How-to Check if Dungeness Crab Is Male or Female

It is important to know how to determine the sex or gender of Dungeness crab whiling you are crabbing. Identifying the gender of a Dungeness crab is actually quite easy once you know what to look for. By examining the crab’s apron, you can distinguish between male and female crabs. In this guide, we’ll show you step-by-step how to determine the gender of Dungeness crab so you can crab legally and sustainably.

You can identify the sex of a Dungeness crab by looking at the underside of the crab’s abdomen, also known as the apron.

Male Dungeness crabs have a very narrow shaped apron, while females have a wider rounder shaped apron. The apron is located on the crab’s belly and is the area that covers the crab’s reproductive organs.

To check the sex of a Dungeness crab, hold the crab belly-up and look at the apron.

It’s important to remember that there are regulations for keeping female Dungeness crabs. In California, it’s illegal to keep female crabs that are carrying eggs, as this can harm the population. It is also frowned upon to keep legal sized female Dungeness crabs.