MIAMI – Record low hauls of stone crabs off the coast of Florida are creating a scarcity of one of the holiday season's favorite seafood delicacies, pushing up prices and sparking a bidding wars among high-end restaurants.
"No question, there is a shortage and people are feeling it," said Roger Duarte, a former investment banker and owner of Miami-based supplier George's Stone Crab. "I have clients calling me who I have never had business with. Everyone is looking for stone crabs anywhere they can get them," he said.
During an average season, which runs from October 15 to May 15, Duarte, 29, said his fleet of 80 boats can pull in up to 5,000 pounds a day. Yet in the first two months of this year that's fallen to about 1,000 pounds a day.
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