What You Need To Know This Crawfish Season

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Crawfish is one of the country’s biggest selling food exports, raking in millions of dollars a year after export – so here are some key information you need to know for the upcoming Crawfish season, which starts August 1st.

Data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources says over four million pounds of Crawfish was landed in 2018, valued at $47 million, making up 82 percent of the total $57 million worth of fisheries product from our waters for that year.

They’re not only a vital part of our economy, they are also important for the health of our marine ecosystems.

It turns out Crawfish is a key food source for sharks and turtles and serve as “reef cleaners,” helping to maintain the health of our coral reefs.

Given the role they play in the marine ecosystem, it was decided years ago to protect the species by implementing a Crawfish season that runs from August 1st – March 31st.

This allows the populations to mature and regenerate after fishing.

There’s also guidelines on how and what can be caught, including using the approved equipment, and measuring your catch carefully by not taking anything with a tail length shorter than 5.5 inches.