The distribution and behaviour of ovigerous edible crabs (Cancer pagurus), and consequent sampling bias

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Abstract
Ovigerous crabs are rarely caught in traps or seen by divers. A site has been found by diving where the majority of the crabs present (77 %) are ovigerous females. Traps fished simultaneously in the area caught less than 2 % ovigerous females. This suggests that ovigerous crabs congregate in particular locations to incubate their eggs and that their behaviour prevents most of them from entering traps. The high concentration of ovigerous crabs in discrete areas, which do not necessarily support commercial stocks, makes them very vulnerable to damage from dumping and dredging operations.

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