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DR-Inland in Denmark

Monday, July 20, 2026 • 2:15 PM UTC - in Denmark

Indland ( https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland )

Many people are fishing for crabs completely wrong: Here's how to do it right

Looking at crabs and small creatures at the water's edge is a pleasant summer activity for many, but it can easily become harmful to the animals if they end up in small, warm, oxygen-poor plastic buckets.

Michael Madsen is the owner of Jyllandsakvariet in Thyborøn. (Photo: © Kent Samuel Christensen) 57 minutes ago

A string, a clothespin, and maybe a piece of salami as bait - that's all you need to go crabbing at the water's edge.

But there are general things crab catchers need to be aware of if they want to do it with a clear conscience.

And perhaps not everyone is aware of this, says Michael Madsen, who owns Jyllandsakvariet in Thyborøn.

- Crabs aren't the cutest animals, so people can tend not to inform themselves about how crabs would like to be treated.

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> Crabs aren't the most adorable animals.

> Michael Madsen, owner of Jyllandsakvariet

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When is it responsible?

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Most people have probably tried catching crabs and other small creatures at the water's edge with a net or a homemade fishing rod, and then putting the animals in a small plastic bucket.

Here it's important to remember that the animals need enough oxygen in the water.

- Instead of filling a bucket with water and putting crabs in it, it's better to take just a little water at the bottom of the bucket, so the crabs can use the oxygen in the air, says Michael Madsen.

The crabs can stay alive for a whole day that way. If you instead just fill the bucket with water and crabs, they have less oxygen to share, and they become stressed and can die.

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> Crabs are little beasts. They eat anything - including each other.

> Michael Madsen, owner of Jyllandsakvariet

- Generally, you shouldn't mix crabs with other animals either, because crabs are little beasts. They eat anything - including each other, says Michael Madsen.

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5 good tips for your beach safari

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Don't put animals in a small bucket. Use plastic tubs that are big enough for children to bathe in.

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Leave the tub in the shallow water so it cools down.

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Put sand at the bottom and stones with seaweed for shelter. It will be harder to see the animals, but they will behave less stressed and more naturally.

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Continuously and carefully pour new water into the tub from a bucket. When the tub is full, the excess water just runs out.

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When you're done, carefully tip the tub – or if it's in very shallow water, you can pull it out a bit and lay it on its side so the animals swim out slowly.

*Source: Dyrenes Beskyttelse*

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