727-867-8087
Pass a Grille Yacht Club 727-360-1646
Pirate's Cove Marina, Dunedin 727-733-1102
Pasadena Yacht Club 727-381-7922
Pass a Grille Marina, St Pete Beach 727-360-0100
Royal Yacht Club 727-736-4001
St Petersburg Municpal Marina 727-893-7329
St Petersburg Yacht Club 727-896-7212
Tierra Verde Marina 727-866-0255

Treasure Island Yacht Club 727-367-4511

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BOAT STORAGE

Lighthouse Yacht Services 727- 937-0327
527Anclote Rd Tarpon Springs, FL

Florida Trailer Storage 727- 533-8111
1700 Palm Way Largo, FL

Stanford Storage 727- 546-9646
7950118th Ave Largo, FL

Ozona Boat Storage & Repairs 727- 789-9497
211 Hedden Ct Palm Harbor, FL

Buccaneer Bay Storage 727- 549-8980
6675 114th Ave Largo, FL

Snug Harbor Marine Inc 727- 398-7470
13625 Gulf Blvd Madeira Beach, FL

Lightning Bay Performance 727- 578-0880
10900 Gandy Blvd N St Petersburg, FL

Gulf Marine Ways Inc 727- 937-4401
950 Dodecanese Blvd Tarpon Springs, FL

Viking Boat Works Co Inc 727- 576-1094
10121 Snug Harbor Rd NE St Petersburg, FL

Neptune Marine-Pinellas County 727- 934-2370
1046 Island Ave Tarpon Springs, FL

Progressive Marine Svc Inc 727- 822-2886
1351 Bay St SE St Petersburg, FL

Salt Creek Marine Ctr 727- 895-4481
107 15th Ave SE St Petersburg, FL

Sailor's Wharf 727- 823-1155
1421 Bay St SE St Petersburg, FL

Bay Area Rv & Boat Storage (813) 837-2132
7215 S Germer St Tampa, FL

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