With species existing in all subpolar seas, king crabs are one of the most valuable seafoods. Major fluctuations in their abundance have stimulated a flurry of research and a rapid expansion of the scientific literature in the last decade. King Crabs of the World: Biology and Fisheries Management consolidates extensive knowledge on the biology, sys
With species existing in all subpolar seas, king crabs are one of the most valuable seafoods. Major fluctuations in their abundance have stimulated a flurry of research and a rapid expansion of the scientific literature in the last decade. King Crabs of the World: Biology and Fisheries Management consolidates extensive knowledge on the biology, systematics, anatomy, life history, and fisheries of king crabs and presents it in a single volume. This book is the first comprehensive scientific reference devoted to the biology and fisheries of king crabs. The first part of the book describes king crabs and their place in the world, covering geographic distribution, depth and temperature ranges, and maps of known habitats. Chapters examine phylogenetic relationships, evolutionary history and phylogeography, internal and external anatomy of king crabs, and the history of North Pacific fisheries. There is also a chapter that presents a comprehensive overview of diseases and other anomalies of king crabs. The second part of the book describes the life history and biology of various king crab species, including embryonic development and environmental factors, the development and biology of larvae, the ecology and biology of juvenile stages, reproductive strategies of fished species, and the growth and feeding of king crabs and their ecological impacts. The third part of the book discusses human and environmental interactions with king crabs through fisheries, management, and ecosystems. Topics include the impacts of fishing—bycatch, handling, and discard mortality—king crab aquaculture and stock enhancement, and king crabs from various regions such as Southern Hemisphere waters, the Barents Sea, and Alaska. A chapter synthesizing various aspects of king crab biology provides an ecosystem-scale perspective and the final chapter presents the author’s outlook on the future of king crab research and populations.
Living in freezing waters, these giant crabs are prized among fishermen for their tasty meat. They might be prey for fisherman, but their tough shell armor protects them from other marine predators. The simple, yet informative, text discusses the crabs' habitat, life cycle, and adaptations. King crabs are much more than a delicious meal and a deadly catch!
During the summer of 1957, 1,999 male king crabs (Paralithodes camtschatica) were tagged and released in the Shumagin Islands-False Pass area south of the Alaska Peninsula. By August 15, 1962, 13.8 percent of the number released had been returned. Tagged crabs from single offshore release locations were usually caught in more than one bay, suggesting that the summer stock offshore was made up of components found in separate locations at other times of the year. Tagged crabs released inside or near the mouths of bays were usually returned from the same general area, suggesting little movement between bays. Minimum distances of individual crab movements between tagging and recovery varied from 0 to 110 miles, but more than 90 percent of the returns were taken less than 35 miles from the tagging site. No recoveries were made by the U.S. or Japanese fishery in the Bering Sea. Growth of the crabs was similar to that previously reported. Biennial and triennial molt periods were indicated for large crabs.
This comprehensive text is a major synthesis on ecological change in the Gulf of Alaska. It encompasses the structural and annual changes, forces of change, long-ecological changes in the atmosphere and ocean, plankton, fish, birds and mammals, and the effects of the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. With 5 major sections, Long-term Ecological Change in the Northern Gulf of Alaska first describes the physical features, the atmosphere and physical oceanography, the annual production cycle, the forage base for higher animals and trophic transfer, and the adaptations for survival in this changing environment for 9 portal species. Then, the major forces of change are introduced: climate, geophysics, fisheries and harvesting, species interactions, disease and contaminants. Next, the long-term records of change in physical factors and biological populations are presented, as well as the potential reasons for the biological changes. Following is the history of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its long-term effects. And, finally, the emergent properties of the ecosystem are discussed and an attempt is made to weigh the importance of the major forcing factors in terms of their temporal and spatial scales of influence.* Examines important data on long-term change in the ecosystem and the forcing factors that are responsible for it * Provides an account of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill with emphasis on the long-term effects * Describes the effects of climate change, geophysical change, species interactions, harvesting, disease, the 1989 oil spill, and marine contaminants on key populations of marine organisms
Discusses a proposal for hard mineral leasing in the Norton Sound lease sale area off the Seward Peninsula near Nome in northwest Alaska, for the recovery of gold and minerals. Includes assessment of potential environmental impacts on Nome, and on subsistence and commercial fishing.