Population size and density of the deep-sea red crab chaceon maritae (Manning and holthuis) off namibia determined from tag-recapture

Abstract

Estimates of population size and density of the deep-sea red crab Chaceon maritae are based on tag-return data collected between October 1991 and September 1992. The area of commercial fishing off Namibia between 17°15′ and 21°00′S and from 500 to 800 m deep is estimated to be 732 000 ha. At that time, there was a population size of 72 million fully recruited animals (≥75 mm carapace width) in the region, with a mean density of 98, 4 crabs·ha−1. The current Total Allowable Catch of 6 000 tons whole mass of crab seems ineffectually high and it is suggested that it be revised to between 3 200 and 3 900 tons. © 1994 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.