Post-mating behavior, intramolt growth, and onset of migration to Chesapeake Bay spawning grounds by adult female blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun

Turner, Heather V.; Wolcott, Donna L.; Wolcott, Thomas G.; Hines, Anson H.

doi:10.1016/s0022-0981(03)00290-9

Cited by 63 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Turner et al (2003) studied movement, feeding behavior, and energy allocations of mature females during the period immediately following mating in upper Chesapeake Bay. Their initial results suggested that migration was delayed until fall, when females moved down shallow areas of the mainstem of the Bay.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The timing and route of movement and migration of post-copulatory female blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, from the upper Chesapeake Bay

Aguilar

Hines

Wolcott

et al. 2005

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The timing and route of movement and migration of post-copulatory female blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, from the upper Chesapeake Bay

Aguilar

Hines

Wolcott

et al. 2005

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

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“…Note first that we had excellent cooperation from the fishers as evidenced by the high tag recovery rate (between 22% and 27%) during each of the 4 years of the study. Previous studies obtained overall recovery rates of 6-12% (Fiedler 1930;McConaugha 1991;Turner et al 2003;Aguilar et al 2005) for similar tags used on blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay. Therefore, the low number of returns from cohort 1 in years 2-4; from cohort 2 in years 3 and 4; and from cohort 3 in year 4 was not due to lack of cooperation in years 2-4.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The shape of the carapace is such that a lightweight and noninvasive tag can easily be attached around the lateral spines on the dorsal surface. Tag return studies on the blue crab have been used to examine migration (Fischler and Walburg 1962;Turner et al 2003;Aguilar et al 2005; and references therein), to provide estimates of population size (Fischler 1965), and to assess the effectiveness of protected areas (Medici 2004;Lambert et al 2006). The objective of this study was to estimate annual and semiannual survival rates of adult female blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay through tag return methods.…”

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confidence: 99%

Tag Return Estimation of Annual and Semiannual Survival Rates of Adult Female Blue Crabs

2006

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Abstract.-Stock status of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus in Chesapeake Bay is determined by comparing current estimates of fishing mortality with biological reference points. Given the recent focus on blue crab conservation, there is a need to obtain reliable estimates of survival to compare with the biological reference points. A tagging program was initiated on the terminally molted, mature female component of the Chesapeake Bay blue crab stock to estimate annual and semiannual survival rates. Crabs were obtained from fishery-independent research surveys throughout the bay and were measured, tagged, and released on-site. Tagging was conducted twice per year (winter and summer) from November 2001 to March 2005. Annual survival and tag recovery rates were estimated independently for the winter and summer tagging data using Brownie models. The two independent estimates of annual survival based on winter tagging (mean 6 SE ¼ 0.081 6 0.031) and summer tagging (0.080 6 0.024) data were virtually identical and low. The estimated tag recovery rate was 24% based on winter tagging data and 17% based on summer tagging data. The estimated monthly survival rate during winter (mean 6 SE ¼ 0.868 6 0.016) was higher than that during summer (0.748 6 0.019). The low estimates of annual survival are consistent with (1) historical estimates of the percentage of age-2 and older females in the winter dredge fishery, and (2) recent estimates of exploitation rate obtained from the ratio of catch to initial abundance. These findings indicate that survival rates of mature female blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay have remained extremely low during a period of depressed abundance, which may be preventing stock recovery. Moreover, this study represents one of the few to derive experimental Brownie model estimates of semiannual survival of an invertebrate species subject to a continuous fishery.

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“…Moreover, we released females approximately three days after insemination by male blue crabs, which increased the accuracy of movement data over previous studies in which the date of insemination was unknown. Previous tagging studies in large estuarine systems indicate that mature female blue crabs generally do not migrate to spawning grounds until the spring following insemination the previous summer [2,8,9]. Previous tagging studies conducted in the relatively small Newport River estuary, NC, also demonstrated that blue crabs migrate back up-estuary after larval release [10], whereas later studies in the Newport River system demonstrated that blue crabs do not migrate back up-estuary after larval release, rather they remain in the spawning grounds (as observed in this study) or continue to migrate offshore [11].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Directly after moulting, mating occurs while the female is in a soft-shell state [7]. After mating, inseminated females begin migration to higher salinity areas of the estuary and enter the ocean, where they subsequently release their larvae [7,9]. In large estuaries, such as Chesapeake Bay and Pamlico Sound, migration from mating to spawning grounds may require a female blue crab to travel up to 200 km [2,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Timing and route of migration of mature female blue crabs in a tidal estuary

2015

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Information on migration patterns is critical to using no-take migratory corridors and marine reserves to protect the spawning stock of commercially exploited species. Both active and passive acoustic tracking methods quantified movement of commercially and ecologically important blue crabs in the White Oak River estuary, NC, USA. We targeted post-mating female crabs migrating down-estuary to oceanic spawning grounds. Crabs travelled approximately 14.1 km mainly in deeper channels and over 12-26 days from mating areas to spawning grounds. No crabs were detected migrating down-estuary in the autumn and only 30% were detected migrating downestuary in spring. None of the crabs detected near spawning grounds were detected or recaptured back up-estuary, suggesting that they either (i) do not return to the estuary after a one to two week period in the spawning area or (ii) were captured by fishermen. The results from this study demonstrate that (1) acoustic transmitters coupled with passive acoustic receivers provided reliable and valuable data on migration patterns of mature female blue crabs and (2) mature female blue crabs are capable of migrating primarily within deep channels to spawning grounds shortly after insemination.

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Post-mating behavior, intramolt growth, and onset of migration to Chesapeake Bay spawning grounds by adult female blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun

Cited by 63 publications

References 27 publications

The timing and route of movement and migration of post-copulatory female blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, from the upper Chesapeake Bay

The timing and route of movement and migration of post-copulatory female blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, from the upper Chesapeake Bay

Tag Return Estimation of Annual and Semiannual Survival Rates of Adult Female Blue Crabs

Timing and route of migration of mature female blue crabs in a tidal estuary

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