WHAT IS AN OPILIO CRAB?
Posted on April 6, 2007 by opilia
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Photo |
Names |
Illustrations by Chris Van Dusen |
Latin: Chionoecetes opilio; C.hairdi, C. tanneri, C. japonicus French: Crabe German: Kurzschwanz-krebs Spanish: Cangrejo Russian: Krab streegoon Japanese: Zuwaigani |
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Description |
| The market name of snow crab applies to four species, the Latin names of which are listed above. The snow crab is a member of the spider crab family. Snow crabs can grow to about 2.5 kg (5 lbs) and 60 cm (2 ft) in length. C. opilio is also know as queen crab. C. hairdi, which is twice as large as C. opilio has been substituted for king crab during the years of king crab shortage. The C. hairdi are also known as tanner crabs. |
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Markets |
Commercial Aspects |
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Exporting Countries Primary Consumers |
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Production Trends |
Diet/Health Info |
| As with many species snow crab production is cyclical. Production will increase for several years then decrease only to increase again after reaching a low. For the most part, production has remained stable for Alaskan Opilio production since 1994 following a peak in 1991 and a subsequent decline until 1994. Catches in Alaskan Opilio are expected to increase as many new young crabs are growing to harvestable age. Tanner crabs are on the opposite side of this cycle and are expected to decline for the next several years. |
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The Global Supply |
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Filed under: Crabs & other sea creatures
them there things are tasty lil buggers
I love your show and would love to get my son a jacket. Is that possible?
Thank you!
How do the crabs get into the pots and how come they can’t escape?
Hi Rita. There’s a hole on one side of the pot. The crabs can crawl in to get to the bait but they can’t crawl back out again because of the web on the inside of the pot. The web is like an inner lining. It’s stretched inward in a conical type of shape so that the crab can slip in, but not out. Hope that helps.
WHERE IN THE UK CAN I PURCHASE OPILIO CRAB JUST FOR ME I/
Pauline,
I would contact the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute branch of the UK. Here is the link, there’s a contact name at the bottom of the screen:
http://www.alaskaseafood-neurope.com/about_us.html
So that’s what ‘ofeelio’ is! I didn’t realize what a ‘cult’ is growing around this show. We were on a vacation in Alaska and met people from several states who watch every show (even the reruns!!!). Back home in California, we intentionally ask people and “Deadliest Catch” is very popular here, too…. strange.
Just wondering what the opilio crab are used for?
Opilio are snow crabs. We eat them!
I enjoy watching the show. It makes my job as a nurse in the hospital setting look like a luxury job. Whenever I want to complain about my job, I think to what these brave men do to put a little crab on the dinner plate.
I absolutely love watching the show and even have my children hooked. I am wrapping up an oceanography course and have two papers write, after watching the two day marathon of the show I decided to write my papers on the show it’s self and the opilio crab and just cant get enough. By the way my son is looking to spend a few months on one of the fishing boats any suggestions as to how he can do so.
I enjoy the Deadliest Catch series. I applaud the men , and woman who work the boats.
I worked this area in the early ’70s to make money to attend UofA Fairbanks……….I worked the canneries and for a brief time a tender boat that on the side worked king crab…………all that you see on the deadliest catch is real……and most difficult is left off the air..it can be scarey, but the long hours, the focus on the catch and the amazing bonding w/coworkers is live changing……not least to mention the good pay at the end of the season. LZ