Cornwall harbour overrun by thousands of giant crabs during ‘creepy’ annual event

Cornwall harbour overrun by thousands of giant crabs during ‘creepy’ annual event Daniel Gilbert was heading out on his boat when he witnessed the astonishing sight - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Fisherman Daniel Gilbert was left stunned after finding thousands of giant spider crabs had mysteriously appeared overnight at a popular Cornwall harbour. Mr Gilbert, a commercial fisherman, was heading out on his boat when he witnessed the astonishing sight. Pictures show the huge crustaceans carpeting the harbour floor, while others can be seen crawling over one another and scaling the harbour wall. The gathering of crabs appeared to have arrived overnight, covering the shallows around Newquay Harbour. Mr Gilbert was also joined by local seals, who bobbed next to his boat. The 37-year-old said the crabs were in the middle of their annual shedding process, during which they lose their hard outer shells and temporarily become incredibly soft. He said: “The shedding process takes a month – they go like jelly. You can pick them up, they’re just like jelly. They look dead but they are alive. Honestly, it's quite creepy.” Mr Gilbert said the spectacle is an annual occurrence around July and August, and is something he has witnessed throughout his years as a fisherman. He said: “I see it every year. I've been a fisherman since a young lad.” However, even though he is accustomed to seeing the crabs arrive, he was taken aback by the sheer scale of this year's gathering. Mr Gilbert said: “I was very surprised, never seen so many at one time at the harbour. Honestly, I can't get over how many there is. Imagine standing on all that. It would hurt, wouldn't it?” The fisherman also urged holidaymakers visiting Newquay to head down and see the unusual sight for themselves. He added: “You very rarely get to see this. It's an amazing sight, to be honest.” While spider crabs are commonly found in the Mediterranean sea, marine biologists believe their numbers have been rising in the UK due to climate change and rising sea temperatures. The Cornwall Wildlife Trust has previously said that the crabs do not pose any danger to humans, with Matt Slater, marine conservation officer at the trust, adding: “Reports of them being venomous are simply untrue and could damage their reputation. These animals are truly unique and are completely harmless to humans.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments