Alaska King Crab Rehab and Research Program

Transcription

1 Alaska King Crab Rehab and Research Program Alaska Fisheries Science Center Robert Foy Crab Science Symposium September 16, 2013

2 The Problem: Where did the king crab go? Why have they not rebounded without fishing? If habitat has changed or predators have increased Enhancement may not be effective If larvae are being swept away by currents (changes in oceanography or acidification), or overfishing threshold reached Enhancement could help stock crab AFTER the larval stage Control 7.8 ph 7.5 ph U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 2

3 Crab Culturing: some History 1990s Field studies on post-larval supply by ADF&G 1992 International King Crab Rehabilitation and Enhancement Symposium 1996 Kodiak Lab culturing research blue king crab diet and habitat studies 2004 formation of AKCRRAB 2006 Alaska Crab Stock Enhancement and Rehabilitation Workshop Blue King Crab Paralithodes platypus Red King Crab Paralithodes camtschaticus

4 What is AKCRRAB. Formed in 2004 Coalition of university, federal and stakeholder groups. Goals: adding to the scientific understanding of crab life history and ecology, and rehabilitating depressed king crab stocks in Alaska. Initial focus: red king crab in the Kodiak Island region and blue king crab near the Pribilof Islands. Belief: Important for regional long-term economic development and sustainability. Final Goal: transition hatchery techniques and outplanting technologies to communities and industry as part of statewide efforts to help rehabilitate depleted king crab stocks. U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 4

5 Strategic Plan PRODUCTION I. Broodstock Collection II. Broodstock Holding POPULATION AND STOCK DIFFERENTIATION I. Genetics II. Marking PRE_RELEASE STUDIES I. Hatchery-Wild Interactions II. Nursery Habitat OUTPLANTING AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 5

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8 mass rearing in Kodiak

9 Enhancement Science: What do we need to know first? Production Does water filtration affect survival? Do hatchery water sources affect survival in the lab? Do different diets affect survival in the lab? Water source treatments 1) seawater from Resurrection Bay 2) seawater made with artificial sea salt (Instant Ocean ) Diet treatments Conducted in Kodiak and Seward 1) newly-hatched Artemia nauplii 2) newly-hatched Artemia nauplii and the diatom Thalassiosira nordenskioeldii Artemia nauplius Thallasiosira nordenskioeldii

10 Enhancement Science: Just when you thought it was safe the crab ate each other!! Production Can we separate them? YES AND NO

11 Enhancement Science: Just when you thought it was safe the crab ate each other!! Production Can we separate them? 100 YES AND NO 80 % Survival Small Medium Large Day

12 Red king crab inter-cohort cannibalism in red king crab Proportion Eaten Stock at HIGH DENSITY Stock every 2 years Sand Shell Hash Shell Sand/Shell Hash Shell Prey Density

13 Strategic Plan PRODUCTION I. Broodstock Collection II. Broodstock Holding POPULATION AND STOCK DIFFERENTIATION I. Genetics II. Marking 2010 PRE_RELEASE STUDIES I. Hatchery-Wild Interactions II. Nursery Habitat OUTPLANTING AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 13

14 Pribilof Islands: will they get along? Hatchery-reared king crabs show weak habitat preference RKC smarter than BKC Predator presence increases preference for complex habitat Some evidence for density dependence Predation by year-1 RKC on BKC is lower in complex habitat RKC have a competitive advantage over BKC when reared together U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 14

15 Hatchery crab: will they fit in? 15

16 Strategic Plan PRODUCTION I. Broodstock Collection II. Broodstock Holding POPULATION AND STOCK DIFFERENTIATION I. Genetics II. Marking PRE_RELEASE STUDIES I. Hatchery-Wild Interactions II. Nursery Habitat OUTPLANTING AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 16

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18 Habitat characterization and utilization of early benthic phase red king crab on Kodiak Island 2008 project goals: Identify areas of larval supply Characterize initial settlement habitat Assess relationship between areas of supply and settlement

19 Habitat characterization and utilization of early benthic phase red king crab on Kodiak Island 2009 project goals: Identify larval supply in historically known red king crab habitat Quantify settlement density Habitat use by early benthic and juvenile phase Annual progression of biogenic habitat in

20 Enhancement Science: So lets put some in the ocean the Kodiak experiment OUTPLANTING AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES Where to stock crab? Are crab already there? How many crab can an area hold? What is the genetic variability? What habitat is necessary and available? What competitors and predators might be there?

21 Old Harbor: experimental outstocking 2009 project goals: Assess habitat in Sitkalidak Straits near Old Harbor, Kodiak Use HSI models to quantify habitat and develop an index Habitat types: inter/sub tidal, slope, deep soft, deep firm 2010 project goals: Expand understanding of habitat availability Assess predator densities and relationship to substrate 2011 project goals: Compare Old Harbor to Alitak

22 Old Harbor: experimental outstocking Juvenile RKC density m -2 Habitat Old Harbor Alitak Hard Hard Macroalgae Soft Soft Macroalgae Hard: > 50% rock, shell, or gravel Soft: 50 % sand or mud Macroalgae: > 50% macroalgae cover Substrate is more important than structure forming biota

23 Old Harbor: experimental outstocking When? Now How many? 13,000 (but don t worry, they are small) What is the most effective density? Assess daily, weekly, monthly Stay tuned!

24 crab biomass (lbs * 106) Pribilof Islands: available habitat? Has habitat changed in the past 40 year? Where could we work on experiments? What habitat is available in the Pribilofs? Stay tuned!

25 Community/Industry Alaskan Shellfish Growers Association Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association Chugach Regional Resources Commission Gulf of Alaska Coastal Communities Coalition Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation United Fishermen's Marketing Association Government/University NOAA Aquaculture Program NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences University of Alaska Southeast Supporters Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation Groundfish Forum Santa Monica Seafoods U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 25

26 Authors, Coauthors, and Collaborators Chris Long Kathy Swiney Sara Persselin Jessica Popp Ben Cournoyer Al Stoner Ginny Eckert Eric Munk Pete Cummiskey Ben Daily Jan Haaga Scott Van Sant Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery Karen Barnard Janelle Christianson Kyle Tidwell Cathrine Hancock Lexa Meyer Karen Barnard Caitlin Harris Heather Page Ryan Fields

27 AKCRRAB Steering Committee Dr. David Christie, Director, Alaska Sea Grant Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Co-chair Heather McCarty, Central Bering Sea Fishermen s Association, Co-chair Dr. Ginny Eckert, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks Dr. Robert Foy, Director, Kodiak Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Jeff Hetrick, Director, Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery, Seward Chris Mierzejek, Aleutian Pribilof Island Development Association Rodger Painter, Alaskan Shellfish Growers Association Jeff Stephan, Executive Director, United Fishermen s Marketing Association, Kodiak Gale Vick, Gulf of Alaska Coastal Communities Coalition (GOAC3) AKCRRAB Science Committee Dr. Ginny Eckert, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Chair Dr. David Christie, Director, Alaska Sea Grant Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks Ben Daly, University of Alaska Fairbanks Dr. Robert Foy, Director, Kodiak Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Jeff Hetrick, Director, Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery, Seward Dr. Chris Long, Kodiak Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Doug Pengilly, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kodiak Dr. Al Stoner, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Newport, Oregon Jim Swingle, Research Biologist, Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery/Alaska Sea Grant Program Dr. David Tallmon, University of Alaska Fairbanks/University of Alaska Southeast U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Fisheries Page 27