Dramatic decline and limited recovery of a green crab (Carcinus maenas) population in the Minas Basin, Canada after the summer of 2013.

ABSTRACT: This paper reports the results of a ten-year monitoring program of an Atlantic Canadian population of green crabs, Carcinus maenas, in the Minas Basin of the Bay of Fundy. Intertidal densities, sex and reproductive ratios, juvenile recruitment, subtidal catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), and sizes of crabs in this population were recorded from 2008 to 2017. In 2013 intertidal densities, mean crab sizes, subtidal CPUE, and proportions of crabs mature and reproducing all dramatically decreased to all-time lows, and large crabs virtually disappeared from the population. From 2014 to 2017 the population partially recovered but remained in an altered state. Potential causes of interannual changes to this population were investigated by correlating intertidal densities to 257 monthly environme

SUBMITTER: Quinn BK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6148414 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature