Crabs

• The Florida Stone Crab is found in the Gulf of Mexico in shallow waters. A sustainable crab species, it re-grows its appendages. Harvest occurs when fishers catch the crabs from the waters and remove its main claws and put them back in the water. The insides of the crabs are also edible. Blue crabs are also found in bays or tributaries. Blue crabs are smaller in size, and it is harder to harvest the meat. The red-clawed marsh crab is a rarely consumed crab found in salt-water marshes.
  
  

Lobsters

• The Florida Keys is home to various lobster species ranging from the smooth tailed lobster to the spiny lobster. Spiny lobsters grow to about 24 inches, and inhabit the coral reefs throughout the Keys. A commercial fishing commodity, the Florida Keys Spiny Lobster, is a non-threatened species. The Smooth-tailed lobster is found down to 160 feet deep in the coastal waters of the Caribbean. The Smooth-tailed is found throughout the Gulf area of Florida; however, it only grows to about 12 inches.
  
  

Crayfish

• Over 57 species of crayfish live in Florida, and they range from all over the state. All the species are edible; however, about 18 of the species are endangered, rare or threatened. Some of these species include the Albino crayfish that lives in the depths of the Florida coast, to the depths where there is no natural light. Fresh water crayfish are found in Florida lakes, rivers and streams.
  
  

Shrimp

• Shrimp are some of the most popular seafoods in the world, and are known for their texture and taste. The Florida Gulf Coast is home to various shrimp species such as white shrimp, brown shrimp and pink shrimp. All are commonly caught and eaten.
  
  

Rare Crustacean

• Florida is home to rare crustaceans that are not lobsters, crabs nor crawfish. A prime example of this was found off the coast in 2006. A rare, shrimp-like crustacean, found less than a mile from the Florida coast line, is one of the rarest crustaceans in the world. It is called a glass sponge.