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Vol. 53 - Alaska Resources Library and Information Services

Vol. 53 - Alaska Resources Library and Information Services

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Juvenile crab in 2+ to 3+ age classes (entering their third through<br />

fourth year) form large aggregates called "pods" in the Gulf of <strong>Alaska</strong><br />

(Powell <strong>and</strong> Nickerson 1965). Podding behavior is probably based on<br />

chemosensory cues (subject to oil effects) <strong>and</strong> is thought to serve as<br />

protection from predators. It is not known if the same behavior occurs<br />

among juveniles of the North Aleutian Shelf.<br />

Red king crab are sexually mature at about 95-100 mm carapace length for<br />

males (NOAA 1981; Weber 1967) <strong>and</strong> 85-90 mm for females in the Bering Sea<br />

(Weber 1967) or 93-122 mm in the Gulf of <strong>Alaska</strong> (Powell <strong>and</strong> Nickerson<br />

1965). Animals are five to six years old at sexual maturity <strong>and</strong> males<br />

are therefore capable of breeding two to three years prior to entering<br />

the fishery at about eight years of age.<br />

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