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Industry Post Season Snow Crab Trap Survey

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Industry Post Season Snow Crab Trap Survey

The Industry Post Season Snow Crab Trap Survey is currently in its eleventh year. The snow crab survey started in 2003 and was developed in response to the need for an industry-driven, scientifically sound survey to acquire catch and effort, and biological information.

Each of the crab management areas in 2J3KLNOPs and 4R were divided into survey blocks.  The fixed station (survey blocks) was designed to cover areas from deep within bays to outside 200nm.  Each year 88 vessels sample 1500 stations.

All survey sets are subject to 100% observer coverage; onboard are FFAW field technicians or Seawatch observers.

Data collected during the survey includes duration (or soak time), depth, shell condition, carapace width, carapace damage, BCD, missing leg count, and maturity.

The catch and effort, and biological data collected from the survey are used to develop biomass indices for inclusion in the yearly assessment of 2J3KLNOP4R snow crab.

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Dr. Erin Carruthers

Dr. Erin Carruthers is the Science Director and Senior Fisheries Scientist with the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor), which is the labour union that represents the owner-operator fleet in Newfoundland and Labrador. The FFAW is committed to research and management that supports healthy oceans, fisheries, and coastal communities. Dr. Carruthers received her Ph. D. in Biology from Memorial University in 2011 followed by a postdoctoral fellowship with the Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research. Before coming to Newfoundland, Erin worked as a Research Biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the St. Andrews Biological Station. Her current research program is co-constructed with fish harvesters and includes research on coastal fishing communities, collaborative longline and trap surveys, and best practices for the avoidance, handling and release of unwanted catch.