Shore crabs are relatively easy to find. The best place to look is on exposed rock platforms that are covered in loose rocks. This makes an ideal habitat for shore crabs. Before I go any further, I must introduce an important conservation message. Looking for crabs in areas of rock rubble involves turning rocks over - please put rocks back as you found them .
Shore crabs are also easy to identify and sex.
If you look at the underside of a shore crab you will see that its abdomen is neatly pressed against its underside. On a female shore crab this abdomen is wide and covers her whole underside. This is where she carries her eggs. With a male crab the abdomen is narrow. This is where he has two 'claspers' used in mating.