Spring is a busy time of year for PCRG! Here’s some of what’s been happening:
Larval Crab Network & Population Genetics Study:

The 2022 Larval Crab Monitoring Season started on April 15th, with 16 sites in Washington and 22 sites in British Columbia launching temperature sensors and light traps to look for larval Dungeness crab. The season was preceded by the first in-person PCRG meeting in over two years (!), as Washington network participants gathered in Port Townsend to compare light traps and get protocol updates (see photos).
Several Washington sites will participate this year in a recently funded study to analyze the genetics of Dungeness larvae caught in different sub-basins of the southern Salish Sea (led by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and Dr. Jay Dimond, Western Washington University, funded by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tribal Wildlife Grant).
Crabber & Scientist Exchange:
After a Zoom pilot meeting in 2021, PCRG was thrilled to be able to hold its first in-person Crabber and Scientist Exchange event on Monday April 18th at the Swinomish Casino. 15 PCRG scientists and 25 non-tribal and tribal commercial crabbers attended. The evening was opened with a prayer and welcome song by the Swinomish Canoe Family, followed by an introduction to PCRG and its research goals and a presentation on Dungeness crab life history by Dr. Sean McDonald from the University of Washington. The majority of the evening was then spent in round table conversations, discussing knowledge gaps and what research questions should be prioritized. A short report detailing the evening will be compiled and shared in the coming months!

Other Happenings:
One of PCRG’s initial funders, The Northwest Indian Fish Commission, was provided a formal update on PCRG’s research and organizational structure
PCRG hosted a panel at the 2022 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference, where PCRG members (Paul McElhany, Mary Fisher, Allison Brownlee, Margaret Homerding, Heather Earle, Jay Dimond, and Katie Houle) showcased individual and collaborative research on Dungeness crab in the Salish Sea. This was a great opportunity to interact with the larger scientific community with 130 individuals listening in!
PCRG also presented the Larval Crab Network’s observations from the 2021 season to the Puget Sound Partnership’s Marine Waters Working Group to contribute to their annual report (see last year’s report here).
The PCRG Data Sharing Agreement has been finalized and adopted by the Coordinating Committee. Please get in touch with the PCRG Program Coordinator at pnwcrab@gmail.com for a copy and signatory instructions if you plan to contribute or use PCRG data (PCRG members will receive and email notification as well)!
Looking Ahead:
Keep an eye out for the PCRG Summer Meeting 'Save the Date' announcement coming in June!
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