Population Studies of the Blue Crabs of the Galveston Bay System - Studies of Blue Crab Populations of the Texas Coast

Trawls, seines, and trammel nets were used to sample the Galveston Bay crab populations. The data collected were used in determining the seasonal abundance of the crabs as compared to previous years' sampling. Blue crab populations in 1962 appeared to be larger than in 1961. The female population lagged behind the male in abundance in all months in 1962 except April, October, and December. The movement of adult crabs appeared to be governed by their search for food, reproductive cycle, and seasonal temperatures. Juveniles remained in the bay all seasons, moving toward the primary bay as they grew. Growth rate of the juvenile crabs was 0.4mm per day.