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Bathymetric distribution of beni-zuwai crab Chionoecetes japonicus in the northern part of the Sea of Japan

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Abstract

Surveys of beni-zuwai crab were conducted to clarify the bathymetric distribution and fecundity of beni-zuwai crab populations without the effects of bias due to fisheries. The results were compared with previous ones obtained at the heavily exploited Yamato Bank. Two sites in the northern part of the Sea of Japan, off southwest Hokkaido (200–2500 m deep) and West-Tsugaru Basin (300–1900 m deep), both of which are experiencing low exploitation levels, were surveyed in August to September, 2007. There was an abundance of morphologically immature crabs of both sexes in the depth range 1800–2100 m, and a few occurred at depths >2200 m. Immature crabs of <40 mm carapace width were found to migrate downslope to depths of 1800–2100 m and then to migrate upslope during molting for males and after maturity molting for females. Although data were lacking for depths >2000 m at the West-Tsugaru Basin, these relationships were significant for the pooled data of both localities, and they were similar to the results at the Yamato Bank. Clutch fullness of ovigerous females was negatively correlated with depth, which indicates that the low clutch fullness was not induced by fisheries, although the similar phenomenon observed at the Yamato Bank had previously been considered to be due to fishery effects.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the captain and crews of the Tanshu-maru for expert support while sampling and measuring crabs. We also thank Prof. T. Minami of Tohoku University and Dr. T. Goto of Japan Sea National Fisheries Research Institute, Fisheries Research Agency, for useful comments on this study. We also thank anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and for the English revision that helped us to improve the initial draft of the manuscript. This study was funded by the Fisheries Agency of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Japan Sea National Fisheries Research Institute, Fisheries Research Agency Japan, 1-5939-22 Suido-cho, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 951-8121, Japan

    Ikuko Yosho & Taro Hirose

  2. Faculty of Bioindustry, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 196 Yasaka, Abashiri, Hokkaido, 099-2493, Japan

    Shigeru Shirai

Authors
  1. Ikuko Yosho
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  2. Taro Hirose
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  3. Shigeru Shirai
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Correspondence to Ikuko Yosho.

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Yosho, I., Hirose, T. & Shirai, S. Bathymetric distribution of beni-zuwai crab Chionoecetes japonicus in the northern part of the Sea of Japan. Fish Sci 75, 1417–1429 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-009-0169-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-009-0169-y

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