Autumn crabs are here: The New Taipei City Wanli Crab season kicks off

Text by MOOK Travel Life Chen Guanxin, reporting

 

As autumn arrives, crabs — a delicacy that has foodies drooling — have entered their peak season. New Taipei City’s Wanli District, the largest producer of sea crabs in Taiwan, accounts for 80% of the island’s total sea crab catch. This year, local fishermen have teamed up with regional organizations to brand the crabs caught here as “Wanli Crabs.” Partnering with 12 local restaurants in Wanli, they have launched seasonal specialties such as Wanli Crab Congee and Spicy-Marinated Fresh Wanli Crab, as well as offering “Wanli Crab Fisherman’s Dishes” — once only available on fishing boats — which highlight the natural briny flavors of the crabs with minimal preparation. Current retail prices at the source are around NT$450–600 per jin (600g) for flower crabs, NT$250–500 for three-spot crabs, while stone crabs are still in scattered supply but will soon enter peak season after October.

Fishing ports in the Wanli area — including Wanli, Yehliu, Gueihou, and Dong’aoFishing PortCurrently host about 50 fishing boats operating in the “Northwest Fishing Grounds” off Taiwan’s northwest coast, focusing mainly on flower crabs, stone crabs, and three-spot crabs. Among them, the three-spot crab — known for its distinctive three dark purple spots on the back, soft and thin shell, and extremely tender meat — is hailed by Wanli fishermen as the “king of crabs.” The flesh of the firm and plump “flower crab,” when simply steamed or boiled, brings out its natural oceanic brininess. As for the stone crab, which has a tough, thick shell with granular bumps and large claws packed with meat along with smooth, rich-textured flesh, it is best paired with strong seasonings — stir-fried crab legs being a common favorite.

Besides enjoying delicious autumn crabs, visitors to Wanli can also join a unique crab-themed culinary tour launched by the local Maobitou Fishing Village Cultural Life Association, in collaboration with local historians and crab fishermen. Through guided tours by Yehliu fishing village cultural interpreters, tourists can learn about the fishing gear and techniques used to catch Wanli crabs, visit the over 80-year-old traditional fishing home “Maobitou Residence” to explore historic village artifacts, and appreciate the effort behind every delicious dish on the table.