Stone Crabs Caught In Chesapeake Bay For First Time, VIMS Confirms

GLOUCESTER POINT, Va. — For the first time on record, adult stone crabs have been caught in the Chesapeake Bay, according to researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).

Stone crabs are native to Florida and other southern waters and have historically been observed only as far north as North Carolina. VIMS Professor Rom Lipcius, who also teaches at William & Mary’s Batten School, is currently holding four adult stone crabs collected this summer by a Virginia waterman.

While stone crab larvae have previously been detected in the Bay—likely carried north by ocean currents—this marks the first verified record of adults surviving in Chesapeake Bay waters.

Researchers are urging help from commercial crabbers, homeowners with crab pots, and Bay users across both Virginia and Maryland. Anyone who observes or catches a stone crab in Virginia waters should contact Lipcius at rom@vims.edu or (804) 684-7330 for potential pick-up and documentation.

Maryland residents who legally catch or observe a stone crab in Bay waters are encouraged to report sightings to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Reports can be submitted through the state’s wildlife reporting system or by emailing sarah.witcher1@maryland.gov, a DNR biologist who monitors rare and expanding species in Maryland waters.

VIMS emphasized that stone crabs are not considered invasive. Instead, their presence may reflect a northward shift driven by warming Bay waters, a trend likely affecting Maryland as well.

Scientists noted that stone crabs feed on oysters and mussels—key species in restoration and aquaculture—raising concerns about potential ecological and economic effects if the population becomes established.

The research effort relies on citizen science: reports from watermen and residents in both Virginia and Maryland will help determine whether the species is beginning to establish itself farther north.

Juvenile stone crabs can resemble mud crabs. Key differences include size—stone crabs can reach up to 6.5 inches across, whereas mud crabs grow to about 2.5 inches. Stone crabs also have pale horizontal leg stripes and distinct claws with black tips, unlike the mud crab’s claws, which have black fingers that fade to white at the base.