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Age, growth, mortality and sex ratio of the inshore population of the edible crab, C ancer pagurus ( L innaeus 1758) in S outh W ales ( UK )
Author(s) -
Klaoudatos D. S.,
Conides A. J.,
Anastasopoulou A.,
Dulčić J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of applied ichthyology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1439-0426
pISSN - 0175-8659
DOI - 10.1111/jai.12122
Subject(s) - carapace , biology , sex ratio , population , demography , zoology , fishery , crustacean , sociology
Summary Age, growth, and mortality of the edible crab, C ancer pagurus , were determined for the native population in S outh W ales ( UK ). Sampling was carried out on a monthly basis between F ebruary 2001 and S eptember 2002. Carapace width ranged between 10.4 and 163 mm. Based on the carapace width frequency distribution, the S wansea and G ower population was composed mainly of males belonging to the first and second age‐class (1 and 2), and of females belonging to the third and fourth age‐class (3 and 4). Sex ratio was 1.126 ± 0.27 in favour of males. Carapace width frequency distributions and weight‐at‐age data were used to estimate the von B ertalanffy growth equation parameters. For the population as a whole, these were: L∞ = 199 mm, W∞ = 1179.56 g, K = 0.24 year −1 , t 0 = −0.1004 years. The overall carapace width–weight relationship was: W = 0.38( CW 2.69 ). Analysis of covariance indicated a significant difference in the carapace width–weight relationship between males and females in the study area. Total mortality Z and natural mortality M rates for combined sexes were 1.245 year −1 and 0.567 year −1 , respectively. The exploitation ratio E was estimated to be 54.43%.