Size at Maturity in the Male Alaskan Tanner Crab, Chionoecetes bairdi, as Determined by Chela Allometry, Reproductive Tract Weights, and Size of Precopulatory Males

Abstract

An Alaskan Commercial Fishery for tanner crab, Chionoecetes bairdi, has recently developed. Only males are legally taken. No size limit exists and the objective of the study was to determine size at sexual maturity as a biological basis for maintaining male brood stocks in adequate numbers. Morphometric measurements, reproductive tract weights, and size of precopulatory males indicate that 50% of the males are mature at about 110-mm carapace width. Using commercial catch size frequency data, the proportion of immature males in the commercial catch was interpolated at less than 3%.