Reproductive Biology of the Red Deep-Sea Crab (Chaceon quinquedens) in the Mid-Atlantic Bight

Red deep-sea crab (Chaceon quinquedens), an epi-benthic brachyuran, can be found from Nova Scotia to Florida, at 200-1800 m depths and at water temperatures between 5 - 8 °C. They support a small but valuable federally-managed fishery in the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England. Red crabs are a data poor fishery; major uncertainties exist about their reproductive biology, such as maturity schedule, molt cycle, fecundity, sperm storage, and reproductive cycle. The objective of the study was to determine size at 50% sexual maturity (SM₅₀) for males and females, size-frequency, fecundity, and timing of reproduction. Samples were collected in the Mid-Atlantic Bight in January 2011 and 2012, and July 2013 aboard NOAA research vessels, and July and September 2014 aboard commercial vessels. Crabs were measured and sexed, and gross morphology was recorded including the presence, size and color of ovaries and external eggs. Histological analysis was used to determine gonad development stages. Estimates of SM₅₀ for male and female red crabs were calculated by non-linear logistic regression, and variance was estimated by bootstrapping. Results suggest that red crabs have a biennial reproductive cycle. This new information will improve the understanding of the population dynamics, and the development of appropriate management strategies.