IV-E-21 



Adkins, G. 1972. A study of the blue crab fishery in Louisiana. Louisiana 

 Wildlife and Fisheries Commission Technical Bulletin 3. 57 pp. 



On July 1, 1969, a project entitled "A study of the blue crab fishery 

 in Louisiana" was initiated in Study Area IV, Timbal ier-Terrebonne Bays 

 and vicinity, Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes, Louisiana. This project was 

 terminated June 30, 1972. Field activities consisted of weekly, monthly, 

 and quarterly sampling at various stations with 16- and 6-foot otter 

 trawls and 0.5-meter plankton net. 



The blue crab commercial fishery has, for the past decade, contributed 

 to Louisiana's seafood industry an average of 9,032,520 pounds of hard 

 crabs annually, with an average dockside value of $621,025. 



Adult blue crabs were taken in sampling gear during all months of 

 the year and in all recorded salinities and temperatures. Larval 

 crabs were taken in all months, with larger catches occurring during 

 late winter and spring. Juvenile crabs (less than 50 mm carapace 

 width) occurred in greatest numbers during winter and early spring, 

 with the largest catches occurring in low salinity waters. Male crabs 

 dominated fresher waters; females tended to move back and forth within 

 the sampling area dependent upon hydrological conditions and spawning 

 periods. (A. A. modified) 



Keywords: blue crab, fisheries, Louisiana 



IV-E-22 



Jaworski, E. 1972. The blue crab fishery, Barataria Estuary, Louisiana. 



Center for Wetland Resources, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 



Louisiana. Publication No. LSU-SG-72-01 . 112 pp. 



Although it is one of the state's major commercial fisheries, 

 the blue crab fishery of Louisiana has been given low research priority. 

 This study was designed to generate field data on the crab fishing 

 patterns and ecology of the crab population of a single estuarine 

 system. 



By analyzing the crab-fishing patterns of the Barataria estuary, 

 Louisiana, a model of the ontogenetic distribution of the crab popula- 

 tion was generated. An estuary and the adjacent marine area constitute 

 a complete crab habitat. As the blue crab passes through various stages 

 of its life cycle, specific environments of the estuarine system are 

 occupied as subhabitats. The spawning, wintering, and maturation 

 subhabitats were identified by associating crabs in a particular life 

 stage, as reflected in the crab fishermen's landings, with a specific 

 portion of the estuary. The resulting subhabitat model predicts the 



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