. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. And, documenting the presence of blue crab in ocean waters during winter months sheds light on the life history of the prized crustacean. Currently, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is conducting a crab-tagging study of female blue crabs to determine staging areas, migration routes, timing and habitat of the female crab. Since the conch study ended, Beresoff has caught a number of DMF-tagged crabs offshore. 'This says they do migrate into ocean waters," he points out. To help assess the off
. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. And, documenting the presence of blue crab in ocean waters during winter months sheds light on the life history of the prized crustacean. Currently, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is conducting a crab-tagging study of female blue crabs to determine staging areas, migration routes, timing and habitat of the female crab. Since the conch study ended, Beresoff has caught a number of DMF-tagged crabs offshore. 'This says they do migrate into ocean waters," he points out. To help assess the offshore population of blue crab, Logothetis and Beresoff will take the study a step further. They will tag females trapped offshore to learn if they return to inland waters — and if so, where they go. A grant from the Blue Crab Research Program will fund their continuing effort. Their conch study also had another surpris- ing finding. When they set lines — 20 pots over. LEFT TO RIGHT: Dave Beresoff, a Brunswick County commercial fisher, says FRG projects help find real world answers to pressing needs. • On board the fishing boat, Logothetis measures and records each catch. • The results suggest a viable fishery during slow seasons. 1,000 feet of troll line — the pots stayed in place, even in heavy weather. This suggests that troll pot lines could help solve the "ghost crab pot" problem. Ghost pots are single crab pots that break loose from their buoys and potentially foul other fishing gear, stray into boating lanes, or become environmental trash. Sea science Conchs and whelks are related as shelled gastropods, Logothetis explains. Whelks are in the family Mebngenidoe, while true conchs are in the family Strombidae. All whelks are carnivores and scavengers, and use their noses to find burrowing clams — or bait used in crab or conch pots. They force apart bivalves with a strong foot and aperture lip. Or, they may chip away the shell of the prey until it
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionunclibra, booksubjectoceanography
