I catch blue crabs for a living. My problem is that in the time between catching them and transporting them (I ice them, sort the different sizes and types, and then crate them), I lose a lot of crabs. I live in south Mississippi, so it's hot. What can I do to stop them from dying?

There are a couple of things you can try. It is recommended that commercial fisherman use wooden bushel baskets to store the crabs. Place a moist burlap bag at the bottom of the basket (over the ice) and over the top of the basket, to prevent the gills from drying out. If you are using ice (instead of icepacks) to chill them, it could possibly be the standing water that is causing them to suffocate and die. Make sure to drain any water that comes from melted ice. Also, try to avoid stacking the crabs on top of each other. This can cause them undue stress, and even death.