Crab cake lovers have something to be, well, crabby about this summer: It might be harder, and more expensive than ever, to fill up on your favorite shellfish.

Some Delaware restaurants have begun limiting crab cake sales and even temporarily suspending "crab nights" because of a shortage of picked crab meat, as well as a sharp increase in prices to meet the growing demand.

One reason for the shortage is that businesses are having a hard time finding employees to pick the sweet meat out of the crab's sharp shells.

It's part of a nationwide trend of businesses struggling to find workers. This year, just like last summer, restaurants and shops in Delaware's beach resort towns and other towns in the country did not get a stream of annual seasonal foreign workers because of travel restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Seafood News.com, crab meat prices have been rising and are at a high because of a lack of inventory. The website reports that supply limitations in Asia due to COVID-19 and logistic constraints due to a lack of containers and shipping delays also have helped create supply and inventory shortages.

And, locally, another problem, at least for now, could be there are fewer male crabs in the Chesapeake Bay.

A survey from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Institute of Marine Science estimates that the total abundance of blue crab in the Chesapeake Bay in 2021 was 282 million crabs, a below-average total for the 32 years of survey results.

The number of juvenile crabs in 2021 was 86 million, which is the lowest recorded juvenile abundance since the start of the survey. Additionally, the results showed there were 39 million adult male crabs, below the long-term average of 77 million.

However, the 2021 results showed that the spawning age female abundance increased from 141 million spawning age female crabs in 2020 to 158 million spawning age female crabs. This year’s survey estimate is above the long-term average of 126 million spawning age female crabs.

The season for blue crabs in Delaware is March 1 to Nov. 30.

Earlier this month, Woody's Dewey Beach Bar & Grill, which arguably offers one of the state's best crab cakes, began limiting sales to one cake per customer and the restaurant has stopped shipping crab cakes and crab soup.

An employee who answered the phone Monday said the restaurant also was not offering takeout as the busy summer season steams ahead. The restaurant is open daily from 11 to 1 a.m.

Right now, Woody's, located at 1904 Coastal Highway in Dewey, can't find enough of the high-quality jumbo lump crab meat it uses to make crab cakes.

The one cake per person limit is to ensure "we will not run out of crabmeat so everyone can enjoy our crab cakes," reads Woody's Facebook post from owner Jimmy O'Conor, a Maryland native.

"It breaks our heart to have to result to these measures, but we’re not willing to change our product and risk the quality of our crab cake with [an] inferior product just to sell a crab cake," O'Conor said in the post.

"Hopefully, this will allow us not to run out of crab meat completely! Once again we appreciate your understanding and support."

Woody's, in operation since 2009, goes through 1,000 to 1,200 pounds of crab meat each week to produce their popular 6-ounce jumbo lump crab cakes.

A platter, listed at "market price," will now come with one crab cake and two sides "until a supply of crab meat is more available," according to the restaurant.

"We're hoping this is temporary," said an employee who answered the phone Monday at Woody's.

Cafe on the Circle, a restaurant on East Market Street in Georgetown, is facing a similar shortage problem as Woody's.

"Had to make the same call a few weeks ago after our supplier informed me of the new prices," read a comment from the owner of the Sussex County restaurant on Woody's Facebook page. "Love your cakes. Hopefully, we see this turn around soon."

Mrs. Robino's in Wilmington has hosted a Thursday "Crab Night" at the Little Italy restaurant since at least 2013. The menu includes crabs and spaghetti, crab bisque and Maryland-style crab cakes.

But, this month, the restaurant at 520 N. Union St. announced it was suspending "Crab Night until further notice."

Owners said it was due to "difficulties with supply."

Mrs. Robino's in a post on its Facebook page said it will resume the special night only when "we are able to get the quality ingredients we need."