Document Type

Report

Department/Program

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Publication Date

3-1-1990

Series

Marine Resource Advisory No. 35

Abstract

The molting of blue crabs, and ultimately soft shell crab production, is regulated by water temperature. A certain threshold or minimum water temperature must be reached before blue crabs begin to molt (shed). Although crabs begin shedding at temperatures in the mid-60'sF (18-19°C), water temperatures near 70°F (21°C) are optimum for active shedding. As the water temperature increases, the time required for a crab to progress through the stages leading to molting decreases (the time needed to go from a white-line, to a pink-line and finally red-line crab). The time needed for a complete molt--for a soft crab to exit from its old shell--also decreases with increasing water temperature. More .....

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/m2-tsq7-s907

Keywords

Blue Crabs, Processing, Fisheries

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