Coordination of the Blue Crab Studies of the Texas Coast - Studies of the Blue Crab Populations of the Texas Coast

This report is compiled from a total of 1307 samples. Of these 878 were trawl samples, 151 trammel or gill net samples and 278 seine samples. A total of 11,097 blue crabs were taken in these samples during the study period. There were 5,680 males (51.185%) and 5417 females (48.814%). Twice monthly sampling of blue crabs in the Texas Bays in 1961 and 1962 confirms there are at least three waves of juvenile blue crabs spawned and possibly more are indicated in some areas. Growth rates ranged from 10.1 mm per month to 16.2 mm per month with an average monthly growth rate of 13.1 mm for the year. A peak abundance was found from April to June with a lesser upper peak on the upper coast in November which was not present on the lower coast.