|
|
Article: A production modeling approach to the assessment of the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus population in Delaware Bay.
- Article from:
- Fishery Bulletin
- Article date:
- April 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 National Marine Fisheries Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Abstract--Horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is harvested commercially, used by the biomedical industry, and provides food for migrating shorebirds, particularly in Delaware Bay. Recently, decreasing crab population trends in this region have raised concerns that the stock may be insufficient to fulfill the needs of these diverse user groups. To assess the Delaware Bay horseshoe crab population, we used surplus production models (programmed in ASPIC), which incorporated data from fishery-independent surveys, fishery-dependent catch-per-unit-of-effort data, and regional harvest. Results showed a depleted population ([B.sub.2003]/[B.sub.MSY]=0.03-0.71) and high relative ...