It'll grow back.
Stone Crabs, the bottom-feeding crustacean that has often taken a back seat to snow crab and king crab on seafood on menu hierarchies has enjoyed a boost from environmental quarters in recent months.
The brownish-red crab has the ability to regenerate lost claws within 18-months. Moreover, they can do this three to four times before the deformity become permanent (or they finally die). A fishery in Florida has perfected this means of bringing the delectable crab claws to market without sacrificing the whole crab, so that they might produce more claws for our enjoyment.
“The stone crab fishery is considered sustainable,” the Monterey Bay Aquarium asserts on its Seafood Guide online. “Populations appear to be holding steady, and fishermen and managers have created a plan that will gradually reduce fishing effort over the next 30 years.”
Of course, there’s little information about how the amputee crabs fair after their limbs are harvested, however, they’re relatively safe from predators seeing as they’re raised in a fishery. This, according to the aquarium, is why the crab is dubbed a “Best Choice” for those who just gotta gnaw on some claw.