Keeping females

[rdbeard]

 Chris, the kind of estuary md has is different mostly because it is the biggest, there for it can support more crabs, if it is clean and has enough sav's to give cover to the reproduction. The bay has supported comm. harvest of all crabs for a long time with no problems and now there are far fewer comm. crabber then say 30 years ago but there are far more rec. crabbers then 30 years ago.

[rdbeard]

 come on D, i know what i'm doing..... most of the time anyway.

[Crabbyd]

come on D, i know what i'm doing..... most of the time anyway.

wasn't directed towards you.  it was directed by the powers to be that want to ban females and make the laws

[Grizzly36]

My very, very flawed and unscientific opinion is...  I see a lot of crabs being caught out of jersey waters. One guy it seems, for the years I've been on this forum, always manages at least one bushel or more every time out. Keeping females must not be hurting that area. I don't know alot about Jersey Bluecrab history or lore, but they sure don't get talked about like the Chesapeake Blues.

Just putting it out there again, yes the Chessy is big and alot to manage but wouldn't that size also seem to benefit the crab population.  Big water should be able to support a bigger crab population and a bigger Crabber population. Maybe its not about keeping or not keeping females afterall.

[crewstation]

Not nearly as many as 30 years ago.

Totally disagree.  I would go out with my friends in my 20's in Barnegat and Manahawkin Bays, and we would be lucky to catch a dozen decent crabs.  Nowadays, I can pack a bushel or two in the same areas most days, and the last several years the average size is increasing.  The crabs may have moved from wherever you're used to fishing, but I don't believe they're disappearing.  JMO.

There are two facts that always seems to be missing from these arguments.

1)  The average sponge contains about two million eggs.

2)  On the average, only one out of every million eggs survives to become a mature adult.

Research at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute Center of Marine Biology has shown that Chesapeake Bay females were very capable of spawning five or more times.  So at best, a Chesapeake female is going to produce 10 adult crabs, not 10,000,000. 

Personally, I don't keep females in NJ even though it's legal, but it's more superstition handed down by my pop than anything.  I also don't like the taste of Jersey females.  The commercial fishery has sold females to the picking houses ever since the picking house became an institution.  I don't think there's any doubt that the effect of humanity and industrial waste has taken a toll.  Again, JMO.

[r_ventura_23]

/quote]

Thank you for throwing back the females.

[Grizzly36]

How about some context along with that quote.

And I bet that's not his reply to 95% of the reports he makes a comment in..

[Grizzly36]

Totally disagree.  I would go out with my friends in my 20's in Barnegat and Manahawkin Bays, and we would be lucky to catch a dozen decent crabs.  Nowadays, I can pack a bushel or two in the same areas most days, and the last several years the average size is increasing.  The crabs may have moved from wherever you're used to fishing, but I don't believe they're disappearing.  JMO.

There are two facts that always seems to be missing from these arguments.

1)  The average sponge contains about two million eggs.

2)  On the average, only one out of every million eggs survives to become a mature adult.

Research at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute Center of Marine Biology has shown that Chesapeake Bay females were very capable of spawning five or more times.  So at best, a Chesapeake female is going to produce 10 adult crabs, not 10,000,000.  



Personally, I don't keep females in NJ even though it's legal, but it's more superstition handed down by my pop than anything.  I also don't like the taste of Jersey females.  The commercial fishery has sold females to the picking houses ever since the picking house became an institution.  I don't think there's any doubt that the effect of humanity and industrial waste has taken a toll.  Again, JMO.

Wow only 10 crabs per female? that doesn't seem like very many. But I guess when you multiply it by the millions of female crabs out there....

[rdbeard]

 D, i was making a joke ,i know what your saying. I don't think restricting the female catch is going to make a differance anyway and the restricions meaning bu limits really hurt the full time southern guys.

[genecrabman]

People in Maryland know what they are doing.

[Seaweed]

I hope you realize that crabbers have been taking females since commercial crabbing started.  Barrels and barrels of them. Literally filling up full-size trashcans.  How will all of these females mate if all the males are gone?  takes 2 to tango. The demand for big males (the breeders) is thru the roof.  Everyone east of the Mississippi is after them.  Smart management of any species has to involve both sexes.

[ChrisS]

I hope you realize that crabbers have been taking females since commercial crabbing started.  Barrels and barrels of them. Literally filling up full-size trashcans.  How will all of these females mate if all the males are gone?  takes 2 to tango. The demand for big males (the breeders) is thru the roof.  Everyone east of the Mississippi is after them.  Smart management of any species has to involve both sexes.

x2

[Crabbyd]

D, i was making a joke ,i know what your saying. I don't think restricting the female catch is going to make a differance anyway and the restricions meaning bu limits really hurt the full time southern guys.

gotcha....   

[Crabbyd]

I hope you realize that crabbers have been taking females since commercial crabbing started.  Barrels and barrels of them. Literally filling up full-size trashcans.  How will all of these females mate if all the males are gone?  takes 2 to tango. The demand for big males (the breeders) is thru the roof.  Everyone east of the Mississippi is after them.  Smart management of any species has to involve both sexes.

X3

[genecrabman]

Well, I made it back here ...Quick question?  what's the opinion now by the folks who wanted to cut the female catches?   Guess now with the male limits it sucks..Better watch what you ask for next time...

[Wallco99]

Well, I made it back here ...Quick question?  what's the opinion now by the folks who wanted to cut the female catches?   Guess now with the male limits it sucks..Better watch what you ask for next time...

Is this a question about government??? Because believe me, I have answers.   

[genecrabman]

Nope i know the government sux...Crabbers that pushed to have female reductions because it didn't really affect them...Until now

[Crabslayer]

I love what my Indonesian son-in-law said to me once when he visited me here in the good ol' US of A.  I was explaining how you had to buy a license and adhere to regulations and he turned to me and said "Dad, then you really aren't FREE in the United States are you?"  

[Harford Crabber]

I hope you realize that crabbers have been taking females since commercial crabbing started.  Barrels and barrels of them. Literally filling up full-size trashcans.  How will all of these females mate if all the males are gone?  takes 2 to tango. The demand for big males (the breeders) is thru the roof.  Everyone east of the Mississippi is after them.  Smart management of any species has to involve both sexes.

I wonder if a 5" male crab's sperm is any "better" Than a 7" male crab's sperm?  I doubt it is but have not read any scientific data to prove or disprove this statement.  I would suggest the only benefit a 7" Jimmy has over a 5" Jimmy is not in his sperm, but in his size while cradling/protecting the sally and fending off fish and other prey. 

I would concede that a 5" male may have a smaller quantity of sperm which may not be enough for a sook to impregnate 5 sponges.   Anybody ever seen any scientific studies published on this? If so where can we find it?