The Fishery and Biology of the Dungeness Crab (Cancer magister, Dana) in Oregon Waters

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: Waldron, K. D.

Publish Date: May 1958

Online Link: None

BPA Project #:

Contact Information

Agency: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Name: Cedric Cooney

Job Position: Natural Resources Data and Systems Manager

Telephone: 503-947-6094

E-Mail Address: Cedric.X.Cooney@odfw.oregon.gov

Description

Abstract: Results of studies beginning in 1947 on the biology of the Dungeness crab (Cancer niagister) in Oregon coastal waters are reported. A review is made of the history of the fishery with regard to trend of the catch by magnitude, area, and season; the development and conduct of the fishery itself; and the regulations governing the fishery. The first reported commercial crab landings in Oregon were 6,628 pounds in 1880, The fishery expanded slowly until 1933 after which the catch rose sharply to a peak of about 11 million pounds in 1943. Landings in recent years have fluctuated between 6 and 11 million pounds from a commercial fishery which is carried out along the major portion of the Oregon coast. During the period 1947-50, 6,249 tagged crabs were released in offshore and bay waters of Oregon and 34.6 percent of the tags were subsequently recovered. The average movement of 1,042 recoveries of crabs released in offshore waters, as measured by the distance from the tagging site, was 8.3 miles (range 0-133 miles) in 80 days. For crabs released within bays, 606 recoveries averaged a minimum distance traveled of 4.2 miles (range 0-81 miles). Fifty-seven percent of the recoveries of offshore releases and 84 percent of the recoveries of bay releases were made within 4 miles of the respective tagging sites. Over 90 percent of the recoveries of offshore releases were made within 6 months, although 3 crabs were out more than a year with 1 at liberty 878 days. Tagged crabs moved from offshore to bays, from bay to bay, and from bays to offshore. There was no significant difference in percentage recovery for crabs with or without missing appendages. Egg-bearing female crabs are present in offshore waters during the period October to March, inclusive. Larval crabs assumed to be C. magister were observed in offshore waters from April to July, inclusive. Considerable variation in early growth of post larval crabs was observed in laboratory experiments. The amount of growth of crabs between 6.4 and 146.0 mm., as observed by measuring them before and after molting, increases until a shoulder width of about 95 mm. is reached. The increase with each subsequent molt thereafter remairis relatively constant. Macroplankton-eating fishes feed upon free swimming crab larvae. Adult crabs up to at least 114 mm. in shoulder width are preyed upon by voracious fish such as ling-cod (Ophiodon elongatus), the great marbled sculpin ( Scorpaenichthys marmoratus), wolf eel ( Anarrhichthys ocellat1ts), halibut (Hippogloss1is stenolepis), and some of the rock fishes of the genus Sebastodes.

Purpose:

Time Period of Content:

Geographic Extent: Oregon Coast

Status: Final

Use Constraints:

Format: PDF file

Data Quality Information

Lineage-Source:

Data Information

No data information was supplied.

Entity and Attribute Information

Attributes Description: Not yet described

Bibliography Information

Field Name	Value
Biblio ID	3002
Year	1958
Publisher
Request Type	Contributions
Location	Salem HQ
Date Created	May 1958
Date Cataloged	3/6/2007
Date Published	1958
Type	stp fold
Pages	1-43
Volume	24
Status	2
Descriptor	Dungeness Crab; Oregon
Date Entered	2005-08-03 00:00:00
Location In Clackamas Library	wildlife/ marine life; N wall, E end contributions
Author	Kenneth D Waldron
Duplicates	2
Number Remaining After Requests	4
Presumed All Distributed
Back Room Duplicates	10
Author	Waldron, K.D.
Risk
Species
Disposition Of Requests	StreamNet Library: Request filled
Disposition Of Requests	State Archive: Request filled

Is a physical copy maintained for reference at Headquarters? Yes