<P> Declawing of crabs is the process whereby one or both claws of a live crab ( including king crabs ) are manually pulled off and the animal is then returned to the water . It occurs in several fisheries worldwide , such as in the Florida stone crab ( Menippe mercenaria ) fishery , the north - east Atlantic deep - water red crab ( Chaceon affinis ) fishery and in southern Iberia , where the major claws of the fiddler crab Uca tangeri are harvested . Around Northern Europe , an extensive fishery exists for claws of the edible crab , Cancer pagurus . The practice is defended because some crabs can naturally autotomise ( shed ) limbs and then about a year later after a series of moults , regenerate these limbs . It is argued that declawing therefore provides a sustainable fishery . Claw removal is also promoted to assist in handling of animals , and to decrease losses through entanglement in fishing nets and cannibalism . Declawing crabs is legal in the UK since revocation in 2000 of the Crab Claws ( Prohibition of Landing ) Order 1986 . One crab that is subject to widespread declawing is the Florida stone crab , for which tourist information is provided . </P>
<P> Declawing of crabs is the process whereby one or both claws of a live crab ( including king crabs ) are manually pulled off and the animal is then returned to the water . It occurs in several fisheries worldwide , such as in the Florida stone crab ( Menippe mercenaria ) fishery , the north - east Atlantic deep - water red crab ( Chaceon affinis ) fishery and in southern Iberia , where the major claws of the fiddler crab Uca tangeri are harvested . Around Northern Europe , an extensive fishery exists for claws of the edible crab , Cancer pagurus . The practice is defended because some crabs can naturally autotomise ( shed ) limbs and then about a year later after a series of moults , regenerate these limbs . It is argued that declawing therefore provides a sustainable fishery . Claw removal is also promoted to assist in handling of animals , and to decrease losses through entanglement in fishing nets and cannibalism . Declawing crabs is legal in the UK since revocation in 2000 of the Crab Claws ( Prohibition of Landing ) Order 1986 . One crab that is subject to widespread declawing is the Florida stone crab , for which tourist information is provided . </P>
how long does it take for a stone crab to grow a new claw
how long does it take for a stone crab to grow a new claw
about a year
about a year