344 
Fishery Bulletin 114(3) 
Because of their extended depth range, few red 
deepsea crab are captured during semiannual assess- 
ment surveys conducted by the National Marine Fish- 
eries Service. Red deepsea crab have been studied 
during several previous surveys. McRae (1961) found 
significant concentrations of crab southeast of Ocean 
City, Maryland, but concluded that they were too 
sparse to support a commercial fishery. In two surveys, 
abundance of populations of red deepsea crab was es- 
timated by using towed camera systems. The first sur- 
vey (Wigley et al., 1975) was conducted in 1974 before 
the onset of commercial fishing. The second, conducted 
during 2003-2005 (Wahle et al., 2008), showed a 250% 
increase in overall biomass (mostly due to juveniles), 
after a decade of targeted harvesting of males, but a 
42% decline in the biomass of large males at depths 
of 350-500 m where fishing occurs, as well as a de- 
cline in body condition indices (carapace length [CL]: 
weight ratios) (Weinberg and Keith, 2003). In addition, 
the size of landed crabs has declined from 114 mm in 
carapace width (CW) in 1974 to <90 mm CW by 2008 
(Chute et al.'^). 
There is scant information on biological parameters 
of red deepsea crab, such as size at maturity, fecun- 
dity, or timing of reproduction. Fecundity increases 
with body size (Hines, 1988). Size at maturity for fe- 
male red deepsea crab has been estimated by Haefner 
(1977, 1978) to be between 65-75 mm CL, but a large 
portion of his samples were barren, indicative of bi- 
ennial spawning. Size at 50% maturity has been es- 
timated with ratios of chela width (ChW) to CW for 
the congener C. affinis from the Canary Islands (males: 
129 mm CW; females: 99 mm CW) (Fernandez-Vergaz 
et al., 2000), by gonad condition for C. affinis in the 
northeast Atlantic (males: 94 mm CW; females: 109 
mm CW) (Robinson, 2008), and for male C. maritae 
in South Africa (93 mm CW) by using growth incre- 
ment analysis (Melville-Smith, 1989). Spawning of C. 
affinis in the Canary Islands occurs from October to 
May, but ovigerous females were found only in March 
and April (Lopez Abelian et al., 2002) and from Octo- 
ber to March in the Azores (Pinho et al., 2001). In the 
Gulf of Mexico, male golden deepsea crab (C. fenneri) 
produce sperm in late winter and mate with females 
during March-April, but females do not extrude eggs 
until the following fall (Hinsch, 1988a, 1988b). Life his- 
tory characteristics of other geryonid crab species were 
reviewed and compared by Hastie (Hastie, 1995). 
Maturity of female crabs can be inferred from the 
presence of eggs, gonopore condition, or ovary develop- 
ment, but maturity of male crabs is difficult to deter- 
mine. Male crabs may carry spermatophores, indicative 
of physiological maturity, at sizes well below that at 
MacCall. 2009. Deep sea red crab. In Northeast Data 
Poor Stocks Working Group report, December 8-12, 2008 
meeting. Part A. Skate species complex, deep sea red crab, 
Atlantic wolffish, scup, and black sea bass. NOAA, Natl. 
Mar. Fish. Serv., Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 09-02, 
p. 181-214. [Available at website.] 
which they can mate. Many genera (e.g., Chionoecetes, 
Lithodes, Cancer) exhibit allometric growth of the che- 
lae at the pubertal molt, after which they are classified 
as morphometrically mature and are distinguishable 
by an increase in the slope and intercept of the ratio of 
chela height (ChH) to CW (ChH:CW) (Somerton, 1980; 
Somerton and Macintosh, 1983; Comeau and Conan, 
1992; Stevens, et al., 1993; Corgos and Freire, 2006). 
Lack of biological, survey, and fishery information 
for the red deepsea crab causes major uncertainties 
about the status of its stock and possible management 
approaches. Up to 85% of the catch of this species con- 
sists of females and undersize crab that are discarded 
and that result in a possible mortality of about 5% 
(Tallack, 2007). At present, it is not possible to calcu- 
late biological reference points (e.g., biomass or fish- 
ing-induced mortality at maximum sustainable yield 
[Bmsy, Fmsy; respectively]) because of a lack of informa- 
tion on growth, longevity, and mortality (NEFSC®). For 
the same reasons, it is not possible to predict future 
stock status, biomass, or response to changes in climate 
or fishing mortality. Although landings of red deepsea 
crab have stabilized at intermediate levels in recent 
years, the landed size has declined from 114 mm CW 
in 1974 to 105 mm CW in 2005, and there is concern 
about sperm limitation because of reductions in bio- 
mass of large males. 
At a minimum, effective management requires in- 
formation on growth, mortality, and size at maturity. 
In particular, it is necessary to know the frequency of 
molt and reproduction in females, the presence or ab- 
sence of terminal molt and multiple fertilizations, and 
the status of sperm storage and fecundity. The NOAA 
Red Crab Working Group has made a variety of high- 
priority research recommendations for understanding 
the life history of red deepsea crab, including a bet- 
ter understanding of the reproductive cycle, maturity 
schedule, and fecundity of female red deepsea crab; 
of the potential reproductive consequences of remov- 
ing large males from the population; and of the growth 
rate and molt cycle of red deepsea crab (Miller et al.®). 
We began studies of the red deepsea crab in 2011 
to provide data on reproduction and life history for 
this species. Data were collected aboard NOAA re- 
search vessels during 3 cruises jointly sponsored by 
the NOAA Northeast Fishery Science Center and the 
Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center 
at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The ob- 
jectives for these cruises were to sample the continen- 
tal shelf fauna during winter (in 2011 and 2012) and 
® NEFSC (Northeast Fisheries Science Center). 2006. 43rd 
Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop (43''® SAW); 
43''® SAW assessment summary report. NOAA, Natl. Mar. 
Fish. Serv., Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc.. 06-14, 54 
p. [Available at website.] 
® Miller, T., R. Muller, B. O’Boyle, and A. Rosenberg. 2009. Re- 
port by the Peer Review Panel for the Northeast Data Poor 
Stocks Working Group, 38 p. NOAA, Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., 
Northeast Fish.s Sci. Cent., Woods Hole, MA. [Available at 
website.] 
