Crab pulling in Cha-am | Bangkok Post: travel

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Cha-am in Phetchaburi province is a beach town whose many local fishermen are keen at catching blue crabs. Among the most famous groups are the fishermen of Ban Klong Thian and Saphan Hin, who catch blue crabs from the Saphan Hin canal and keep their crab-filled nets submerged in water to ensure freshness. So when buyers come to purchase the crabs, the fishermen simply pull the nets up from the canal and take out the catch. Indeed, this so-called "crab pulling" practice makes Cha-am's crabmeat highly renowned for its freshness and good taste.

A local fisherman in Phetchaburi province takes out blue crabs from a net. The eggs of fertilised females are brought to special crab banks for raising until baby crabs are born, which are then released into the sea. PHOTO: PICHAYA SVASTI

February is the high season for catching blue crab in Cha-am. And food enthusiasts are invited to join the 2nd "Crab Pulling Festival", which will be held Feb 11-19, along Cha-am beach. The festival's objectives are to promote local tourism, preserve the local fishermen's way of life, and encourage people to help in the conservation of blue crabs. Muang Cha-am Municipality regularly gives baby blue crabs to local fishermen to release them into the sea in order to help promote the conservation of the traditional crab catching method as well. It also supports the fishing communities' blue crab banks where crab eggs are deposited for raising until baby crabs are born, then after growing to a certain size they are released into the sea. Each female crab can carry 30,000-1 million fertilised eggs, but no more than 30% of these will produce offspring.