EFFECTS OF HANDLING ON FEEDING, ACTIVITY AND SURVIVAL OF RED KING CRABS, PARALITHODES-CAMTSCHATICUS (TILESIUS, 1815)

Crab pots are used to commercially fish for king crab in Alaska. A lar ge number of female and sublegal-sized male red king crabs are caught in this male-only fishery. Before being returned to the sea, these cra bs suffer aerial exposure, crushing, and deck and water impacts. This study examined the potentially deleterious handling effects of simulat ed commercial fishing procedures on female and sublegal male red king crabs. A total of 135 crabs were distributed equally into 5 treatments : handled once (receiving deck impact and a 3 m fall to sea water), ha ndled twice, handled three times, modified handling (no deck impact an d return to the sea via a ramp), and controls (unhandled). Crabs were categorized in 3 groups: ovigerous females, juvenile females, and subl egal males. After receiving handling treatments, the crabs were mainta ined for 4 months while mortality, feeding rates, righting response, a nd bacterial infections were monitored. Body damage increased signific antly with increased handling. One crab died within 24 hours of the fi rst handling treatment. However, there were no significant differences in long-term mortality, feeding rates, righting responses or bacteria l infections among the 5 treatments of 3 sex groups. Handling of red k ing crabs during commercial crabbing activities may have fewer detrime ntal effects than has been reported for other crustaceans.