Exploitation of Orconectes virilis in northern climates: Complimentarity of management options with self-regulatory life history strategies
Published Online: 6/1/2020
Abstract
Currently northern crayfish fisheries are commonly regulated using some form of size and/or sex restriction. The reasoning behind these harvest tactics is to protect the brood stock from over-exploitation. However the results of an unrestricted Orconectes virilis experimental fishery indicates that high yield (greater than 70 kg. ha-1 a-1 of littoral zone) can be harvested at high fishing efforts without causing overfishing. Counter-intuitively, the size and sex selective nature of the passive fishing gear compliments the crayfish regulatory mechanism and causes population growth. Thus we believe that the present regulations imposed on many northern crayfish fisheries promotes poor utilization of a remarkably resilient resource. We advocate an adaptive or probing fishery management approach for increased yields, economic benefits, and a better understanding of crayfish dynamics.
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Morgan GE and Momot WT. (1988). Exploitation of Orconectes virilis in northern climates: Complimentarity of management options with self-regulatory life history strategies. Freshwater Crayfish 7(1):69-80. doi: 10.5869/fc.1988.v7.069
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Published Online: 6/1/2020
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