THE SPIDER THAT BECAME A CORNISH KING

 

This spiky ocean crawler used to be called a Spider Crab, often caught by fisherman around the Cornish coast. Until 2021, over 80% of the catch was sold to the French, who call it the spider of the sea, and the Spanish, who call it the spider crab. But when Britain left the European Union, Cornish fishermen couldn’t sell their spider crabs to Europe and they couldn’t sell them here either, as the British don’t want to eat anything with the word ‘spider’ in it.  So, the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation in Newlyn renamed it the Cornish King Crab. 

On a French menu that would translate as Crabe Royal de Cornouailles. 

 

Copyright Fiona Chivers