Improving Conservation of New England Whelks Busycoptypus canaliculatus: Size at Maturity

The New England whelk fishery has expanded rapidly from a small amount of bycatch to a directed fishery.  As lobster fisheries have declined in Southern New England, much of that effort has been redirected to channeled whelks (B. canaliculatus), increasing the utilization of horseshoe crabs (for bait) which are already fully exploited in New England.  Whelks are slow growing, mature late, and have low fecundity, characteristics which make them extremely susceptible to overfishing.  Virtually nothing is known about growth, age, or sexual maturity of whelks in New England, so current management is based solely on size, season, and effort restrictions.  In August 2010, we collected, marked, and released 4050 whelks in Buzzards Bay, MA.  We hope that some of these will be recaptured and returned to us by fishermen, in order to obtain information on growth.  We also dissected 224 specimens to determine sexual maturity.  Although histological examination has not yet been completed, males seemed to dominate the 110-150 mm (total length) range while females dominated above 160 mm.  This suggests that males may have a lower maximum size and/or slower growth than females.  Any proposed adjustments to size limits will need to consider this information and its impact on the population reproductive potential.