The Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group (PCRG) kicked off 2021 with two big virtual meetings. The first was one of the group’s bi-annual meetings, where we heard from different partners on their research efforts, discussed the future of the group’s leadership and organizational structure, and workshopped potential new research and community engagement subcommittees. The second meeting, for the larval crab monitoring subcommittee, began the preparations for the 2021 sampling season.
Meeting Highlights:
- 60 PCRG members participated between the two full-day meetings
- 7 members were elected to serve on the group’s first Coordinating Committee and will help in the guidance and oversight of the group.
Tribal Representatives:
Julie Barber (Senior Shellfish Biologist, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community)
Neil Harrington (Environmental Biologist, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe)
Blair Paul (Shellfish Biologist, Skokomish Indian Tribe)
State Representative:
Katelyn Bosley (Lead Puget Sound Crustacean Biologist, WDFW)
Federal/Academic/Nonprofit/Industry Representatives:
Brian Allison (President, Puget Sound Crabbers Association)
P. Sean McDonald (Associate Teaching Professor, University of Washington)
‘Open’ Representative:
Allison Brownlee (Aquatic Reserves Specialist, DNR)
- The group brainstormed new research projects that could address the priority questions PCRG determined previously. Ideas included:
A statewide ventless trap survey
OA impacts to crab - pairing experimental work with field observations
Benthic surveys of juvenile crab to complement larval crab monitoring
Exploring historical data (such as tagged crabs) to better understand life history and sperm limitations
Apply aging methods to crab
- The group discussed what ‘community engagement’ meant for PCRG and decided to form a new subcommittee around this topic and work to develop specific action items.
- The group began developing the foundation for a PCRG Strategic Plan, which will be written by the Program Coordinator and Coordinating Committee this year.
- The larval crab monitoring subcommittee welcomed several new participants hoping to deploy traps in the 2021 season, including several high schools! The group reviewed the study’s protocol and shared tips, tricks, and best practices for data collection with one another. Additional check-ins and training will occur before the sampling season begins April 15th.
Interested in participating in our larval crab monitoring effort this year? Please contact the Program Coordinator at pnwcrab@gmail.com!
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