Velvet swimming crab, Devil crab, Zippy
Velvet crab is a small, fast-moving crab with a distinctive covering of fine hairs that gives its shell a velvety appearance. It has striking red eyes, strong claws with blue-tinted tips and flattened rear legs that act like paddles, allowing it to swim quickly. The shell typically grows to around 8–10cm across.
Velvet crabs are found around the coasts of Britain and Ireland and more widely in northeast Atlantic waters. They favour rocky and stony habitats, particularly sheltered shores, and can be found in rock pools and shallow coastal waters.
In Cornwall, velvet crabs are caught particularly around the Fal and other south coast estuaries, where a small commercial pot fishery operates. They are also caught alongside brown crab and lobster in mixed shellfish fisheries.
Sustainability Rating
Status: Velvet crab stocks are not formally assessed, so there is limited scientific information about overall population levels. However, there are currently no indications that Cornish stocks are being overexploited. Velvet crabs grow quickly, and females can produce thousands of eggs each year, giving the species relatively low to moderate biological vulnerability.
Best Choice: Pot-caught velvet crab from Cornish inshore fisheries. Potting is selective, allowing undersized crabs and unwanted catch to be returned to the sea alive.
Avoid: Velvet crab where the fishing method or origin cannot be verified.
Culinary Uses
Velvet crab has sweet, flavoursome meat and is particularly prized in Spanish cuisine.
Excellent cooked whole and used to add depth to soups, bisques and seafood stocks.
The meat can also be used in rice dishes, pasta and other seafood recipes.
Much of the velvet crab landed in the UK is exported live to Spain, where there is a strong market for the species.
Best Fishing Practices
Potting is the preferred fishing method for velvet crab. Baited pots allow fishermen to target crabs selectively while returning small specimens and unwanted catch to the sea unharmed.
In the Fal estuary, fishermen only land male velvet crabs, leaving females in the sea to help replenish the population.
A minimum landing size of 6.5cm carapace width also helps prevent smaller crabs from being commercially retained.
Seasonality
Velvet crab is available throughout the year. As with other shellfish, availability can vary according to local fishing conditions and market demand.
Supporting Local, Sustainable Seafood
Choosing pot-caught velvet crab supports small-scale inshore fisheries using selective fishing methods. Although the species is found widely around UK and Irish coasts, Cornwall has an established fishery, particularly around the Fal and south coast estuaries.
Responsible potting practices, minimum landing sizes and the protection of female crabs within the Fal fishery help reduce pressure on local populations while supporting fishing communities and making use of a species that is still relatively unfamiliar to many UK diners.
Book now
Join us at Faber Restaurant to explore our menu. Book a table today using the form below or call us on 0208 161 9800 if you have any special requirements.
