. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. females," says Mark. "And where there are lots of mature female crabs, you wouldn't find many peelers in that ; Males live most of their lives in areas of low salinity, such as creeks, rivers and ditches. Females prefer the higher salinity of inlets. For mating, the two sexes seek middle ground, such as the main sounds between inlets and upper creeks. After mating, the females migrate downstream toward higher salinity areas, such as the mouths of estuaries, where eggs are laid and hatch
. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. females," says Mark. "And where there are lots of mature female crabs, you wouldn't find many peelers in that ; Males live most of their lives in areas of low salinity, such as creeks, rivers and ditches. Females prefer the higher salinity of inlets. For mating, the two sexes seek middle ground, such as the main sounds between inlets and upper creeks. After mating, the females migrate downstream toward higher salinity areas, such as the mouths of estuaries, where eggs are laid and hatched. Mature females usually remain in North Carolina's shedding industry, like the blue crab that sustains it. is on the verge of explosion. the spawning area or move a short distance out to sea. Crab larvae feed on ocean plank- ton until they transform to the first crab stage, after which they begin their migration to estuarine waters. The peak shedding season runs from early spring through June, but crabs will continue to molt throughout the summer and into early fall if the water stays warm. The best water temperature for shedding is between 68 F and 72 F. "The peelers are kind of like the elk coming down from the mountain, but there are always stragglers all summer," says Wescott. During the winter months, crabs burrow into the bottom and stop growing until spring. Blue crabs seem to shed relative to the position of the moon, says Wescott. "There seems to be more soft crab shedding on new moon and full moon," he says. "More children are born on the full moon too. No one really knows ; The first full moon in either May or June usually produces the biggest shed, he says. Crabbers such as the Hoopers and the Wolffs usually call it quits after the peak. But soft-crabbing magnate Murray Bridges, a Dare County shedder with more than 150 trays, will shed until the last crab has crawled into the mud. Through May and early June, Bridges will be shedd
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionunclibra, booksubjectoceanography
