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Status of the European Green Crab in Oregon Estuaries during the Summer of 2002

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/defaults/3n204356s

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  • Prepared for the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Alaska Department of Fish of Game.
  • The recent invasion of Pacific Northwest estuaries by the European green crab, Carcinus maenas, caused much initial alarm. A large 1997-98-recruitment event resulted in the colonization of estuaries along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and as far north as Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. So far, green crabs have not been found in the inland sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland. Monitoring efforts during the summer of 2002 in Oregon and Washington indicate that green crab populations still persist in coastal estuaries, but at much reduced levels. Population densities in all Pacific Northwest estuaries, even at their peak, were well below those observed in Europe, on the East Coast of North America and in Central California. Green crabs grow well in our estuaries and females are capable of reproduction. Recruitment of young green crabs has occurred in some Oregon and Washington estuaries since 1998, but their numbers have been very low. In the summer of 2002, we trapped only one young crab (39 mm carapace width) in Oregon. The recruitment event during the 1997-1998 El Niño was linked to unusually strong northward-moving coastal currents. At velocities of up to 50 km/day, these currents had the potential to transport larvae from more established populations in California to the Northwest. Coastal transport events have been much weaker in recent years. Even though green crab abundances are down, it is imperative to continue monitoring efforts for two reasons: 1) to elucidate the process of range expansion of non-indigenous marine species and 2) to serve as an early warning system for the next strong recruitment event of green crabs.
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file details PSMFCReportFall2002.pdf 2017-10-06 Pubblico Scaricare