i
''
\4 {oo
/
.
and their
thei.r Eff,ect
Oregon
Effect an
on *hs
the Q:rality
Quality
Oreg*n crab
*reb 3easons
$ea*ans and
ol Crabs
firrsbs Landed
and ennn?llY
Quantity of
lenri*1.
and
f)
iritroduction
Jgissdsct*'plt
quslLty of
at
crabs at
of the
the crabs
arid quality
The nan*r:r:ifcrrn$.ty
nonniformity ofofthe
crab seasons
tl:e crab
s*asong and
?he
the tl-rre the varicus
Oregon, ard $Iash*
seasons opened al"ong the eallfotni-4,
in
S.ngton coasts vere dlscussed at leaglh durlng the L958 $$IFCusatl$g
Tr*o principal
Seattle"
The f5.ret i*Es the ship*
probleas were involved.
{Uaver.ber 15)
roent of srabs frsn. the scrrNhers area whlch opens early
intc
the a$sged
poor qrrality
rqas the varLabS.e quality
r'
(
dDecsber ]J)
nther rnarketi-nq areas *here *he season opens lstei'
of the erabs 1n these ear.Iy ehlFsr.ents.
and
Ths seeonC
af crabs at the opening of al.l thE eeasons (*xcept
diseusgi.on aroee a request'
p*rhaps Saa Frnanciscol betxeen f,G&rsr
Fron this
fron the R{fC that
investiEate
the research s*affs
aveiSabl"e reeotdg
past seasons.
oeasons"
ti':rin8 past
crabs during
concerning
the incidence
incidence of
of soft-sheil
softshell crabs
eoncanring +-he
at which
whlch
A
the flndings
findings at
at the
the lg59
1959 PHFC
PKFC meetlng
meeting at
A, report
was made
nad,eof'
of the
report was
Plant
Pl"ant
discuesed"
was thoroughly
thoror.egSr3.y
!-ty was
time
the a'railable
available data
data on
on crab
crab qual
qualt7
disc seth
tLxre the
were
ecndition} were
reconds (shell
records
biologist records
and triologist
reccrtds (meat
ree+very} and
{ shel!- condition)
{neat recovery)
ixveltigated
with 1lst1e
due tc nariatigs
$r1cc€$g* The p3.ant, reesldg were not cemparabS-*
in proceselng a:1d record*keeping.
15-kev'1se, r*rere *f !J:n{-ied rraLue dire tCI u:reontrallebie
nlnxrg
tatal
g*lids
by ihe nolstu:e
exLra*tian
reeo:rds
fne biclogiet
rrarLabLes"
prcc*3ure
D€ier-
lndicated
s*riie
pranise but LLni"te:r4*-;ndg and pe::sonrr*1 prec3"':rdedi'i;*q app3.3-eati*n"
oi the
ihe
cond'i'tion of
rrirbua1ly no prac±se
precie'* dala
a'rai1-a,bl-ee::
There
data available
on ih*
the condition
Le virtually
there is
l!evr:a'=
each year,
ysrior:g areas
ihe seasons
crabs in
tL:ne the
sessctls',lpen
open each
JteaF" Never
e.reas at
ai the
the time
la the various
erabs
that'
and industry
indusi;ry that
bi"c]3o'g:-sisand
both biologists
theless itit j-a
is generaL3-y
generallyrecogniaed
reoiied bybyboth
thel-ese
p*rXion of
crsbs
iho creb
of the
anappreciable
aFpr€fj.eble portion
in ceriai-n
certain e*ass,ns,
seasons, su*h
suth as
as f?5?.=,i0r
i959O, an
ln
j-n the
pr*xe conditionG
eoadition'
n,:i in
in prime
landed early
were not
th* esason
$eeson':a'ere
1a:rdad
eerly in
Suggestions
tsi
$r:ggeotlone -frr;n
'bhe
'br: delay
*}f the
the opening
cpsnLng of
d*lay the
fol3-so'*cl to
bi:*::t foliowd
rndusgry then
some seggents
sents ofofthe
bheindustry
s$ne
each
each season
si:as*n
**sdiii$n
season &o
to ass::r€
assure fhat
that fhe
the cr.sbs
crabs 'xij-|
will sl}
all be
be l*in pr3-rne
pine eondition
seasot?
'.'::
,.lt l 'tat:."
':,
:'
t.,,,'' '
i.tl
:::,,::.
:ii:
:s.*,$ii !h*
the a.n$rlae
a nual harvest
?rarcest begins.
beg:in*.
Stch
met w::.ih
with rebutta}.
rebuttal by
Sech suggestions
s"*gg*at5.*ns rst
*lhslr segmenis
ctier
seients of
of the
iile industry.
lnduetiy.
-Those
Thoa whc
the creb
crab seesons
seasons fel.?
felt that
that Lsss
less
xh* opposed
apposeda alater
openirrg for
fcr the
later open.thg
crabs !{eu3d
crabs
would be caught
because the
wculd dia
die before
before the
the season
eaught either
the crabs
either beesuee
crabs Hou}d
asason
cp€nod or
sr because
bscauae they
reprt
summarizes
Thla report
$msrlses
opened
wot1d migrate
thry would
Btle&3e This
a:lgraie to
to other
othsr areas
as5"Lab3.a information
pr*b}*m"
the available
inforslatian regarding
the
thls problem.
r*gardlng this
The Sr*g*n
Oregon fishery
have been
beon used i-:r
in this
this reporb
report bo*ause
because of
of
Yn*
re*ecds harre
fishe:g records
reaey seeeesiblLtty
by'bhe au*har anfi beecase *regon offshore
seasong
dl.f,far f,l"c'ff these af adgaeant arese *.n'$a:.ifslyrge s$d ?teehJngtoa.
$aJ"iforslien
ihe S*n Franclsea araa opens th*
*nd f,ar !{*a-t.he:r SaLS.fo;.alau Secanber L5"
{*sliih
L5,
of, Cagcade $ee€} spsns }f*renber
For
ee*o$d Saead*y ia lfcveabEr
For *ragun the southerta afira
L5, as* the nort}rer&
Eu:aa Desmbsr
For the lfashrngton coast the saason op€ns Sssffiber 15.
Quanttty
of Crabs
Fre ihree prlncipx,l
$mryorlu and Sooa Say,
$r*gcnss crab pr*<lu*ilm*
b* deal"t wlth
p€rLs f<rr thc Orogecr *reb f,i.sheryr srs ,tst'oriat
These i!:rEe aceouni ft:r ucr* thaa & par eent cf
The producitron rsc*rca
fr"wr theee poris wttL'
L:r detaL"l"
:?ig:re 1 shi<ec.s
tle
*rsb 3,rndi::geu J.n dos€nsu 8d
fishs$g
offorb,
in
j?*3'
triwopo:'ir *nd
nxxri:ers
numbers of
of poi;e
pots fl"ehe{i
£ihd per
season,
and Cooe
Coos Bay
Bay
f*.rAstoria9
**tord"a, ?krwport,
ssessnufor
thwin the
Cr:e'*rg
l9474 through
the i"9&?:J+8
ih€ i95E59
seasons"
ti:r*riglr the
3?5€-.5?seasons
The A*ioria
Astoria landings
wer*
landlngs were
?i:e
,r1',rir3CO
rq&8*a?
then fell
fel1
hi.,gir 3*n
doueni, then
high
for 194?*ri8
l9474 (l6O
dozen)
andarC
l94849
(175,100
dozen),
i:3*6r?**
dcser:)
off
*ff to
Lr: as lc
195152 (49,
doen
1*o* in
3$ 1?31*5^
{egrffiVO d*een}"
rose
Suosequently
t}i* landings
Land*.lrg$rose
Sr:bs*qt*nt'}y the
mmbers
?he mslbsrs
do.?en" The
eiEx,;i-F
and steadily
slowly and
peak i"n
in 195?*58
i957-58 r:f
of 13567$S
125,700 dozen.
*. peak
sreadiLy to
t*' e.
*'hcge years
wtrieh
for which
peiterr: for
have fc3-L*xr*d
foiiowd aa sid1ar
i'*r those
of
ot fished
of 5:o1:s
fishe* ha.r*
sis11e-rpattern
fear3 for
records a::e
are a'E-*ilebi*,
avaiabie
r;*ct:-ie
'frra F{elpori
iecreaeed
The
Newport iandinis
}rata steadily
s'L*adi.}y increased
i-*r:dixgg have
i-iks"r1*;e'
il:.* study
duriug
periot End
nd the
d*::*":r3lthe
!h* fishing
eff*rl likewIse.
sbrxl;r p*r":ie*.
fishing effort
The
Th* Coos
Sooe Bay
Bay
slab1e"
ana fithin'z
res*:rkabJ.;r stable.
landings and
e:ort have
1ene3-r:gs
1'lchlyig eff*:'i:"
havs remained
rs:*e.l::** remarkably
]
I
fl
L3tCi3.
$s*er*.s,
4V'J
@5
e6*
3A*
\..
\
*i3
::
I
"-)
/ ,
,Pota
?t'
l
F,*&s
F
Jl
-.,
"rI
I
t
i .':
.rn
&iv'
III
i
I
rt
,1
I
a.rt
*
.r{
,
r*
*i
i
v
A
I'
I
p{::8
/
€f)
r{3
L.--'.
i\el
344
f1
.i+
4'i
r '.n?at
i955*16
19556
l*i.7'-i+8
rg
rrlr'
j
\
\
I
'
IF
..',&
x*r]
:n
Ig
ri
A*
/
I
! rt_ft
i\
I
!
J
/ /V
t
/
Il
I
'v'
(...!
I
I
t
**"\**_.1"-r.-"t*****).d.
o\*.'-*--
I
i;.'..i
i*
t***Ptris
C
i.:
.i:1.
l;1il
!t
i;**s
Cco
i
I
t::r{,.t
wr'r.er:
t
I
...u,
s-
-'
i]
j.?;Ll'"*:,s
1?F5**S
?93556
.r"?i$*51
****;-tn
l';'.{g:fe* J,,
fu*g*::
*:.".xb
b f;r**h
) aait
ad€ff*:*i:
Er i ?.*ta3- Srxsbe"*sof
*f tse.ri;*
iiJr:,,:,r,;:*}
b3 i"*r*,
I?d'i,59"
Pt, 199
.
Jo
i
Yhe fluctuation
fluetr.r,atl-*n of
are thought
Lhousht to
the l-andinss
The
landings era
to bs
be ciue
due to
to variatlons
variations
af the
l"r:
ihe survival
surrlval of
of Sroung
erebs indep*nden*
in the
young crabs
independent of
of thc
the f5.sbery.
fishery.
regulaThe
?he regula-
'bhEfishery
crebs,
to adult
adult male
malo crabs,
on minimum
uinlmr:n size
tlonE
snd sex
flgtresy to
eixe and
restri-ct the
tions on
eex restrict
year of
tn
their 3rd
or 4th
in their
life, which
which ars
are approachlng
approaching th*
the end
end af
of thalr
their
of }.!"d'en
3rd or
{th year
llfe span.
span"
life
slse"
llaies
I4ales spaxm
spawn at
at least
least once
once befcre
before thep
they z^eseh
reach narketsbLe
marketable size.
that the
tlts
sagg**t that
Resuit,e of
of tagging
tagging experiments
and Oregon
0regen suggest
Results
Washington and
*>rFerjments in
in l{ashinglon
erabg each
each
fishery harvests
harsests about
per cent
abaut 90
of the
the available
avaii.a'*Ls narketable
cent of
fishery
marketable crabs
9O per
crsbs out
oui
clf crabs
a3.so indicate
llttLs
Tagging experiments
migration
s€Bsorlo Taggtng
5xd,lcai* little
season.
erper3*ents also
4lgratlcn of
arEas from
the areas
fronn 'xhlch
of the
thery were tagged
tagged,
of
which they
problee then
p:rdnclpal problem
theNr is
i.g
The
Ttre pricipa].
anfusf.s"
thee* ardimals.
hs many
narry to
to harvest
i:arrrest these
not how
ha::Fest but
but when
to harvest
not
rdrento
ce:rt"
1n per
The
monthly lar:dings
landings W
by pcrb
port for
for es*h
each saason
season wer€
were graphsrlr
graphd, in
Ths nonth.ly
1ler cent,
and an
an unusual
unusuaL situation
appeared"
situaticn appeared.
ghfidr! in
ars
in Figura
F3.gr:re 2.
2"
are shown
In
the lrtter'est
interest ofo'brevtty,
brevity,trotwoexalaplss
emp1ei
In the
tlte nonthly
graphed for
Here
we have graphed
f,or aaeh
each pa$,
port, the
monthly
Hen* we
p€r cent
landings,
the seas*"n
season l-anclngs,
landings, fcr
for the
the 194?=-4S
1947=48 and
and 1958-59
l95859
landingso as aa per
ceni of
o.f the
g€asono
sent} $as
cstfh (67
Astorla the
br:].k of
sf the
the 1947=48
19I+?-&8 catch
season. For Astoria
per cent)
was lande.d
landed
the bulk
{6? per
orr1y
eeason, only
the L95S*59
195859. season,
and May.
In thE
the months
uonths of
tsay" In
Apr13-, and
during the
during
cf March,
lfa:rch, April,
g:eriod"
cent vae
riurirtg this
43
was landed
l+3 per
landed, during
thia period.
F€r cent
groater
a greater
that a
It
obvious that
ls slbeious
Ii is
pa:{ of
seaeon in
in
the season
of the
poriicn
th* early
ear3.ypart
ea**h r*a*
portion of
wa landed
af the
ti:e catch
durS*r:gthe
la:ided during
and
L94?r and
28, 1947,
ilar=tecember 28,
,:pe:rlngdates
r{ere asi3ri3.ar:-'ileseliioer
l9559. The
season
tr95$-5?"
?ha
see.s:;loening
da**s were
15e 1958,
395S"
December
15,
Daceoaber
e;elsi*"
Fon
i{e*rport,o a* similar
For Newport,
s*niLar situation
Eilua*iE:n exists.
During
19&?*r+8season,
?hs 1947=48
Beason,
i}:eing the
*{ March,
Harehu
during the
peak sr*at'he
months of
the p*ak
cer:t of
of the
ihe *:rabs
71 Fer
per cent
Curlng
rabi w€:**
were lanC*ri
1and
?i
end May.
April,
Aprilu and
}ley"
lended
was landed
eatch was
pr cent
the catch
c*nh of
of the
turir.gi95,3.-5?,"
l95359 on'y
3? per
*nl,;,r27
f*"rLr.g
or'e srebe
crabs }tsre
were
peak mont-i
and the
then,
the peak
then, and
was Fe*enbac"
Decenber {p?
(27 per
per *rsr:t.}"
tent). Here
n*n'in €es
JJ,sj:ed"
rs*s -+re.tre
ut ?i-k*i-lse
likewise more
were fithed
ilsr* tots
during 1958=59,
landed
Ls:ded. during
195S*5?" :*ut
The 1947=48
L9&?*l*8
The
l-5"
end
sees*c.r *pened
and 1958-5p
1958=59 seasone
opened on
on iulovenb'ar
Novennr i5
For ff*:*s
For
Coos 8ay
Bay the
te s,ams
same slt'f,ati*n
situationq:ccurv*d*
occied
In
1947=48, 56
56 per
per ceni;
cet
3n :"91+?-&gn
and May
3{ay
Apn33uarid
of March,
Harch, April,
peakmonths
nentl:* of
of
th* crabs
rliers landed
th* peak
crebs were
innde.Cduring
d:"rrlng the
*f the
,1S:$€=$S
.f"**sde
3.94?*/r€
Doaen
99,00 Pozen
Se3ffi
5
900
Pota
SugS Pgbs
1242 Seasn
Dor
3,#r:44
Fe&e
3uS*O
2, 0O Pots
{\
30L
Jv
30
w
20
Pr
a:
'L M1J
A
Ii
J
JIP
$ermoe*
Nebo?t
Doaen
83,400
Su4m Doefl
5sffi Pots
ffie
6,000
49210
Dn
49e9.0 lleren
Potp
900
9€0 Pota
49
€
s
.*'*l
fp
c!
30
-i
.,Or
es
201m
20F
I
i:.fttijft
NDJFMMJJA
.y F ?{ A }'f f # a
DJFNAMJJI
$.8
SSJFMiSS-f
Baf
S*m Bay
CLc
$asen
??r363
77 362.
D.
J
.499600
Dozen
49r60tr*sasn
30O0Pota
]n$ffi Foto
U&$$rg
j3
3a
2CI
2O
It
tt t,
4V
20
lt
It
10.-
il
li ti
L
11
J4MAMJ
il{nFt
I
Rld€.:
Hein*b
Mth
*o
?igtwe
2
Fl.gue
-
onth,
Fot'* and
Oregon Crab
and }'lentbu
i*endsgs by
Greb Landinga
Aregeea
!y Port.
*nd 395S*S9"
i94748 axxl
195859
3?4?""t8
::a;)',:1.",
l',.. a,
.::.:.
,: . . . . : '
6*
6
and Deee,rnbsr
irherias
per cent
these rnrrnths
whereas in
was landeri
landed during
rnnths and
December
during these
ceni was
ln 1958-59,
195S-59r 31
3L per
flre l95&.59
1958-59
3-a:rdl"nge. The
was
month xrith
with 2S
28 p*r
per e€n!
cent *fof ilrethe eeasoa?a
seasons landings.
xses the
the peak
ileak e.anth
The opening
opening dats
date ras
was
season
catch $as
was ffia}1€r
smaller than
than ttrat
that inin19i,?=t+8.
194748. The
sea,son catch
both seasons,
November 15
!{ovesaber
l-5 for
for both
sess$}e,
It
in FigurE
Figure l1 that
that the
the
notad iri
ehor:ld be noted
3t should
study
Coos
throughout the
the study
Bay crab
emb landings
lar:dlngs have
stable throughout
Cooe Bay
hava remained
remarkabS-y stable
reraained remarkably
perd.od despite
period
desplte a substantial
t3r're of
of harvast.
hamegt'
substantlal change
*hangs in
1*. time
grester proportion
prepor?lon
Fcr
of these
these ports,
ports, tha
the eaare
same picturs
pictureffitergas*,€
emergesa greater
F'cr each
eseh of
of
was taken
taken earlier
earlier far
for i;h-e
the 195S-59
195859 eea
son ihas
than for
for 191+?+8'
194748
o-f the
tha catch
catch 'ures
e€sson
are less
to
there are
l"ess to
It.
also obviorrs
obvious that
that ifif the
the crabs
crabs are
are teksn
taken earlLsrn
earlier, there
3t isis elso
be taken
takea later.
later.
Lvrerease
There
opening rill
will increase
ear].lar opening
that an earlier
?hare is
ls no indication
Sndleatisn that
the catch.
cateh.
.
These
later opening
date rauLd
would probabS.y
probably not
not :rEduee
reduce
openS:lg date
These data
that a later
data suggest
auggest, that
greater propcnbLon
the
the
would result
proportion of
of the
ihe total
erabs but
but seni.d
reei:Lt in
in a greater
total catch
catch of
of crabs
prlse conditiOn0
crabs befug
being landed
crabs
Landed in
condlblono
ta prime
C. Dale Sns*
Snow
{isfrsd.eeion
Oregon Fish
Fish (ominisaion
Oregon
Research
Diviston
Raeearch Division
November
23, 19ffi
l9O
$ovember 23r