Species profile
Red Rock Crab
Cancer productus
At a glance
Red Rock Crab (Cancer productus) is a crustacean regulated in 6 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 2 (British Columbia); the most generous is 50 (New Hampshire).
Across 3 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 4.5 in.
Confirmed by 13,629 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with British Columbia, Washington, and California the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Its carapace can reach 8 inches wide, making it one of the largest Pacific coast crabs.
- Adults are vivid red, but juveniles display a striking mottled black-and-white pattern.
- Found from Alaska to Baja California, it lives in rocky intertidal and subtidal zones.
- Its powerful claws can deliver a painful pinch strong enough to crack mussel shells.
- It is a capable predator of mussels, barnacles, and other hard-shelled invertebrates.
Where Red Rock Crab are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Red Rock Crab
Background
Cancer productus, one of several species known as red rock crabs, is a crab of the genus Cancer found on the western coast of North America.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Red Rock Crab article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other crabs/lobsters/shrimp on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.