Two giant crabs caught off Kerry coast now in Ocean World in Dingle

Two giant fighting crabs have been caught off the coast in Kerry - six times the size of a normal brown crab.

Two giant fighting crabs have been caught off the coast in Kerry - six times the size of a normal brown crab.

Fisherman Vincent Murphy from Port Magee in Kerry was bowled over when he netted the two crabs a day apart.

Marine experts are astonished by the size of the male crustaceans, which weigh in at over 6lbs each.

The pair are now in a tank in Ocean World in Dingle after being kept alive by Mr Murphy until he docked.

READ MORE

The Director of the Aquarium Kevin Flannery said: "Their size is extraordinary.

"They both weighed over 6lbs which is five or six times the weight of a normal brown crab.

"We don't know why these two crabs grew to such a size. It was some sort of freak of nature that they were both caught off Skellig Michael a day apart. They could have been in the area fighting over a female."

Mr Flannery said it was at least 20 years since he had seen crabs of this size.

He said: "They're among the biggest crabs ever caught in Irish waters. They are just massive. Their claws are very very broad and just huge. The pressure put to bear by their claws would be a couple of hundred pounds.

"They wouldn't just give you a nip like a normal crab. If these crabs caught hold of you they would take your finger off."

He said the fisherman couldn't believe he caught both of them within a day of each other. "Vincent Murphy caught them. They weren't together but they were in the same area.

"He caught one and then another a day later. He knew the size was very unusual when he caught them and put them into a storage tank of water.

"They were brought to Dingle Ocean World where they are now on display."

And he said the crabs had been feeding off the Kerry coast for a number of years.

"Males do tend to be bigger and more aggressive.

"They are the ordinary brown crab that people put in their sandwiches.

"They are heavily exploited in this area.

"We don't have any names for them yet but any suggestions would be welcome."