It's a summer pastime in Maryland but finding affordable crabs and crab meat is tough right now.And if you prefer getting your seafood at a restaurant, prepare to pay more there too.WBAL-TV 11 News spoke with Pappas in Cockeysville about the shortage of crab meat."It is in very short supply. The quantity is not there, the quality is not there and they're asking for enormous prices," Pappas Restaurant Group CEO Steve Pappas said.Pappas restaurants, like the one on Cranbrook Road, sell a lot of seafood, especially crab cakes. Pappas said he's trying to keep up quality while keeping prices low, but it's hard. He recently had to increase crab dishes by $3 and they could go up more."If we raise the price the same amount that crab meat has gone up, it would be $60 a crab cake. Right now, it's $25.99 for two sides and for one crab cake," Pappas said.Pappas said crab meat costs him $50 to $60 a pound. He said he can't get colossal blue crab and jumbo lump is very hard to find."I think there is a shortage of workers, a shortage of transportation and just like many other industries right now, it's hard to find products of any sort," Pappas said.The Fill'Er-Up in Parkton is telling its customers it will stop selling crab cakes, blaming the change on low inventory. The restaurant will still make its famous cream of crab soup, for now. They also blame it on a lack of workforce to process their needs as well as a demand that's greater than supply.Those who love crab said it won't stop them from eating it. Damon Wright said he doesn't mind paying a few extra dollars, but he does have a cutoff."I don't mind $30 at the most. If I pay more than $30, then I might cook some at home," Wright said."If it's good, I’m going to pay for it. I had two crab cakes yesterday. I get a crab cake today. If they go up to $25 a crab cake, I’m going to buy it," crab lover Marcella Brown said.Pappas said it will return to regular prices as soon as the market allows.