Project number:
2003-077
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$74,480.00
Principal Investigator:
Richard N. Stevens
Organisation:
Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Inc (WAFIC)
Project start/end date:
25 Oct 2003
-
30 May 2006
Contact:
FRDC
SPECIES
The fishermen on the South Coast have recognised that a resource of Crystal Crabs exists between Cape Leeuwin and the SA border. In order to develop the resource to its optimum potential there is first a need to determine the size and extent of the crab stocks. Thus development of this new species for this 1,500Km of coastline can be developed in an orderly manner.
1. To determine the size frequency distribution and relative densities of crystal crab off the south coast of the State between the Western Australian/South Australian border and Cape Leeuwin through the use of a pot survey.
2. To tag 1,000 crabs covering a range of sizes for growth and movement data
3. Determine the extent to which sea lice affect the catches of crystal crab on the south coast of Western Australia, by the use of proven bait saving devices.
4. To determine the effect of different sized traps on the catchability of crystal crab.
Final report
ISBN:
0-86905-876-2
Author:
Richard Stevens
Final Report
•
2006-07-24
•
1.06 MB
2003-077-DLD.pdf
The licensed crustacean fishermen on the south coast of Western Australia recognised that a resource of Crystal Crab, Chaceon bicolor existed between Cape Leeuwin (ca 115º E) and the South Australian border (129º E). In order to develop this resource to its optimum and sustainable potential, there was first a need to determine the relative abundance and distribution of this species in that region. Since a substantial commercial fishery for this species exists on the west coast of the state, it was important to collect data from the south coast that could be compared with data from the existing west coast fishery in order to estimate a sustainable annual yield for the south coast fishery based on the catch return data from the west coast fishery. The relative abundance and distribution and size distribution of Crystal Crab have thus been studied on the south coast of Western Australia between approximately 115º 20’ and 123º E, data that has not previously been available.
