Population Studies of the Blue Crab Populations in the Corpus Christi Bay Area - Studies of the Blue Crab Populations of the Texas Coast

Blue crabs were sampled in conjunction with the state fish and shrimp programs. Shrimp trawls produced the most consistent catches of all the types of sampling gear used. The crab catch per trawl sample reached peaks of abundance in March and May, followed by a gradual decline as salinity increased. The samples indicated that female crabs were more abundant than male crabs during most of the year, particularly in May. Sixty-foot seine crab catches were highest in May and July, followed by a steady decline in August, September and October. November and December samples showed a slight increase.