Abstract: An automated harvesting system for crustaceans comprising: (a) baskets (10) to individually house each crustacean and operationally complementary trays (17) to support one or more of these baskets (10) (b) harvesting means for harvesting each crustacean (c) monitoring means (33) for monitoring the moulting stage of each crustacean, the means including (i) an automated robotic camera adapted to periodically take images of a crustacean in its basket (10) (ii) a processor with software which can receive and analyze the images to determine whether a crustacean has moulted, where a moulted crustacean is indicated by the presence of two bodies in a basket (10), the processor also providing instructions to the harvesting means to remove a moulted crustacean from its basket (10).