DISEASE PROCESSES AND HEALTH ASSESSMENT IN BLUE-CRAB FISHERY MANAGEMENT

As in other aquatic organisms, disease can have a serious impact upon blue crab populations. Various infectious agents, including viruses, b acteria, fungi, protozoans, and metazoans have been documented in blue crabs. In many cases, large scale morbidity or mortality has been obs erved. Nonetheless, our knowledge of disease impacts, as well as means for managing these problems, is rudimentary. Much information is need ed to define quantitatively the importance of various diseases. Becaus e of the exclusive reliance of blue crab shedding operations upon wild stocks, there is a close interrelationship between the health of crab s in the natural environment and those maintained in shedding operatio ns. This also points out the dependence of this growing industry upon healthy wild populations for continued success. The purpose of this pa per is to provide a review of the current literature on important dise ases of blue crabs, with special emphasis on shell disease, a stress-r elated syndrome that may provide useful insights into assessing stress in blue crab populations. These studies indicate that further researc h is needed in assessing stress in blue crab populations, so that risk factors (e.g., water quality deterioration) that lead to compromised health are defined, and more effective management strategies can be de veloped.