Live Blue Crab Policy

LIVE BLUE CRAB POLICY & CUSTOMER NOTICE

Please Read Before Purchasing Live Blue Crabs

At Buddy’s Seafood Market, we take pride in offering fresh, live blue crab straight from the coast. These crabs are delivered weekly by the bushel and kept in cold, dark conditions to preserve their quality — the traditional way. However, once they leave our care, live crabs are extremely sensitive and must be handled with attention.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Live crabs are delicate. Even with the best handling, some crabs may expire during transport or storage — this is normal and expected with live seafood.

Cook as soon as possible. We recommend going straight home and cooking your crabs the same day. The longer they sit, the greater the risk of losing more crabs.

Keep them cool and breathing. Do not seal live crabs in plastic bags or containers without airflow. Use a breathable cooler or open box in a cool, shaded area.

We cannot guarantee 100% survival. Once crabs leave our store, we can’t control conditions — and cannot promise that all will remain alive.

SAFETY NOTICE: Do not eat crabs that have been dead for an extended period. If they smell foul or were not kept cold, do not consume them. Crabs that die shortly before cooking and are kept cold with no odor are generally safe to cook.

WHEN TO PICK UP YOUR ORDER:

Fresh shipments arrive on Thursdays. To ensure the best quality, we strongly encourage pickups on Thursday or Friday. The longer crabs sit, the more likely we are to see natural losses overnight.

We cannot guarantee full bushel/half-bushel quantities after Friday evening due to the risk of overnight mortality.

We appreciate your understanding and support as we work to bring you the freshest blue crab possible.

Thank you for choosing Buddy’s Seafood Market!