Species profiles: Life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (Pacific Northwest): Dungeness crab. [Cancer magister dana]

Technical Report · Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:7058371

Pauley, G B; Armstrong, D A; Heun, T W

The Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) is found off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and southern British Columbia, as well as in the estuarine waters of this geographic area. It is a shellfish highly prized and sought after by both commercialand sport fishermen. In Washington and Oregon, only male crabs may be retained by sport and commercial fishermen. Commercial crab catches are highly variable from year to year, but the catches from Washington and Oregon follow a very similar pattern. The highest sport catches take place on low tides ranging from -0.60 to -0.74 m. Dungeness crab go through a life cycle that involves several metamorphic stages: zoea, megalops, postlarval crab, and adult crab. Hatching success decreases as water temperature increases from 10 to 17/sup 0/C; the optimal temperature for larval crabs is between 10 and 14/sup 0/C. Salinity is not as important to egg development and hatching as temperature, but optimum hatching occurs at about 15 ppt.

• Research Organization: Washington Univ., Seattle (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7058371
• Report Number(s): TR-EL-82-4/82-11-63; ON: TI87900132
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CRABS
ECOLOGY
CALIFORNIA
COASTAL WATERS
ESTUARIES
FISHING INDUSTRY
HABITAT
OREGON
PACIFIC OCEAN
POPULATION DYNAMICS
REPRODUCTION
TAXONOMY
WASHINGTON
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGY
CRUSTACEANS
DECAPODS
FEDERAL REGION IX
FEDERAL REGION X
INDUSTRY
INVERTEBRATES
NORTH AMERICA
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
520100* - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (-1989)