[BlueChip]

The Search for Megalops – Special Report #5 -May 2014
Blue Crab Census Postponed
Megalops Set Feared Lost --- Again
The Sound School Regional Vocational Aquaculture Center
Inter-District Marine Education Programs
Capstone Project ISSP Blue Crab Monitors
Blue Crab Research in Long Island Sound 2014

For two years in a row, doubts are now cast as to whether the fall blue crab Megalops set survived the winter.

With the cold air still present over a huge snow pack in Northern New England and predictions of a continuation of the negative NAO weather pattern the blue crab census for small blue crabs has been postponed. In fact, there has not been any reports of small blue crabs yet, raising concerns of a large “winter kill” of blue crabs here in Connecticut. It is just too early to tell, but reports to our south shores, echo the same concerns. Look for blue crabs to emerge first in the salt ponds and on May 6th Norwalk Harbor recorded a surface temp of 57° (F) while eastern Connecticut was 48° (F).

A few years ago (Megalops Report #2, April 23rd, 2012), adult blue crabs were observed in the lower Connecticut River on April 17th before the traditional season even opened. It looks like a very different early season for Connecticut blue crabbers this year.

The late fall Megalops set observed during the weeks of September 12-16, 2013 (Megalops Report #10,, September 30, 2013) and last fall (Megalops Special Report #6, October 24, 2013) is feared lost, a deep water set that never made it to shore, (the prevailing winds had changed as south-westerlies tend to keep larval forms close to Connecticut’s shore, same with oyster larvae).
That was a concern that it would not make it into the shallows, salt ponds / marshes and therefore protected from winter storms.

But the negative NAO had a different idea: any crabbers interested in learning more about the North Atlantic Oscillation, the best material I have found to date is on the State Climate Office of North Carolina. This site has many descriptions of weather patterns and very clear diagrams and graphs and found at http://www.nc-
climate.ncsu.edu/climate/patterns/currentconditions.php

If the weather moderates the next census opportunity would be mid June. We should also learn more about southern crab populations also. Anyone seeing any small blue crabs please send me a report – Thanks.

Tim Visel

Email your blue crab reports to: tim.visel@new-haven.k12.ct.us
All blue crab observations are valuable as we learn more about our blue crab population.

The Search for Megalops is part of a Project Shellfish/Finfish Student/Citizen Monitoring Effort Supported by a 2005 grant to The Sound School from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant #2005-0191-001.

Program reports are available upon request.

For more information about New Haven Environmental Monitoring Initiative or for reports please contact Susan Weber, Sound School Adult Education and Outreach Program Coordinator at susan.weber@new-haven.k12.ct.us

The Sound School is a Regional High School Agriculture Science and Technology Center enrolling students from 23 participating Connecticut communities.