MARATHON, Florida Keys — A Florida Keys commercial fisherman took first place in the Keys Fisheries’ Stone Crab Eating Contest held Saturday in Marathon.
Bobby Hanousek (HAN-ah-sek) of Big Pine Key, Florida, triumphed over 46 other individual contestants in the raucous amateur eating competition. It was his second time as champion, since he also won the contest in 2022.
Contestants had to crack and eat 25 of the tasty stone crab claws and pick them completely clean in the fastest time. Participants received a 30-second penalty for each piece of claw meat left behind.
The 2023 winner, Scott Milison of Chicago, returned to compete Saturday and narrowly missed taking first place after being penalized for leaving crab meat behind.
Hanousek’s final time to finish 25 claws was 12 minutes and 3 seconds. A commercial lobster and stone crab fisherman, he said he always sells his catch because the Florida seafood favorite is in such high demand.
“When the first day of season comes, everyone is just grabbing it because stone crab is just a delicacy down here,” Hanousek said. “The only time I eat them is at this event every year,” he added.
“It feels good to be the champion again,” he said.
Marathon residents Tom Zajac and Justin Hare claimed the top team title for the second consecutive year, finishing in 5 minutes and 56 seconds to break their previous record.
Stone crabs are considered a renewable resource because of the crabs’ ability to re-grow harvested claws. The Florida Keys are responsible for about half of the state’s stone crab harvest that averages about 2 million pounds annually, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Keys Fisheries is the largest processor of stone crab claws in Florida. Stone crab harvest season runs Oct. 15 to May 1 each year.
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