The trade of live crustaceans in Portugal: space for technological improvements

Abstract

Barrento, S., Marques, A., Pedro, S., Vaz-Pires, P., and Nunes, M. L. 2008. The trade of live crustaceans in Portugal: space for technological improvements. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 551–559. In Portuguese coastal areas, crabs and lobsters maintained alive until prepared for the table are commercially and economically very important. The trade in live crustaceans, mostly imported animals, is an interlinked and complex chain, from fishing, collection, holding facilities, and transportation, to the end-consumer, the various facilities playing a key role. Along the chain, animals can be affected by several stressors, inducing high mortality with consequent economic loss, and contributing to unsustainable exploitation of the resource. A survey was developed to characterize storage, transportation, and handling issues affecting various crustaceans at Portuguese holding facilities. In all, 22 facilities were identified and categorized by activity and water supply system. Despite the wide variation in their infrastructure, there were no major differences in mortality rate of crustaceans between importers, wholesalers, and exclusively retailers. At all facilities, Necora puber, Cancer pagurus, and Carcinus maenas had higher rates of mortality and shorter duration of captivity than Maja spp., Homarus sp., Panulirus regius, or Palinurus sp. Overall, the main problems identified were technical issues related to careless handling, high animal density, and the varying physiological needs of each species.

Disease will limit future food supply from the global crustacean fishery and aquaculture sectors

“…Portugal), the live trade in marine crustaceans from other European nations contributes the majority proportion of national sales. The trade itself involves a complex chain of fishers, road transportation and holding facilities which precede purchase and consumption of live products (Barrento et al, 2008). In other scenarios, live animals are shipped to distant markets via road and air following prolonged holding in the post-capture phase.…”

“…The live market chain is however fraught with potential stressors (poor initial selection of animals, air exposure, hypoxia, handling and physico-chemical disturbances), all of which may impact upon delivery of high quality animals to market. To this end, losses of up to 66% have been reported for live holding facilities for decapod crustaceans (for context see Barrento et al, 2008). As a result, annual losses in this phase contribute significantly to the unsustainable exploitation of wild stocks and have significant impact on future food security via this market route.…”

A comparison of laboratory-holding and tag-return methods for evaluating delayed mortality of Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) discarded in Oregon fisheries

“…Additional factors that make Dungeness crab a good candidate for comparing discard mortality in situ and in the laboratory include evidence that they 1) are agonistic and cannibalistic (Jacoby, 1983;Fernández, 1999;Barber and Cobb, 2007), 2) are often preyed upon by seabirds and California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) upon their return to the water, and 3) like many crustaceans, can be difficult to maintain in captivity owing to stress, disease, and sensitivity to temperature and water quality (Burton, 2001;Barrento et al, 2008).…”

Stress response according to transport protocol in Norway lobster, <i>Nephrops norvegicus</i>

“…100 million), Ireland and Scandinavia (both ca.12%, Ungfors et al, 2013). Live N. norvegicus demand a higher price and can be sold fresh locally, or are impounded by shellfish merchants prior to onward transport and sale (Barrento et al, 2008;Neil, 2012). Live and gravid lobsters are also required by restaurants, public aquariums, hatcheries and the research sector.…”

“…Live and gravid lobsters are also required by restaurants, public aquariums, hatcheries and the research sector. Transport duration and the method in which they are held depends on capture location, value and crustacean species, although improvements in protocol could be initiated across supply chains to improve survival and condition (Barrento et al, 2008;Neil, 2012).…”