SlotGaugeCheck a catchStone Crab regulations in South Carolina
Crabs · Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season
Stone Crab size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC state waters (to 3 mi) | Open year-round | 2.75 inch minimum | No limit stated; one claw per crab, bodies may not be kept |
Notes
- Take one claw only (the larger) from crabs that have two, and return the crab alive.
Exact South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- Claws must be 2 3/4-inch minimum forearm (propodus)
- Limit
- No possession limit stated; claws only
- SC state waters — as printed
- “Size Limit: Claws must be 2 3/4-inch minimum forearm (propodus). Only crabs with 2 claws can have one removed. Only the larger of the 2 claws may be kept. No claw may be removed from a female with egg mass. It is unlawful to possess any stone crab body live or dead.”
Source: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, captured 2026-10-01 (2026 season).
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About the stone crab
Species of crustacean
The Florida stone crab is a crab found in the western North Atlantic, from Connecticut to Colombia, including Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, Belize, Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, the Bahamas, and the East Coast of the United States. The crab can also be found in and around the salt marshes of South Carolina and Georgia. The closely related species Menippe adina, the gulf stone crab, is sometimes considered a subspecies as they can interbreed to form hybrids, and they are treated as one species for commercial fishing, with their ranges partly overlapping. The two species are believed to have diverged approximately 3 million years ago. The species is widely caught for food.
Read more about Florida stone crab on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, not Wikipedia.
All 106 South Carolina species A–Z →
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Stone Crab in South Carolina?
2.75 inch minimum in South Carolina state waters.
How many Stone Crab can you keep per day in South Carolina?
No limit stated; one claw per crab, bodies may not be kept.
When is Stone Crab season in South Carolina?
Open year-round.
Is my Stone Crab a keeper today?
A stone crab is a keeper today if it measures at least 2.75 inches, with No limit stated; one claw per crab, bodies may not be kept.