Coastal HarvestA distinct section of Charted Waters, for crabbing and shellfishing rather than rod-and-reel fishing. Looking for fishing instead? →

Field care

Field care, cleaning, refrigeration, and freezing are kept as distinct topics here, on purpose — each is a genuinely different question with its own source. See Recipes → for preparations that build on this section.

Keeping the Catch Alive and CoolThe single most important field-care habit in this entire guide, restated here as its own dedicated topic.Dead Shellfish and Cross-ContaminationA live-until-cooked animal is the norm in this guide for a real reason — know when to discard, and how to avoid contaminating other food.Cleaning Before or After CookingBoth real, common approaches for blue crab — neither is more correct.Picking, Refrigerating, and Freezing Crab MeatPicked meat is more perishable than meat still in the shell — handle the cold chain accordingly.