What a catch!
This summer, Hunter Tracy of Westhampton caught the largest blue crab ever recorded in all of New York, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation announced.
Unlike other fishing records that rely on weight, crabs are measured by length.
This crustacean came in at 7-3/16 inches, from the tip of one lateral spine to the other. Tracy scooped up the blue crab in Moriches Bay on July 23.
Blue crabs, which can grow upwards of 9 inches, are highly sought after and often caught before reaching full maturity, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The minimum size to harvest them in New York is 4-1/2 inches. While these animals live to 3-4 years old, the DEC said, “we believe this one was on the upper end of that range” in a Facebook comment.
The crabber earned the New York State Record Blue Crab Award, a certificate for his big catch. It was unclear what the state’s previous record was.
New York keeps track of all the angler records, from bluefish to mako sharks, and everything in between. You can see the records by clicking here.
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Top: Another photo of the New York State award-winning crab caught in Moriches Bay. (Credit: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation/ Facebook)
