Giant Crab

Licence required

A rock lobster pot licence is required. You must be at least 10 years old.
Get a licence
Crab giant
© Tasmanian Government. Image Peter Gouldthorpe

Licence required

A rock lobster pot licence is required. You must be at least 10 years old.
Get a licence
Season: Rules apply

bag limit1

 

possession limit1

 

boat limit-

Minimum sizes are females 150mm and males 140mm.

Guide to symbols

bagBag Limit
housePossession Limit
boatBoat Limit

Minimum size

140&150mm (Female 150mm, Male 140mm​)
Measuring
Measure from the front to the back of the carapace. See Crab Fishing for information about measuring giant crab and other fishing rules.

Stock status

Depleted

Other names

king crab, Tasmanian giant crab


Scientific name

Pseudocarcinus gigas

Grows to


Up to

460 mm (carapace length) and 17 kg

Identifying features


​The Tasmanian giant crab is one of the largest crabs in the world. It has a triangular-shaped, orange-red shell with cream flecks and very developed front legs and claws with black tips.  Males tend to be larger in size and have one claw much larger than the other.

Season Information 

Giant crab season is the same dates as recreational rock lobster season.

See the Seasons ​page for actual dates.

Rules

Female giant crabs with eggs cannot be kept.

Habitat

Giant crabs are found in depths from 140-270 metres out to the edge of the continental shelf.

Fishing Information

They are a slow growing and long lived deep water crab only occasionally caught by recreational fishers using rock lobster pots.

Handling

Be careful handling the claws as they are very strong.

Public Health Advice

Follow any public health alerts relating to eating wild shellfish - refer to the Department of ​Health or​ phone their hotline on 1800 671 738.

Hotline

Fishwatch Report illegal fishing

0427 655 557

What to report? arrow button

Contact us

Recreational Fishing

Level 3, 134 Macquarie St

Hobart TAS 7000

Phone: (03) 6165 3233, 1300 720 647

Email: fishing.enquiries@nre.tas.gov.au

Commercial Fisheries

Level 3, 134 Macquarie St

GPO Box 44

Phone: (03) 6165 3000, 1300 368 550

Email: commercial.fisheries@nre.tas.gov.au

Commercial Fisheries Licensing

Level 1, 134 Macquarie St

GPO Box 44

Phone: (03) 6165 3000, 1300 368 550

Email: fishing.licensing@nre.tas.gov.au