Blue Crabs Spotted On Fire Island's Robert Moses Beach

FIRE ISLAND, NY — Beachgoers at Robert Moses State Park say they have been seeing blue crabs at the beach for the past two weeks.

Chris "the Fish Guy" Paparo, a marine and atmospheric science expert, who manages the 5,000 square foot seawater lab at the Southampton Marine Science Center at Stony Brook University, said the blue crabs are typical for the area, but people just don't notice them.

"There are quite a few out here in Shinnecock as well," Paparo told Patch. "Their populations go up and down. They are here year round, and local bay men dig them up in the winter time."

In the wintertime, they will bury in the mud and the bay men would use prongs or rakes to kick them out of the mud, said Paparo.

"If you go to a seafood place locally in the wintertime they will have blue crab because they are digging them out of the mud when they are sleeping," Paparo added.

Some years there is a population boom and the spawn make it and there is a good enough food supply for the critters, and other times the crab population simply falls, Paparo said.

"This is not like the shark story, where they once were heavily overfished and are now coming back because of years of conservation and a cleaner environment," he said. "Blue crabs have always been here, and their populations naturally swing ... Sometimes there are not enough blue mussels one year. They eat blue mussels."

The real problem, according to Paparo, is that people go to the beach but no longer take in their surroundings anymore, but are glued to their phones.

"It's hard to pinpoint what triggers an abundance of blue crabs," Paparo added. "People get worked up ... It's really just a good season for them."

Paparo saw a similar situation with mole crabs in a surf area, which were buried 2 inches below the beach. Because most people don't search for them like they may have as kids, they're shocked to find them.

"They are there every year," Paparo. "We are not exploring tidal pools like when we were kids."

Paparo did warn people to still be careful of their surroundings on a beach.

"If they are blue crabs, they do have powerful crabs and they can definitely bite you," said Paparo. "They are not going to attack you, they are not going to come at you. They are edible and are something people can eat if they are big enough, like four inches.

"People should slow down and pay attention when they are on the beach," he said. "People will be amazed by all the stuff they will start seeing. We are on the beach and on the phones, but if you scan out the water you might see dolphins and whales. Slow down and enjoy being outside."