Champagne crab (Hypothalassia acerba), otherwise known as Spiny crab due to their distinctive spines, are an underutilised species of crab native to Australia’s South-West coast. The meat is sweet, the taste is pleasant, and the unique look provides interesting opportunities for presentation on a plate. Champagne crab has been an on and off fishery over the past 20+ years due to the difficulty in catching them relative to other crabs and lobster but we are committed to supplying this delicious and unique crab to discerning customers worldwide. Champagne crab are independently certified as sustainable by the marine stewardship council (MSC) and are caught in the same West Coast Deep Sea Crustacean Fishery (WCDSCF) as we catch crystal crab.
Champagne Spiny Crab
About this Product
More about this species
Champagne Crabs have a mottled pale brown to cream shell (hence the name) with spiny edges, black tips on their claws and spines along their legs. Champagne crabs are mainly caught using crab traps and predominantly in waters between 145-200m depth between Kalbarri and Esperance in Western Australia.
In champagne crab species, the males grow considerably larger than the females. The legal minimum sizes of 92 mm carapace length for champagne crabs offers significant protection for the female portion of the populations. Furthermore, preliminary evidence shows that sizes at maturity for males and females of champagne crabs are well below the minimum sizes in both. Therefore, the brood stock is well protected.