RE: NANFA-- blue crab growth

Bruce Stallsmith (fundulus_at_hotmail.com)
Thu, 12 Feb 2004 22:33:55 -0500

I don't know about the marketable size growth question. But blue crabs do
best in a fairly narrow range of brackish salinity, around 18-20 ppt if I
remember correctly. This is the range found in the middle Chesapeake Bay and
in tributary rivers in the lower Bay such as the James and Rappahannock. I
find it hard to believe that blue crabs would grow faster in fresh water
than saline, all other things being equal, even though they can certainly
tolerate fresh water.

--Bruce Stallsmith
Huntsville, AL, US of A

>From: Moontanman_at_aol.com
>Reply-To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>CC: Moontanman_at_aol.com
>Subject: NANFA-- blue crab growth
>Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 22:10:36 EST
>
>Does anyone know how long it takes blue crabs to attain marketable size?
>And
>has any studies been done on the difference in growth rates between blue
>crabs
>in salt water and blue crabs trapped in freshwater impoundment's? I've been
>looking for info on this but it doesn't seem to be a well researched topic.
>I
>do know that blue crabs trapped in freshwater grow much bigger than blue
>crabs
>in marine waters but I don't if the freshwater impounded blue crabs grow
>faster or slower than blue crabs in salt water.
>
>Moon
http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200364ave/direct/01/
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