Barents Sea King Crab (Paralithodes camtschatica). The transplantation experiments were successfull

摘要

As a result of the USSR tranplantation experiments, a viable, self-reproducing poulation ofking crab, (Paralithodes camtschatica), is now well established in the Barents Sea.Commercial fishing for king crab is prohibited in both Russia and Norway, but these crabsare frequently taken as bycatches in coastal fisheries. Mature crabs are most numerous in theVarangerfjord area where experimental trap fishing by the two institutes have yielded catchrates comparable to those of recent years in the Bering Sea. The size distribution of matureBarents Sea king crabs is very similar to that of Alaska waters. The observations also suggesta similar annual vertical dsitribution as in the native North Pacific area with migrations to shallow waters for mating and moulting in winter and spring. The ecologic impact of this newelement in the Barents Sea fauna cannot be evaluated on the basis of the present limited andfragmentary knowledge of the Barents sea king crab's population structure, distribution andabundance, and of its food and feeding habits.