Meeting Abstract

P3.22  Jan. 6  Variation in Blue Crab, Callinectes sapidus, Reproductive Output Within a Spawning Season WELLS, S.L.*; MCCONAUGHA, J.R.; Old Dominion University; Old Dominion University swells@odu.edu

The Chesapeake Bay blue crab, Callinectes sapidus , is an important local fishery that has experienced a decline in population in recent years. There is growing concern for this population due to low numbers of individuals, a decrease in the mean carapace width of mature females, and a previously reported breakdown of the allometric relationship between size and fecundity of mature females. Fecundity estimates for the 2002-2005 spawning seasons, as previously reported, have stayed low during the 2006 season, suggesting a continued decreasing shift in population fecundity potentially attributed to reduced prey availability. The allocation of energetic resources in the hepatopancreas, ovaries, and eggs has been examined in mature females by determining the total lipid and protein concentrations. The findings for the hepatopancreas show that the concentration prior to spawning is low, but subsequently increases and stabilizes as the season progresses. The ovarian concentrations are high prior to spawning, but decline with the extrusion of eggs. Both of these results are consistent with what was expected. The analysis of the eggs demonstrated that those eggs extruded late in the reproductive season had lower total concentrations of lipids and proteins than those extruded at the beginning and peak times of the season. This could be an indication of resources being further diminished later in the season, possibly resulting in less fit larvae. Qualitative and quantitative differences in lipid and fatty acid classes have been examined to further explain the discrepancies seen in total concentrations as the reproductive season progresses.