Tagged blue crabs

[NichollsCrabTags]

Hello-

I am a researcher with Nicholls State University. We are conducting a research project to better understand blue crab movements throughout coastal Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico. As part of this project, we are tagging mature female blue crabs throughout the Gulf. I am attaching a picture of a tagged crab. We are reaching out to the commercial and recreational fishing community to ask for your help. If you catch a tagged crab, please call us and report it. We are offering a reward for each tagged crab reported, and are asking for the following information:
-Tag number
-Date caught
-Location caught (GPS if possible, if not a descriptive location is fine)
-Was the crab carrying an egg mass/sponge? If so, what color was the egg mass (orange, brown, or black)?

Tagged crabs can be reported at 1-800-624-2857 or www.crabtags.org.

We are not trying to close the fishery or impose any additional regulations. We are simply trying to learn more about this valuable species.

If you have any questions about the project, please do not hesitate to ask. We are also setting up a website with information about the project: http://www.nicholls.edu/bluecrabs.

[swamp snorkler]

There's a pretty big crabbers group on Facebook. I'll post this there for you guys.

[T and F fishing]

What happens when the crab sheds? You'll lose your tag and won't be with the crab anymore? Just wondering?

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by T and F fishing

What happens when the crab sheds? You'll lose your tag and won't be with the crab anymore? Just wondering?

Probably already had their final molt, so gonna breed and go die

[reelguy1]

You guys may find this interesting:
http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.s...b_facts.html#8

[sparkyc4]

I'm sure they are only tagging females that have already molted (Females only molt once). Pretty cool. I will let my commercial friends know about this.

[Baychamp1]

Originally Posted by reelguy1

You guys may find this interesting:
http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.s...b_facts.html#8

Fact #7 - Gulf Coast blue crab males & females are 16 & 20 pct. heavier on avg. than Atlantic blue crabs. Is that also a reflection of the human population?

[NichollsCrabTags]

Thanks for all the comments. We are only tagging mature female blue crabs. After reaching maturity, females do not molt again, so we are not worried about losing tags.

Also, thank you for the suggestions for reaching a broader audience. I will post on 2coolfishing.com later today.

[NichollsCrabTags]

Originally Posted by swamp snorkler

There's a pretty big crabbers group on Facebook. I'll post this there for you guys.

Thank you!

[NichollsCrabTags]

Originally Posted by sparkyc4

I'm sure they are only tagging females that have already molted (Females only molt once). Pretty cool. I will let my commercial friends know about this.

Thank you. We appreciate the help.

[B-Stealth]

Originally Posted by Baychamp1

Fact #7 - Gulf Coast blue crab males & females are 16 & 20 pct. heavier on avg. than Atlantic blue crabs. Is that also a reflection of the human population?

Lol I caught that one; no it's not a reflection of our population it's from all the heavy metals being absorbed.

[DMAN]

Heavy metals? Doesn't sound good for us...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[AubreyLaHaye458]

Originally Posted by DMAN

Heavy metals? Doesn't sound good for us...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Nothing is good for us.

[mriguy]

Originally Posted by DMAN

Heavy metals? Doesn't sound good for us...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Tasty, tasty delicious heavy metals

[keakar]

and I was always told ALL crabs will molt and change shell about every 3 weeks as long as it is still growing.

always glad to learn something new

gotta admit thou, I wouldn't tag and release a big female, they taste too good.

but I love the idea of helping with the research, just wish this could be done for small crabs, I release hundreds of those each year.

[NichollsCrabTags]

Originally Posted by keakar

and I was always told ALL crabs will molt and change shell about every 3 weeks as long as it is still growing.

always glad to learn something new

gotta admit thou, I wouldn't tag and release a big female, they taste too good.

but I love the idea of helping with the research, just wish this could be done for small crabs, I release hundreds of those each year.

Small crabs would be tough because of the molting. There are ways of tagging them that will last through the molt, but they are a bit more difficult.

Also, if you catch one with a tag- we aren't asking you to release it. We just need you to call us with the tag info (or report it online). After that, you can pull the tag off and do whatever you want with the crab.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by NichollsCrabTags

Small crabs would be tough because of the molting. There are ways of tagging them that will last through the molt, but they are a bit more difficult.

Also, if you catch one with a tag- we aren't asking you to release it. We just need you to call us with the tag info (or report it online). After that, you can pull the tag off and do whatever you want with the crab.

but how could you tag it so it wouldn't prevent the crab from escaping the discarded shell? I would think anything that stays connected to the inner crab would keep them connected to the old shell wouldn't it?

and of course if I ever caught anything tagged I would absolutely turn it in along with whatever info I could give about it.

I was speaking that if I caught one to put a tag on it and release it, in terms of my own greed and love for crabs, its hard to throw one back even though that's being greedy

[keakar]

when releasing crabs after tagging, is it best to spread them around or put them back right where they are caught?

I ask because, if caught in relatively confined areas, I wouldn't think they would go anywhere other then that area.

also, to be honest, how far do crabs go in general? aren't they pretty much sedentary creatures?

[mriguy]

This thread is making me hungry!

[saltysully]

If i catch any, I'll take a picture and release to further your research.