A REVIEW OF THE FISHERY AND BIOLOGY OF THE BLUE-CRAB, CALLINECTES-SAPIDUS, IN SOUTH-CAROLINA

South Carolina's blue crab fishery is dominated by commercial landings , although an unknown but large number of recreational crabbers partic ipate. Commercial landings of hard blue crabs average around 2.98 x 10 (6) kg per year. Because of increasing fishing effort and value of blu e crab meat, total annual value of the fishery has doubled in the last 5 years, approaching $5 million. Most of South Carolina's landings co me from the trap fishery, with modest quantities also coming from traw l fisheries and mariculture. Catch rates in the fishery peak during fa ll, when most new recruits enter the fishery. Sponge crabs first appea r in early April and are proportionally most abundant during summer, p roducing megalopae that enter the estuaries primarily during fall. Rec ent analyses of population montioring data underscore the importance o f tidal creeks as nursery areas and refuges for mating blue crabs. Lon g-term fishery-independent indices of abundance (trawl and trap data) suggest that blue crab abundance is variable, but stocks seem to be re latively stable. We believe that rainfall (river discharge), disease, and possibly pollution have played varying roles in previous declines in stocks. A high correlation (r = 0.91) exists between annual license sales and commercial landings, suggesting that effort may be the limi ting factor in annual harvests. South Carolina is currently assessing its blue crab fishery and examining such issues as limiting growth in fishing effort, quantification of fishing effort, under-reporting of c atch, trap theft, vandalism of traps, ghost pots, competition between commercial and recreational crabbers, and conflicts with boaters.