STONE CRAB HARVEST TOURS NOW AVAILABLE IN MARATHON

MARATHON, Florida Keys -- Stone crab season is open and avid aficionados of the crustaceans' claws can not only appease their taste buds, but may now get an up-close and personal look at their harvest in the Florida Keys.

Organized by Keys Fisheries in Marathon, reservations are being accepted for public trips aboard the company's commercial fishing boats.

Three-hour tours, aboard 40- to 50-foot vessels, provide historic sightseeing overviews and opportunities to observe fishermen as they reap crabs from traps and process their claws.

The $425 cost covers up to six passengers and grants them up to six pounds of fresh claws either iced for travel or prepared at a dockside restaurant and served with side dishes.

"By combining tourism and commercial fishing, the Keys' largest industries, we're educating the public first-hand about fishing's significance to the region's economy and maritime heritage," said Gary Graves, a partner in the facility known to many Keys residents as "Joe's South."

The stone crab is considered a renewable resource because only its claws are harvested. After the crab is returned to sea, it regenerates new claws within one to two years.

Sunday, using a special state educational permit to collect three dozen claws prior to season opening, Graves provided a demonstration tour to several South Florida educators.

"I think the fishermen really go through a lot of hard work to get a little bit of product," said Maria Newman, a Miami-Dade elementary school instructor. "It can be hit or miss. Some traps have crabs and others don't.

"I'll really appreciate every single stone crab claw I eat now," Newman said.

The Florida Keys is the state's leading provider of claws, with almost half of the annual state harvest derived from surrounding waters, according to Greg DiDomenico, executive director of Monroe County Commercial Fishermen, Inc.

Traditionally that harvest, which continues through May 15, weighs in at 3 million pounds and is worth at least $25 million, said DiDomenico, who administers the non-profit seafood industry advocacy group.

Keys Fisheries also offers similar excursions targeting Florida lobster. That season began Aug. 6 and continues through Mar. 31.

Keys Fisheries is located on the Gulf of Mexico at the end of 35th Street, mile marker 49.2, in Marathon. For more information about the facility and its stone crab and lobster excursions, call (305) 743-4353 or visit www.keysfisheries.c om. To find out about area accommodations, call the Marathon Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-2-MARATHON