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Shell Hardening in Snow Crabs Chionoecetes opilio Tagged in Soft‐Shelled Condition
Author(s) -
Taylor D. M.,
Marshall G. W.,
O'Keefe P. G.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8675(1989)009<0504:shiscc>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - carapace , fishery , bay , snow , biology , crustacean , decapoda , zoology , geography , archaeology , meteorology
Altogether, 1,591 commercial‐sized (≥95 mm carapace width) male snow crabs were tagged and released in soft‐shelled condition onto the commercial crab grounds of Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland, during August 1984. Between September and December 1984, 68% of those animals released were recaptured by commercial crab fishermen. Among those crabs recaptured 31–60 d after release, 32.8% had recovered to a hard‐shelled condition. The hard‐shelled condition increased to 96% for crabs at large for 76–90 d and was virtually 100% for those at large for more than 90 d.