King Crab Tagging Operations Vital
In Establishing Migration Habits
(Ed. (Note: The extensive research
of the U S. Fish and Wildlife Ser
vic on King Crab in the Bering
Sea and Katchemalc Bay of Cook
Inlet, conducted simultaneously
with that of the ADFG research
program in this area, is not re
flected hereis, however their find
ings are comparable.)
Virtually nothing about the char
acteristics or habits of King Crab
was known to Americans before
the Alaska Department of Fish
and Game and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service undertook biolog
ical studies of the creature a few
short years ago. One of the import
ant determinations to be made was
whether the King Crab was a
migratory creature, and if so,
what the pattern of its migrations
might be. In order to undertake
such a study the biologists had to
find a method of tagging which
would permit the tag to be retain
ed by the crab during the molting
process, when the entire exoskel
eton is shed. Such a method was
devised by ADFG biologist Ed
Huizer in 1954. He found that by
inserting a loop tag through the
muscular isthmus between the
head and abdominal regions of the
carapace, molting could occur
without injury to the crab or loss
of tag.
Since December 1954, and up
until April 1, 1961 a total of
9,026 king crabs had been tagged
and released within five bays
(Alitak, Chiniak, Marmot, Pavlof
and Peronosa). There had been
no offshore tagging to the latter
date. From those tagging pro
grams 1,062 crabs were recap
tured, the majority showing mi
gratory patterns. Most of the
tagged crabs were captured within
two years after release, but some
had been free for five and six
years and showed the same migra
tory habits as those free for
shorter periods of time.
During 1960 and 1961, the Ko
diak king crab research staff cen
tered its efforts on determining
the relationship between off-shore
crab populations and the inshore
fishery by means of large-scale
tagging programs. The implica
tions of an international fishery in
Alaskan waters is apparent if the
offshore stocks are the same as
those being utilized by the inshore
fishery.
In October 1960, 800 large male
king crabs were released in 107
fathoms 12 miles from Two-Head
ed Island. During the first seven
months after release, 263 of the
tagged crabs were captured. This
initial offshore tagging experiment
showed a large inshore movement
of crabs during the months of No
vember, December and January.
During the last week of August,
1961, 5,976 legal size king crabs
were released offshore from Alit
ak Bay in an area covering 450
square miles and averaging 94
fathoms in depth. In a parallel
cooperative venture, the Bureau
of Commercial Fisheries has tag
ged and released over 600 crabs
further offshore from the ADFG
study area. The Bureau will
continue its tagging activities
through this month. The ADFG
is responsible for the tag recov
ery program for both agencies.
By November 8, 1961, 1,250 re
coveries bad been recorded from
the commercial fishery. The pre
liminary results show an inshore
movement during October and
November at an average rate of
five miles per month. Additional
data will be obtained from the
tagging program over a period of
several years which should fulfill
the objectives of this study.
The longest migration ever re
corded was 17 miles. This particu
lar crab was released near Three
Brothers Light (Marmot Bay)
and was recaptured in Dry Spruce
Bay (Kupreanof Strait) two years
later. All other tagged crabs were
recaptured within the bays in
which they were initially released.
A female, free for six years, was
recaptured only 3.5 miles from the
point of initial release.
Actual migration distance is
meaningless unless correlated with
water depth, water temperature,
and time of year. The bays of
Kodiak Island all provide varying
water depths making it easy for
a crab to travel a short distance
in a short period of time and yet
experience great depth changes.
A crab living in any of the bays
of the Kodiak Island area has only
to travel a maximum of 20 miles
in order to reach water depths ap
proaching 100 fathoms. In many
bays a crab may travel only four
miles from inter-tidal water to
depths over 100 fathoms. Water
temperatures have not been stud
ied, but it is expected that most
often the deeper areas are colder
that shallower upper areas, es
pecially during summer months.
Tagged crabs ranged in carapace
length from 75 mm to over 200
mm. The migratory data involved
primarily the larger legal-sized
crabs that are most readily
captured by commercial fishing
gear. The smaller tagged crabs
seemed to have similar move
ments but generally occupied dif
ferent schools which were avoid
ed by the fishing fleet.
The migration involves move
ment into the shallower areas, be
ginning around late October and
continuing through January. Vari
ation exists between areas and
years. Peak molting and repro
ductive periods occur from March
through May, also varying between
bays and years. Reproduction and
molting generally take place in
depths ranging from 10 to 40
fathoms. After reproducing, and
with the coming of summer’s long
er days, the crabs start back to
wards deeper water. From June
through September, crabs inhab
it the colder and deeper areas.
(Continued on page 16)
Size of King Crab
Boats Increasing
What kind of boat is used to
catch King Crabs? The easiest
way to answer that question would
be to tell you... “A fishing boat!”
But we are aware that is evading
the question and so will pass along
to you the information as com
piled by the ADFG on this mat
ter. /'irst however we might
point out that the Japanese and
Russian fishermen use entirely
different methods of fishing and
can generally be said to employ
much larger vessels in their crab
bing operations. Kodiak residents
only last month had a good oppor
tunity to view the type and size
(Continue*: on Page 8)
Blinns Liquor Store
WELCOMES EVERYONE TO KODIAK’S FAMOUS
KING CRAB FESTIVAl
• CASH PRICES *
Rainier or Olympia
Cold Beer
6 Pak.$1.45
Case .... . $5.75
Schlitz, Hamms or Bud
Ready To Serve
6 Pak.$1.75
Case.$6.95
We have an excellent selection of
Dinner Wines
Champagnes
Imported Rums
Liqueur Specialties
Assorted Mixers ....
B & B BAR
Sometime during the festival be sure to visit the
B & B CENTURY 22 BUILDING
SPACENEEDLE BAR STOOLS.
UNINTERESTING BACK BAR.
TROPICAL FISH AQUARIUM.
BROKEN ACCORDIAN ROOM.
EXOTIC ORBIT COCKTAILS.
OILED FLOORO-RAIL TO BAR.
TWO SCIENCE ROOMS (men’s & women’s)
“Featuring day & nite’’
BENNIE and PYE
ON THE CASH REGISTER
BOOZE
60/
BEER wmf#
FOR SALE:
Men’s and women’s festival hats, !
queen tickets, crab pins and
earrings and a little booze.
• BIG SAVINGS •
PRINCE ALEXIS SUPERIOR
Vodka
Fifth.$4.50
Quart.$5.50
HIRAM WALKER
Ten High.5th $4.95
Dry Gin.5th $4.95
Imperial .5th $5.45
I.S.C. PORT WINE
Fifth.$1.25
Half-Gallon.$2.90
Gallon.$5.50
Seagrams 7 Cr...5th $5.75
Seagrams V.O.. .. 5th $7.85
Old Grandad 100. 5th $8.10
Blk & Wht Scotch 5th $7.75