Larval Transport and Its Association with Recruitment of Blue Crabs to Chesapeake Bay
Abstract
The blue crab (Calinectes sapidus) harvest in Chesapeake Bay has undergone large yearly fluctuations, creating hardships in the fishing industry and uncertainties in its management. It has previously been suggested that part of the fluctuation may be due to environmental influences during a sensitive period in their life history when blue crab larvae are planktonic outside the bay. During this period, they reside principally in the neuston where wind forced transport has the maximum influence. It is shown, through vector/scalar correlations of wind stress with harvest, that approximately 36% of the harvest variation can be accounted for by the wind patterns during the months from June through September. The influence of alongshore sea level slope and cummulative estuarine discharge (both relating to transport through pressure gradient forcing) on harvest were investigated, but the results were negligible, or ambiguous at best.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA227640
Entities
People
- Betty S. Hester
- Donald R. Johnson
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory