Studies on Blue King Crab Resources in the Western Bering Sea-II

Verification of Spawning Cycle and Growth by Tagging Experiments

Abstract

In observations as carried out in August and September, on recaptured females of the blue king crab, Paralithodes platypus, released with a suture tag that remains after moulting, and the leg tag which is lost when moulting, the following results were obtained as to the spawning cycle and the growth of the mature female.
Female crabs do not moult and spawn in August and September. Mature females in virgin stage and the stage of no carrying eggs moult and spawn in the first year of liberation. They, when in the stage of carrying eggs, do not spawn after the carried eggs hatch out in the first year of liberation but moult and spawn in the second year, which verify spawning as taking place in every other year. Therefore mature females are composed of more than four age groups which moult and spawn more than twice.
The increase in size by one moult per two years is 5-10mm in carapace width and 4-10mm in carapace length.