1
Status of the European Green Crab in Oregon Estuaries
during the Summer of 2002
Sylvia Behrens Yamada and Tim Davidson
Zoology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-2914
TEL: 541-737-5345; FAX: 541-737-0501; yamadas@science.oregonstate.edu
Progress report prepared for:
The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
45 SE 82nd Drive Suite 100 Gladstone, Oregon 97027-2522
TEL: 503-650-5400
and
The Alaska Department of Fish of Game
Executive Summary:
The recent invasion of Pacific Northwest estuaries by the European green crab,
Carcinus maenas, caused much initial alarm. A large 1997-98-recruitment event
resulted in the colonization of estuaries along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and
as far north as Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British
Columbia. So far, green crabs have not been found in the inland sea between
Vancouver Island and the mainland.
Monitoring efforts during the summer of 2002 in Oregon and Washington indicate
that green crab populations still persist in coastal estuaries, but at much reduced
levels. Population densities in all Pacific Northwest estuaries, even at their peak,
were well below those observed in Europe, on the East Coast of North America and
in Central California. Green crabs grow well in our estuaries and females are
capable of reproduction. Recruitment of young green crabs has occurred in some
Oregon and Washington estuaries since 1998, but their numbers have been very
low. In the summer of 2002, we trapped only one young crab (39 mm carapace
width) in Oregon.
The recruitment event during the 1997-1998 El Niño was linked to unusually strong
northward-moving coastal currents. At velocities of up to 50 km/day, these currents
had the potential to transport larvae from more established populations in
California to the Northwest. Coastal transport events have been much weaker in
recent years.
Even though green crab abundances are down, it is imperative to continue
monitoring efforts for two reasons: 1) to elucidate the process of range expansion of
2
non-indigenous marine species and 2) to serve as an early warning system for the
next strong recruitment event of green crabs.
Outreach Activities in 2002
July 19/03
Nov. 21/02
Sept. 29/02
June 26/02
Are European Green crabs
establishing themselves in Oregon
estuaries? Guest lecture by Sylvia
Yamada
The status of the European Green
Crab in Pacific Northwest Estuaries:
Current Status and Prediction for
the Future.
Talk given by Sylvia Yamada
The status of the European green
crab invasion in the Pacific
Northwest and what to do about it!
Talk given by Sylvia Yamada and
Brett Dumbauld (WDFW)
The status of the European Green
Crab in Pacific Northwest Estuaries:
Current Status and Prediction for
the Future.
Talk given by Sylvia Yamada
University of Oregon
Biological Invasions In Marine
Environments (Bi 408/508)
University of Oregon,
Community Ecology class (Bi
472/572),
Eugene, Oregon
Meeting of the Pacific Coast Shellfish
Growers Association and the
National Shellfish Association,
Newport, Oregon
Invited seminar speaker:
Oregon Institute of Marine Biology,
Charleston, Oregon
Background:
The invasive European green crab (Carcinus maenas) was discovered in Oregon,
Washington and British Columbia coastal estuaries in the late 1990’s. Warm
temperatures and strong northward moving coastal currents (>50 km/day) during the
1997/1998 El Niño were correlated with the appearance of a strong year class of young
green crabs in the summer of 1998 (Behrens Yamada and Hunt 2000). This year class
most likely arrived as larvae from well-established source populations in California.
Since these colonists are now approaching the end of its lifespan, the next few years will
be critical in determining the fate of green crab populations on Pacific Northwest shores.
While recruitment of young green crabs in Oregon and Washington has been sparse in the
last few years, the females from the 1998-year class are now over 70 mm in carapace
width and at the peak of their reproductive life (Behrens Yamada et al. submitted). Under
3
favorable conditions they could produce more than one brood a year (d’Udekem d’Acoz
1993). Furthermore, another El Niño event could bring more larvae from California.
Scientists, managers and shellfish growers are concerned that increases in the abundance
and distribution of this efficient predator and competitor could permanently alter native
marine communities and threaten commercial species such as juvenile Dungeness crab,
juvenile flatfish and bivalves (Lafferty and Kuris 1996, Jamieson et al. 1998).
The goal of this study is to estimate the current densities and predict the future
status of the European green crab in Oregon estuaries and the Pacific Northwest.
This was accomplished by:

Estimating the size/age structure and density of the adult green crab population.

Estimating the size/age structure and density of young-of-the-year green crabs.

Comparing patterns in recruitment strength over time and place and correlating
them to ocean current patterns.
Sampling Methods for Green Crabs in Oregon
Our sampling effort focused on four Oregon estuaries: Coos, Yaquina, Netarts and
Tillamook (Appendix 1). All four estuaries were sampled at least twice during the
summer of 2002 (Appendix 2). In each estuary, we selected study sites within various
habitat types and tidal levels. Since green crabs are rare and patchily distributed, we did
not choose our sites randomly. Instead, we selected sites that were known to have
harbored green crabs in the past as well as new sites with suitable habitat. We learned
that green crabs are most abundant in tidal marshes, sloping mudflats and tidal channels
where salinities remain above 15 ‰ and temperatures range between 12- 18o in the
summer. Green crabs were noticeably absent from the cooler, more saline mouths of
estuaries, which are dominated by the larger and more aggressive red rock crab, Cancer
productus (Hunt and Behrens Yamada 2003).
Since C. maenas larvae settle high on the shore (Zeng et al. 1999), and crabs move into
deeper water as they age (Crothers 1968), we adapted our collecting methods and
4
locations to effectively sample all age classes of C. maenas. Since traps differ in their
sampling efficiency for different sizes of crabs, we used two trap types (Table 1).
Folding fish traps, with their wide slit-like openings, work well for adult crabs larger than
40 mm carapace width (CW); while minnow traps with their small mesh size (0.5 cm)
retain young-of–the-year green crabs. Typically, green crabs start entering these baited
traps when they are around 20-30 mm CW. We sampled young-of–the-year green crabs
in the high and mid intertidal with minnow traps and larger adult crabs in the low
intertidal and subtidal zones with folding traps (Appendix 2).
Table 1. Types of traps used for sampling C. maenas in Oregon estuaries. Size
selectivity is given in carapace width (CW).
Trap Type
Description
Dimensions
Tidal
Height
Minnow/
Crayfish
Wire mesh (0.5 cm)
cylinder with two
5 cm openings
Plastic mesh (2 cm)
with two slit
openings (45 cm)
21 cm diameter
37 cm long
Medium
to high
63 x 46 x 23 cm
Subtidal
to lower
intertidal
Folding
Fish Trap
Size
Selectivity
(CW)
Medium
30-70 mm
Large
>40 mm
Rocks were added to the traps to weigh them down and to provide shelter for the crabs.
We cut salmon backbones into sections and place them into egg-shaped commercial bait
containers (15 x 8 mm). Holes (1cm) in the sides and lids of the containers allow bait
odors to diffuse. One bait container with fresh bait was placed in a trap and left for 12-24
hours. At low tide, we retrieved the traps, identified all crabs to species and noted the sex
and carapace widths (CW) of all green crabs. Green crabs were measured between the
tips of their fifth anterio-lateral spines using vernier calipers. Native crabs were released
while green crabs were removed from the ecosystem and destroyed.
5
Results
Densities of Green Crabs in Oregon Estuaries
Table 2. Summary of Green crab trapping data for the summer of 2002. CPUE =
catch per unit effort (#crabs/trap-day). Data compiled from Appendix 2.
Estuary
Number of
trap-days
Coos Bay
Yaquina
Netarts
Tillamook Bay
Number of
Green crabs
trapped
9
26
0
2
180
168
44
71
CPUE
0.05
0.15
0.00
0.03
Range of
Carapace
Width (mm)
69-97
39-92.5
61-70
The relative abundances of green crabs retrieved from Oregon estuaries during the
summer of 2002 are tabulated in Appendix 2 and summarized in Table 2. Catch per
effort was much lower in Tillamook and Coos Bay (0.03) than in Yaquina Bay (0.15).
This discrepancy, in part, is due to the unusually high catches at one the Oregon Coast
Aquarium site on August 13 (Appendix 3).
Comparison of catches in Coos and Yaquina Bay for 2002 and 1999 indicates that green
crab abundance has decreased by an order of magnitude in three years. Catches averaged
from 0.3 to 0.8 crabs per trap per day in 1999 but only from 0.03 to 0.15, in 2002 (Tables
2, 3).
Table 3. Green crab trapping data for the Summer of 1999. CPUE = catch per unit
effort (#/trap-day). Asterisk indicates that carapace width data were lumped for
Yaquina Bay stations and ranged from 44-80 mm. Data complied from Hauck 2000
and Hunt and Behrens Yamada 2003.
Estuary/site
Number of
trap-days
CPUE
Range of Carapace
Width (mm)
11
17
Number of
Green crabs
trapped
5
10
Coos/Pony Point
Coos/Russell
Point
Coos/Roseburg
0.45
0.57
59-67
51-75
6
0
0
6
Lumber
Fossil Point
Yaquina/Hatfield
Marine Science
Center
Yaquina/Idaho
point
Yaquina/Sawyer’s
Landing
Yaquina/Sally’s
Bend C
Yaquina/Johnson
Slough
Yaquina/Sally’s
Bend
Yaquina/Oregon
Coast Aquarium
Yaquina/Hatfield
Marine Science
Center
5
9
0
7
0
0.78
50-79
9
3
0.33
54-60
9
2
0.77
50-73
8
5
0.25
50-60
36
31
0.87
*
36
20
0.58
*
180
145
0.81
*
36
10
0.27
*
Age Structure of Green Crabs in Oregon Estuaries
From previous mark and recapture studies and from shifts in size frequency distributions
over time (Behrens Yamada et al. submitted) we estimated the age of some of the green
crabs retrieved from Oregon estuaries in the summer of 2002 (Appendix 3). Large crabs
over 85 mm in carapace width with hard, worn carapaces were assigned to the 98 yearclass. Crabs between 70 and 85 are difficult to age and are estimated to comprise the 98,
99 and 00 year classes. Crabs from 55-67 mm were assigned to the 01 year-class and the
one crab under 50 mm was classified as a new recruit (02 year-class).
The retrieval of at least 17 green crabs from the 98-year-class, suggests that the original
colonizers from the 1997/1998 El Niño were still well represented in Oregon estuaries in
2002, especially in Coos Bay. We did not find any evidence of recent recruitment in
Coos Bay since the summer of 1998. None of the crabs we trapped in Coos Bay in 1999,
2000, 2001 and 2002 were young-of-the-year crabs. This observation was confirmed by
three oyster-growers from this area. Eight of the ten crabs retrieved in 2002 in Coos Bay
7
were hard males over 82 mm in CW. The presence of large barnacles on worn carapaces,
together with red or orange coloration suggests that these crabs had not molted in a long
time. Three dead crabs were found on the shore, of which two exhibited no external
bodily damage. It is possible that these crabs have reached their natural life span and that
others from the 98 year-class will soon follow. Green crabs in Europe and Maine have a
maximum longevity of around 4-5 years (Berrill 1982, Dries and Adelung 1982).
Recruitment over time and place
While we found now evidence of recent green crab recruitment in Coos Bay, that was not
the case for Tillamook and Yaquina Bay, nor for two southern Washington estuaries. For
example, we could assign 2/4 crabs from Tillamook Bay and 8/30, from Yaquina Bay to
the 01 year-class (Appendix 3). Green crabs from the two southern Washington estuaries
exhibited a similar size range as crabs from Tillamook and Yaquina Bays (Figure 1). The
presence of crabs smaller than 70 mm in carapace width suggests that these four estuaries
experienced recruitment since 1998 (Figure 1). .
8
Figure 1. Size frequency distribution of green crabs retrieved from Oregon and
Washington estuaries during the summer of 2002. While more large crabs were
found in Oregon, especially in Coos Bay, the size range of crabs in the two states was
similar. (Data for Washington supplied by Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife.)
Green Crabs Summer 2002
Number of Crabs
14
12
Oregon
Washington
10
8
6
4
2
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
Carapace Width
Periodic sampling of young-of –the-year green crabs in Yaquina Bay and Willapa Bay,
Washington indicates that some recruitment occurred in recent years. At the end of the
growing season, in late summer and fall of 1998, we observed a fair number of young
green crabs ranging in carapace width from 30-60 mm in both estuaries (Table 4).
Catches of young crabs in subsequent years, however, decreased considerably.
Recruitment in 2000 was at least one order of magnitude lower than in 1998 at both sites.
Recruitment in 2002 was the lowest, with only one young-of-the-year crab recovered in
Yaquina Bay, Oregon and one in Willapa Bay Washington (Table 4).
Table 4. Relative abundance (CPUE) and mean carapace (CW) width of young-ofthe-year C. maenas at the end of their first growing season in Yaquina Bay, Oregon
and Willapa Bay, Washington. Crabs were caught between September and early
9
December. Catch per unit effort (CPUE), reported as number of crabs per trap per
day, is only a rough measure of relative abundance since total effort varied between
years and data represents a mix of pitfall trap and baited trap data. (N=sample size,
SD=Standard Deviation). Data for Willapa Bay were provided by the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Year
Class
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
N
Estuary
201
9
14
Yaquina
Yaquina
Yaquina
Yaquina
Yaquina
1
89
15
12
1
Willapa
Willapa
Willapa
Willapa
Willapa
Average
CPUE
8.0
0.04
0.31
Mean CW
SD
(mm)
46.9
5.0
36.0
4.4
37.5
5.0
Not sampled
38.9
0.019
0.0002
0.001
46.8
37.3
39.6
4.1
4.4
8.2
Range
(mm)
32-60
30-44
30-45
37-57
30-47
19-50
Check with ODFW
~ 44
Check with ODFW
What factors contribute to strong green crab recruitment and range expansion? Behrens
and Hunt (2000) combined size data from green crab sightings and growth measurements
of tagged crabs to infer that there have been three northern range expansion on the West
Coast on North America: 1993, 1995/6 and 1997/8. Each of these events is correlated
with unusually strong northward-moving coastal currents during the winter and early
spring (Table 5). For example, northward coastal currents off the Oregon coast during
the winter of 1997/98 reached 50 km/hour (Huyer et al. 1998; Barth and Smith 1998).
We believe that these unusually strong pole-ward currents during El Niño conditions can
act as transport mechanism for moving green crab larvae from established source
population in California to the Pacific Northwest.
Table 5. Relative strength of pole-ward coastal currents from January to April and
observed green crab recruitment strength and range expansions. Since the strength
of pole-ward coastal currents is correlated with sea level, we used the mean monthly
sea level anomalies for the San Francisco tidal station:
ftp://ilikai.soest.hawaii.edu/islp/slpp.anomalies
10
YEAR
Observed Green Crab
Range Expansion and
Recruitment
1992
Relative Strength of Pole-ward Currents at San
Francisco during the first four months of year.
January
February
March
April
+
++++
+++++ +++
1993
+++
++++
++
Good (N. California)
++++
+++
++++++ +
?
++++
++
Good (S. Oregon)
+++++++++
+++
1994
1995
1996
1997
+++++
1998
++++++
1999
+
2000
+
+++
Very Good
(Vancouver Island.)
Poor
Poor
2001
Poor
2002
Poor
Conclusions
The abundance of green crabs in Oregon estuaries has decreased by an order of
magnitude from 0.3 to 0.8 crabs per trap per day in 1999 to 0.03 to 0.15 crabs per trap per
day in 2002. While female crabs are capable of producing viable larvae, recruitment has
been poor since 1998. Green crab populations in Oregon and Washington are persisting,
but at low densities. We speculate that larval abundance in the Pacific Northwest is still
too low, and/or currents are too unfavorable to affect significant local recruitment. Green
crab range expansions along our coast appear to be linked to strong El Niño conditions.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Brett Dumbauld and the staff of the Washington Department of
Fisheries and Wildlife for their collaboration in our joint goal of elucidating the life
11
history of green crabs in the Pacific Northwest. We appreciate the green crabs sighting
reported by Jesse Hayes, David Smith and an anonymous fisher in Alsea Bay as well as
the reports from shellfish growers in Coos Bay. Accommodations while sampling in
Coos Bay and Yaquina Bay were provided by the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology and
the Hatfield Marine Science Center. We thank Annette and Harry Daughters of the Bay
Street Crab Company in Corvallis for continually supplying us with fresh bait.
Literature Cited
Barth, J.A. and R.L. Smith 1998. The Coastal Ocean off Oregon and Northern California
during the 1997-8 El Niño, Part 3: A Lagrangian View. Transactions of the
American Geophysical Union 79(45): F485
Behrens Yamada, S. 2001. Global Invader: The European Green Crab. 123 pages.
Oregon Sea Grant, Washington Sea Grant.
Behrens Yamada, S., A. Kailin, C. Hunt, B.D. Dumbauldt and R. Figlar-Barnes (200_).
Growth and persistence of the recent invader Carcinus maenas in Pacific
Northwest estuaries. Submitted to Biological Invasions.
Behrens Yamada, S. and C. Hunt 2000. The arrival and spread of the European green
crab, Carcinus maenas, in the Pacific Northwest. Dreissena! 11 (2): 1-7.
Berrill, M. 1982. The life cycle of the green crab Carcinus maenas at the northern end of
its range. Journal of Crustacean Biology 2:31-39.
Crothers, J.H. 1968. The biology of the shore crab Carcinus maenas (L.). 2. The life of
the adult crab. Field Studies 2:597-614.
Dries, M and D. Adelung 1982. Die Schlei, ein Modell für die Verbreitung der
Strandkrabbe Carcinus maenas. Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen 35:65-77.
d’Udekem d’Acoz, C. 1993. Activités reproductrices saisonnières des différentes classes
de tailles d’une population de crabes verts Carcinus maenas(Linnaeus, 1758) dans
le sud de la mer du Nord. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 35:1-13.
Hauck, L.L. 2000. Use of tethered prey for estimating the impact of the invasive
European green crab. Senior Thesis, Biology Department, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, Oregon
Hunt, C.E. and S. Behrens Yamada 2003. Biotic resistance experienced by an invasive
12
crustacean in a temperate estuary. Biological Invasions 5 (1).
Huyer, A., J.A. Barth, J. Fleischbein, P.M. Kosro, R.L. Smith 1998. The Coastal Ocean
off Oregon and Northern California during the 1997-8 El Niño, Part 1:
Temperature, Salinity and Geostropic Velocity Fields.. Transactions of the
American Geophysical Union 79(45): F485
Jamieson, G.S., E.D. Grosholtz, D.A. Armstrong and R.W. Elner 1998. Potential
ecological implications for the introduction of the European green crab, Carcinus
maenas, (Linnaeus), to British Columbia, Canada and Washington, USA. Journal
of Natural History 32:1587-1598.
Lafferty, K. and A. Kuris 1996. Biological control of marine pests. Ecology 77:
1989-2000.
Zeng, C., P. Abello, and E. Naylor 1999. Endogenous tidal and semilunar moulting
rhythms in early juvenile shore crabs Carcinus maenas: implications for
adaptations to a high intertidal habitat. Marine Ecology Progress Series 191: 257266.
13
Appendix 1. Description of Carcinus maenas sampling sites in Oregon estuaries during the Summer of 2002.
Coos Bay
Site
Date
Tidal
Height
Location Description
Jordan’s Cove
Glasgow
Russell Point
Pony Creek
Pigeon Point
Charleston Bridge
Glasgow
Eastside Road
North of Golf Course
Jordan’s Cove
South Slough
Haynes Inlet
Roseburg Lumber
Glasgow
Russell Point
Pony Point/Airport
Pigeon Point
Charleston Bridge
25-Jun
25-Jun
26-Jun
27-Jun
28-Jun
28-Jun
15-Sep
15-Sep
15-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
25-Jun
25-Jun
26-Jun
27-Jun
28-Jun
28-Jun
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
low
mid
low/mid
low/mid
low
low
Beach, Marsh
Quail road, mudflat
Bridge/oyster flats
Anoxic mud, weathered cement structures
Washed up Ulva, anoxic mud, weathered cement structures
Under bridge, Sand flat
Quail Road, mudflat
South of Kentuck inlet, along road, next to tidal channel
Near Miller's Lane, next to "No Dumping" sign, mudflat
Beach, Marsh
South of Charleston Bridge, sand flat
Next to Clausen Oyster
Parallel to road
Quail road to bridge
Bridge/oyster flats
Point to boat ramp, rip rap
Tidal channels carved through sandstone strata
Pilings/clam beds
24-Jul
24-Jul
7-Aug
7-Aug
7-Aug
13-Aug
13-Aug
17-Jul
high
high
high
high
high
high
high
low
Rip rap and sandy mudflat on both sides of Store/Dock
Low sloping mudflat, lots of marsh vegetation, many tidal creeks
At elbow near road entrance, mudflat, large Scirpus patches
Across from George St., Scirpus patches
Below bridge, dry mudflat around creek, Salicornia patches
Rip rap around dock, sandy mudflat and boulders
Tidal channel draining mudflat, along nature trail
Marina in large tidal creek, Z. marina in creek, mudflat
S‰
Water
Temp.
Air
Temp.
Green
Crabs
Found?
30
30
4
31
31
36
36
36
15
16.5
20
21
15
15
23
23
23
17
15.5
18
18
15
16
35
24
24
24
24
24
24
31
30
30
28
31
31
15
16.5
20
17
15
15
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
Y
Y
N
N
Yaquina Bay
Sawyer's Landing
Idaho Point Road
Sally's Bend A
Sally's Bend B
Johnson Slough
HMSC Pump house
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Idaho Point Marina
26
3
18-35
25
27.5
35
35-36
32
16.5
14
17.5
17
15-18.5 16-21
15
16
22.5
22
13
22
15.5-18 17.5-24
15
N
N
Y
N
N
N
N
Y
14
HMSC Pump house
Sawyer's Landing
Sally's Bend C
Johnson Slough
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Sally’s Bend A
17-Jul
27-Jul
27-Jul
7-Aug
13-Aug
19-Oct
low
low
low
low
low
High
Rip rap around dock, sandy mudflat and boulders
Rip rap and sandy mudflat on both sides of store/dock
Near fishing platform
Below bridge, dry mudflat around creek, Salicornia patches
Tidal channel draining mudflat, along nature trail
At elbow near road entrance, mudflat, large Scirpus patches
35
14
32
14
32-35
14-17
27.5-30 18-22.5
35-36 18-18.5
35
12
18
N
N
Y
Y
Y
N
12-Jul
12-Jul
20-Aug
20-Aug
12-Jul
high
high
high
high
low
mudflat- vegetation ecotone
Long stretch of rip rap ending at an elbow with abundant Scirpus
pilings scattered throughout site, Z. marina
Long stretch of rip rap ending at an elbow with abundant Scirpus
Salt water pond draining to mudflat via culvert
25
20
13.5
18
15
14
18
13
16
15
14.5
N
Y
N
N
N
12-Jul
12-Jul
12-Jul
20-Aug
20-Aug
low
low
low
low
low
pilings scattered throughout site, Z. marina
mudflat- vegetation ecotone
Long stretch of rip rap ending at an elbow with abundant Scirpus
pilings scattered throughout site, Z. marina
Garibaldi Boat Docks
5
25
25
35
15
20
13.5
18
14
13
18
13
16
22
N
N
Y
N
N
11-Jul
20-Aug
11-Jul
11-Jul
high
high
low
low
Tidal Creek, washed up Z. marina and algae
Tidal Creek, washed up Z. marina and algae
Along Netarts Rd., Scirpus and Z. japonica
Tidal Creek, washed up Z. marina and algae
11
25
14
15.5
11
14
27
15.5
15.5
27
N
N
N
N
Tillamook Bay
Tillamook Spit A
Tillamook Spit B
Dick Point
Tillamook Spit B
Culvert-Bay Ocean
Rd
Dick Point
Tillamook Spit A
Tillamook Spit B
Dick Point
Garibaldi Docks
25
4
14
Netarts Bay
Whiskey Creek
Whiskey Creek
Mile 2
Whiskey Creek
15
Appendix 2. Relative abundance of crab species and sculpins (Numbers/trap/day) in Oregon estuaries during the Summer of 2002.
Coos Bay
Mean CPUE (Catch/trap/day)
Site
Date
Trap
Type
Zone
Roseburg Lumber
Glasgow
Russell Point
Pony Point/Airport
Pigeon Point
Charleston Bridge
25-Jun
25-Jun
26-Jun
27-Jun
28-Jun
28-Jun
Fish
Fish
Fish
Fish
Fish
Fish
Zostera marina
Zostera japonica
Z. marina/Scirpus
Zostera marina
Zostera marina
Zostera marina
Jordan’s Cove
Glasgow
Russell Point
Pony Creek
Pigeon Point
Charleston Bridge
Glasgow
Eastside Road
North of Golf Course
Jordan’s Cove
South Slough
Haynes Inlet
25-Jun
25-Jun
26-Jun
27-Jun
28-Jun
28-Jun
15-Sep
15-Sep
15-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
16-Sep
Fucus/Scirpus
Minnow
Scirpus
Minnow
Fucus
Minnow
Fucus
Minnow
Fucus
Minnow
Fucus
Minnow
Minnow
Scirpus
Minnow Scirpus, Z. japonica
Minnow Scirpus, Z. japonica
Fucus/Scirpus
Minnow
Minnow
Below Marsh
Minnow
Below Marsh
Carcinus Hemigrapsus Hemigrapsus Cancer
maenas oregonensis
nudus
magister
0
0
0.17
0.33
0
0
0
0
0.08
0
0
0.10
0
0
0
0
0
0
45.00
21.20
38.42
29.17
0.30
1.60
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.10
0
0
0
0.1
0
0
0.2
0
0
0
0
0.40
0
0.70
0.80
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.6
Cancer
Cancer
Number
magister
Sculpin
productus
Traps
(Recruits)
0.50
0.10
0.00
10
0
0
0.60
10
2.08
0
1.08
12
0.17
0.58
1.67
12
1.30
3.10
4.10
10
0.40
2.70
3.60
10
0.50
0
0.70
8.80
1.50
1.33
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.80
0.31
1.00
0.80
0.30
1.00
0.20
0.70
0.30
0.7
1.1
0.4
10
10
13
10
10
3
10
10
10
10
10
10
16
Yaquina Bay
Mean CPUE (Catch/trap/day)
Hemigrapsus
nudus
Cancer
magister
0
0.08
0
0
0
1.20
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.30
6.08
1.10
6.13
11.25
0.30
Cancer
magister
(Recruits)
0.60
0
0
0.27
0.25
0
1.1
0.2
0.48
0.5
0
0
0.45
0.17
0
1.20
0
0.1
0
1.50
0.35
0
0
0
0
0
0.1
0
0
0
Hemigrapsus
nudus
0
Carcinus Hemigrapsus
maenas oregonensis
Site
Date
Trap
Type
Zone
Idaho Point Marina
HMSC Pump house
Sawyer's Landing
Sally's Bend C
Johnson Slough
Oregon Coast Aqua.
17-Jul
17-Jul
27-Jul
27-Jul
7-Aug
13-Aug
Fish
Fish
Fish
Fish
Fish
Fish
Zostera marina
Zostera marina
Zostera marina
Zostera marina
Below Barnacles
Subtidal
0.20
0
0
0.13
0.50
1.90
Sawyer's Landing
Idaho Point Road
Sally's Bend A
Sally's Bend B
Johnson Slough
HMSC Pump house
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Sally's Bend A
24-Jul
24-Jul
7-Aug
7-Aug
7-Aug
13-Aug
14-Aug
19-Oct
Minnow
Minnow
Minnow
Minnow
Minnow
Minnow
Minnow
Minnow
Fucus
Fucus
Zostera japonica
Zostera japonica
Fucus
Fucus
Fucus
Zostera japonica
0
0
0.03
0
0
0
0
0.
Cancer
productus
Sculpin
Number
Traps
0.60
2.31
4.90
0
0
0
4.60
2.31
1.90
1.80
2.00
6.40
10
13
10
15
4
10
0
0
0
0
0
0.10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.30
3.20
0.83
1.00
0.30
1.20
1.50
0.
10
10
30
10
10
10
20
6
Cancer
magister
Cancer
magister
(Recruits)
Cancer
productus
Sculpin
Number
Traps
5.50
0.50
0
20.00
2
Mean CPUE
(Catch/trap/da
y)
Tillamook Bay
Site
Date
Trap
Type
Zone
Culvert-Bay Ocean
Rd
12-Jul
Fish
Subtidal
Carcinus Hemigrapsus
maenas oregonensis
0
1
17
Fish
Fish
Fish
Fish
Fish
Zostera marina
Zostera japonica
Zostera japonica
Zostera marina
Subtidal
Dick Point
Tillamook Spit A
Tillamook Spit B
Dick Point
Garibaldi Docks
12-Jul
12-Jul
12-Jul
20-Aug
20-Aug
Tillamook Spit A
Tillamook Spit B
Dick Point
Tillamook Spit B
12-Jul Minnow Salicornia/Scirpus
Fucus
12-Jul Minnow
Scirpus
Minnow
20-Aug
Fucus
20-Aug Minnow
0
0
0
0
0
0.75
0
1.6
0.25
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.13
0
0
33.38
8.00
1.00
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.88
0.20
3.60
1.75
2.00
8
5
5
8
2
0
0.10
0
0.05
1.3
1.6
0
0.30
0
0.20
0
0.20
0
0
0
0.15
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.00
1.90
2.00
0.80
10
10
1
20
Hemigrapsus
nudus
Cancer
magister
Cancer
productus
Sculpin
Number
Traps
0
1.40
5
0
0
0
0.15
6.00
1.33
20
10
9
Mean CPUE
(Catch/trap/da
y)
Netarts Bay
Site
Date
Trap
Type
Zone
Whiskey Creek
11-Jul
Fish
Creek
0
1
0.20
0
Cancer
magister
(Recruits)
0
Whiskey Creek
Mile 2
Whiskey Creek
11-Jul Minnow
11-Jul Minnow
20-Aug Minnow
Fucus
Zostera japonica
Fucus
0
0
0
0.25
1.2
0.78
1.00
3.60
0.33
0
0
0.11
0
0
0
Note: updated 11/20/02
Carcinus Hemigrapsus
maenas oregonensis
18
Appendix 3. Carcinus maenas catches and sightings in Oregon Estuaries during the Summer of 2002. Year Classes are
estimates based on crab size, carapace coloration, hardness and presence of large barnacles. Only one recent recruit was
found at Sally’s Bend in Yaquina Bay on August 13. Missing limbs are numbered in sequence: 1= Right claw; 5= last leg on
right side, 6= left claw, 10=last leg on left side. Asterisk indicates that carapace was measured in inches and converted to mm.
Bay
Site
Date
Sex
CW
Color
Year Class
Condition/Comments
Coos Bay
Coos Bay
Coos Bay
Coos Bay
Coos Bay
Coos Bay
Coos Bay
Coos Bay
Coos Bay
Coos Bay
Russell Point
Russell Point
Pony Point
Pony Point
Pony Point
Pony Point
Pony Point
Pony Point
Pony Point
Pony Point
6/26/2002
6/26/2002
6/27/2002
6/27/2002
6/27/2002
6/27/2002
6/27/2002
6/27/2002
6/27/2002
7/15/2002
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
97.4
86.8
69
87.9
92.8
89.4
87
92.2
82.3
75.6
Yellow
Red
Green
Orange
Yellow-Green
Red
Orange-Red
Orange-Red
Orange-Red
Hard/Green
98
98
#1 missing
4, 7 missing, barnacles
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Sally's Bend C
Sally's Bend C
Idaho Point Marina
Idaho Point Marina
Sally's Bend C
Sally's Bend C
Johnson Slough
Johnson Slough
Sally's Bend A
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
7/2/2002
7/2/2002
7/17/2002
7/17/2002
7/27/2002
8/7/2002
8/7/2002
8/7/2002
8/13/2002
8/13/2002
8/16/2002
8/16/2002
8/16/2002
8/16/2002
8/16/2002
8/16/2002
8/16/2002
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
89.3
90.3
91.2
88.8
85.4
84.6
86.8
92.5
38.9
82.2
88.4
81.85
82.85
70.2
67.65
58.65
57.3
Orange-Red
Orange-Red
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Orange
Orange
Green
Orange
Yellow
Orange
Orange/white
Green
Green
Green
Green
98
98
98
98
98
98
98
98
98
98
barnacles
Dead: 1,2,4,10 and puncture in carapace
Dead: 8
Dead: 5,8,10
Dave Smith
Barnacles
Barnacles
6,9,10 Missing
98
98
02
98
01
01
01
1 dactyl missing, 7, Barnacles
7 missing, Barnacles
only recruit found in 2002
1 dactyl missing, 5 tip gone, Barnacles
5 missing
6 missing
19
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
Oregon Coast Aqua.
8/16/2002
8/16/2002
8/16/2002
8/16/2002
8/16/2002
8/21/2002
8/21/2002
8/28/2002
8/28/2002
8/28/2002
8/28/2002
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
89.2
74.9
71.9
85.2
83.7
62.45
65.25
58.6
74.5
68
55.4
Green
Orange/White
Yellow/Green
Yellow
Orange
Green
Orange
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
98
Tillamook
Tillamook
Tillamook
Tillamook
Tillamook Spit B
Tillamook Spit B
Hayes oyster farm
Hayes oyster farm
7/12/2002
8/20/2002
9/15/2002
9/15/2002
Female
Male
Male
Male
61.9
60.7
86*
70*
Green
Yellow-green
Green
Green
01
01
Alsea Bay
Middle of Bay, fishing
8/23/2002
Male
89.2
Yellow
98
2 newly re-grown, barnacles
7missing, barnacles
01
01
01
6 missing
6 dactyl missing
4, 5 missing
01
01
Jesse Hayes
Jesse Hayes
Unknown sports fisher