The portly spider crab (Libinia emarginata) is a large, slow-moving crustacean native to the western Atlantic Ocean, ranging from Nova Scotia, Canada, to the Gulf of Mexico. Recognizable by its rounded, spiny carapace and long, spindly legs, this species inhabits shallow coastal waters, estuaries, and seagrass beds. While not as commercially significant as other crab species like the blue crab or Dungeness crab, the portly spider crab is harvested on a smaller scale, primarily as bycatch in trap and trawl fisheries. The United States, particularly states along the Atlantic coast such as New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts, is the primary country where portly spider crab is caught and occasionally marketed for bait or specialty seafood markets. Canada also records minor landings, but there is little targeted fishery for this species outside of North America. The portly spider crab’s role in commercial fisheries remains limited, with most harvests incidental rather than the result of directed fishing efforts.
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Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.