Female Crabs in abundance

Jeremy · 02-25-2003, 03:11 PM

Interesting note: While diving this weekend in Newport i noticed a couple of things. #1. All of the huge crabs were females some close to 10 inches and all of the males were pretty small. #2. All of the crabs that were mating were males paired up with smaller females. I saw at least 20 mating pairs and never was a male mating with a bigger female. Wouldnt it make sense to allow females to be kept again for a couple of years to increase the crab population by providing the males with more options to mate with??? Just curious i guess i know a couple of years ago you could keep females?

[ 02-25-2003, 04:12 PM: Message edited by: Jeremy ]

Stz ll · 02-25-2003, 03:13 PM

I would like to see some retention of the female crab again. I think there are enough of them to allow some.

SandySteel · 02-25-2003, 03:27 PM

More female crabs = more crabs in the future both male and female. Granted the males are all smaller because they are being targeted once they get larger. But male crabs will mate with more than one female. Also, I don't think they discriminate that much about what the size of the female is they are mating with. (humans might but crabs don't) It only takes one male to fertilize many many females. I think your observations about the smaller males preferences for smaller females are interesting (perhaps they didn't want to get hurt) but certainly not the basis for establishing a take policy on females, that is unless it can be shown with a study that smaller males will only mate with smaller females.

Thumper · 02-25-2003, 03:52 PM

Wellllll --- I prefer smaller females.......

Day Late · 02-25-2003, 04:09 PM

I thought the reason they allowed female keepers a few years ago was because once a female gets to a certain age/size, she no longer mates. May be that's the reason for your observations. The public outcry was such however, that the "no female"policy was put back in force. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Day Late

The Fishing Geek · 02-25-2003, 04:23 PM

I had to open this thread just so my wife could see that this is, in fact, a fishing discussion board and not something far more...different.

EVERREADY · 02-26-2003, 09:22 PM

How was the vis? Were you diving in the bay or out in the ocean? See any Lings?

Time Off · 02-27-2003, 06:09 AM

I agree on the massive amounts of large female crabs this year. Also lots of smaller males that will be prime in a couple years.

Jeremy · 02-27-2003, 07:01 AM

Vis was pretty bad we were in the bay under the OSU dock, lost my buddy in the first couple minutes of the dive but he didnt mind. I would say 5 feet or less and pretty silty. I did see a couple of small lings and bass in the rocks but nothing worth shooting at.

[ 02-27-2003, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: Jeremy ]

BUGLEMAN · 02-27-2003, 10:19 AM

Thanks for the report!