Australia’s Hermit Crab Exports Under Scrutiny Amid Calls for Ban

Australia’s little-known hermit crab trade is drawing international interest — and mounting domestic concern. A Western Australian business specialising in land hermit crabs is seeking a renewed permit to export the creatures abroad. But the move has prompted pushback from animal welfare advocates and environmental groups, who warn that the trade lacks proper oversight and could harm fragile ecosystems.

Crazy Crabs, a company based in Western Australia and operating since 1979, is seeking federal approval to extend its export licence for another three years. The company, owned by Merv Cooper, supplies pet stores across Australia and international markets, including Hong Kong and the United States. However, its export permit expired late last year, and the renewal application is now under assessment by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

In its submission to the department, Crazy Crabs claims to harvest around 30,000 Coenobita variabilis crabs annually. The collection is limited to a few trips each year, during which small teams gather crabs at night using torches and buckets. The company says small or juvenile crabs are left behind to support future populations and argues that the practice causes no observable harm to local populations.

However, scientists and politicians argue that the trade remains poorly understood and under-regulated. Coenobita variabilis, a species found only along parts of Western Australia and the Northern Territory, is not formally listed as protected under federal law. This leaves regulatory responsibility largely in the hands of individual states and territories.

A 2022 ABC investigation found that about 80,000 land hermit crabs were collected in WA that year by just two operators, suggesting the trade may be larger and more lucrative than widely recognised, with licences estimated to be worth between $1 million and $5 million.

Dr Kim Feddema, a wildlife trade expert at Edith Cowan University, says there’s little baseline data on hermit crab populations, making it difficult to assess sustainability. “We need to understand how many hermit crabs are in these areas and what roles they play in the ecosystem,” she told SBS News. “Without that data, it’s impossible to determine if the trade is ecologically sound.”

The wildlife trade expert also highlighted that license-holders often self-assess their environmental impact, with no requirement for independent monitoring.

The proposal has drawn criticism from the Animal Justice Party, with Victorian MP Georgie Purcell calling the application “a stark example of the federal government’s failure to uphold rigorous scientific and environmental standards.” WA MP Amanda Dorn echoed those concerns, warning that continued harvesting without robust safeguards could result in “irreversible” damage to delicate ecosystems.

Despite these concerns, WA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development currently does not consider Coenobita variabilis in need of formal protection or a management plan. Crazy Crabs said it complies with all state licensing requirements, including monthly reports on collection numbers and locations.

A spokesperson for DCCEEW confirmed the federal government tightly regulates commercial trade in native wildlife but declined to comment on the specifics of the pending permit. Land hermit crabs serve a crucial function in their native habitats. As scavengers, they help recycle nutrients by consuming waste and decomposing matter. They also act as “ecosystem engineers,” reusing empty shells and creating microhabitats for algae, sponges, and other organisms.

Yet, invertebrates like hermit crabs often fall through regulatory gaps, experts say, due to limited public awareness and outdated perceptions of their ecological and sentient value. Crazy Crabs maintains that its operations are sustainable and humane, claiming it has kept mortality rates during transport “near zero” for the past decade. Still, without comprehensive data or independent monitoring, questions remain over whether this niche trade can continue without putting biodiversity at risk.