A Renewable Delicacy: Talking Stone Crabs with Kelly Kirk of Marco Island’s Kirk Fish Company

Stone crab claws are big business in Florida, worth an annual $34.4 million, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission—and that’s in an industry that works just half the year.Few people understand the ins and outs of stone crabbing better than Kelly Kirk of Goodland. It’s a small fishing village in the southeast corner of Marco Island. Kelly and her family run Kirk Fish Company, a seafood processing facility and market that her grandfather Bud Kirk started in the early 1950s. Kelly is also co-director of the Florida Stone Crabbers Association, and she sits on the board of the Everglades Seafood Festival. As she geared up for stone crab season, Kelly took time to chat with Dalia about what you can expect to pay for a pound of stone crab claws, how environmental changes affect Florida’s stone crab population and how she prefers to enjoy the delicacy. To learn more about stone crabs, check out Dalia’s article in the fall 2023 issue of Forum, the magazine of Florida Humanities.Related episodes:Dive into Florida’s Spiny Lobster SeasonConscious Cuisine: How to Choose Sustainable SeafoodHow Key West Lobsterfest Became Florida’s Premiere Crustacean Celebration