Miranda WestphalM.S. Student

Thesis Title

Comparative growth physiology and behavioral ecology of wild-caught and hatchery-reared juvenile red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus)

Affiliations

• Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery
• Ecological Society of America
• American Fisheries Society

Specialty

• Juvenile Shellfish Ecology

Research Overview

Red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus, once supported the second most valuable fishery in Alaska (only preceded by sockeye salmon). In the mid-1980’s, the red king crab (RKC) fishery collapsed prompting the closure of commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishing that, in certain regions of Alaska, are still in effect today. Understanding the early life stages of RKC is an important component to the current restoration and conservation efforts. Crab enhancement, an important tool in crab restoration, utilizes hatchery reared crabs to restock RKC natural habitats with the expectation that they will one day become a part of the brood stock ideally eliminating the need for future enhancement. We obtained hatchery crabs from the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery (Seward, Alaska) and introduced them into individual rearing containers. Additionally, we collected wild RKC glaucothoe and reared them individually monitoring their growth, molt timing and mortality alongside of the hatchery RKCs. .. We are in the process of measuring molting hormones throughout the entire juvenile crab molt cycle to better understand the factors that regulate molting at these early life history stages. From this we hope to determine 1) any differences that exist between hatchery and wild RKCs, 2) any limitations in rearing RKCs in a hatchery environment and 3) optimal timing for release of juvenile RKCs into the wild.

Current Research Projects

• Husbandry of Individually Reared Red King Crab
• Permanent and Non-permanent Tagging of Juvenile Red King Crab
• Molt Timing and Growth Physiology of Juvenile Red King Crab

Links

• Alaska King Crab Research, Rehabilitation and Biology Program (AKCRRAB)
  From their website: "The Alaska King Crab Research, Rehabilitation and Biology (AKCRRAB) Program is an Alaska Sea Grant partnership with regional fishermen's groups, coastal communities, NOAA Fisheries, the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery and Chugach Regional Resources Commission, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, to conduct a research program aimed at hatching and rearing wild red and blue king crabs in a large-scale hatchery setting. This coalition of state, federal, and stakeholder groups views the effort as important to the region's long-term economic development and sustainability."
• Alaska Sea Grant

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