[BlueChip]

The Sound School – The ISSP and Capstone Project Proposal
Building A Network of Citizen Monitors
The Search for Megalops
The Connecticut Blue Crab Population Habitat Study 2010-2015
Report 2 – April 23rd 2012
You Do Not Need To Be A Scientist To Report!
• Blue Crabs Seen In The Connecticut River – Late Report
• Shellfish Commissions/Shellfishers May See First Immature Blue Crabs
• Volunteer Monitoring Workshops Postponed Until Fall
• Warm Winter May Have Reduced Over Wintering Mortality
• Researchers Seek Collaboration with New England Studies

Shellfishers May See First Blue Crabs

In April of 2010 members of the Guilford Shellfish Commission reported sightings of thousands of small blue crabs on shellfish beds off Guilford. A warm winter had thought to increase small crab survival/populations and a couple of quick phone calls confirmed the Guilford observation. A huge population of juvenile blue crabs was along the Connecticut beach fronts in creeks and coves in numbers such that no one could recall seeing before. By June 1st (2010) small crabs were observed as far as east of Niantic Bay and by July 1st Connecticut was in the beginning of the best blue crab year since 1912. What happened? Well, the previous winters were relatively mild, and absent strong storms. The 2007-2008 and 2010 will be remembered as some of the best recent Connecticut blue crab seasons. Then, we had the winter of 2010-2011 with 76 inches of snow, bitter cold and tremendous record breaking spring floods and the 2011 crab year was much more modest, and overall blue crab abundance in the east fell sharply. We had a 1950s winter and as in the 1950s and 1960s and following those type of winters we had a noticeable drop in blue crabs last year as compared to the 2010 season. But Southern New England crabbers had seen this happen before.

What Connecticut has experienced the past two decades was similar to the end of The Great Heat in the late teens. At the turn of the century northern blue crab populations soared most noticeably in Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay and Long Island Sound. A huge upsurge in blue crab productivity then but as winters grew colder in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s blue crab abundance dropped dramatically region wide. A short passage in a report about the Westport River in Massachusetts details this concern about observations in blue crab abundance at the time. The reference comes from a Massachusetts Board of Natural Resources Study (one of 23 such studies) titled A Study of the Marine Resources of the Westport River and this



section appeared on page 39 of the report and mentions the decline in blue crabs.1

“The blue claw crab is a species which were formerly abundant the south shore of Massachusetts but has been declining in numbers for at least the last decade. Such decline has also been observed in waters south of Massachusetts. Jeffries (1966) noted that the blue crab began to decline in Rhode Island in the mid-1930’s and that by 1938 they had diminished to the point that it was no longer profitable to fish for them commercially. The cause of the decline of this crab in our waters is unknown. Many fishermen along the shore have expressed the belief that the loss of blue claw crabs- also fiddler crabs (Uca spp.) is due to the careless use of pesticides in coastal areas. While it is certainly possible that pesticides have had a detrimental effect upon crab populations no conclusive evidence has been documented in this regards.”

What fishery regulators didn’t understand at the time is that as the climate grew colder it favored lobster habitats – kelp cobblestone forests and red macro algae populations grew while the huge eelgrass meadows (1880-1920) were uprooted by storms which now more frequently occurred following decades of heat and few storms. The colder winters most likely greatly reduced blue crab populations. To the crabbers of the 1960s and 1970s the blue crabbing resembled nothing like former years or crabbing experiences as young people in Connecticut. Those observations from the Westport River in Massachusetts (1967) were largely correct, blue crab populations greatly diminished during this period as it became a colder and more storm filled period. Thousands of acres of cobblestones however were exposed along beach fronts, cleaned and with tumbled by hurricanes, and came to have kelp forests that were often in the same habitat areas as eelgrass meadows occurred decades before.

What was better habitat conditions for the blue crabs (heat and quiet) was not so good for lobsters – which in our area needed that critical stage four kelp/cobblestone habitat. When the blue crab populations surged at the turn of the century Southern New England lobster populations crashed. All the Southern New England lobster stocks were impacted. Rhode Island even closed for a portion of the 1905 year, its fishery to lobstering. Today we see that same dynamic – blue crab populations have surged (2010 was the best blue crab year since 1912 according to historic Fulton fish reports) while our lobster population has shrunk to its lowest levels since 1905. Today much of that shallow water kelp/cobblestone habitat has failed – it is gone, disappeared and lobster recruitment is now at extremely low levels. Blue Crab populations however have benefited from the warmer winters and heavy sets of Mya, the soft shell clam. The presence of

1 Much thanks goes to Director Bruce Carlisle of the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Office for making this entire set of marine resource publications available to The Sound School and students researching fisheries histories.
eelgrass in some coves also may also have helped – but it is those sandy/shelly areas that are thought to hold the first megalops stage. That is why shellfishers may be the first ones to see the results of a successful megalops set from last fall – the big unknown is of course is the effect of Tropical Storm Irene – those shallow near shore areas got quite a cultivation event and the unusual Halloween Blizzard, could have caused a large megalops mortality – we just won’t know for a few more weeks.

Monitoring Megalops Workshops will be rescheduled

We have decided to postpone monitoring megalops training workshops until we have more of the monitoring sites covered, most likely until the fall. Also we will contact some environmental organizations about some logistical help, perhaps dividing the coast into three basic reporting areas – east, central and west – with an overall catch/observation summary which combines regional observations and crab catch reports. A smaller high school student Capstone Project Proposal is also being prepared to be sent to all coastal high schools. The eventual goal is to have monitors for all the proposed sampling sites. A new sampling device is also being explored a version of the turn of century, Guilford clam gun but now to include the water sample above and instead of a metal cylinder, a cut section PVC pipe. We hope to have a few made this spring for sampling and report out on the initial trials. A survey of Tom’s Creek in Madison, Connecticut is expected as one of the control sites – to see if creek habitats can obtain and hold a Megalops set. (A comparison between a corer sample and wash sample Dnet will be made) and the Tom’s Creek survey will be reported out in a few weeks – The PVC tube acts as a water sample surface corer – anything invented to harvest razor and large softshell clams may also offer a good Benthic sample (more to follow).

Researchers Seek Regional Collaboration

The Blue Crab upswing in New England has obtained attention of researchers along the eastern seaboard. With warmer temperatures the expansion of the Blue Crab (fishery) into New England waters offers a chance to study species shifts in response to climate change warmer waters which may lead to increases in blue crab population disease. Tracking disease/pathogens north into New England would confirm the climate/life history stress theory. With have certainly seen disease related mortality with heat stressed lobster populations –

The contact person for this initiative is Eric Schott at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science 701 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, schott@umces.edu

A short note and explanation of the study is detailed below;


Dear extension folks, shellfish health experts and others,

The recent noticeable abundance of blue crab in the Northeast has caught the attention of many of us. For those interested in shellfish health, this expansion or increased abundance may provide an opportunity to track density- or climate-dependent changes in disease prevalence in an aquatic species.

Climate change models predict a warming of southern New England waters by up to 4.5 Co in this century, to temperatures similar to the current mid-Atlantic region. One consequence may be a northward expansion of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and other fishery species, along with their associated pathogens. Using sensitive molecular methods, a coalition of academic, state and federal partners is beginning to assess the prevalence of two fatal blue crab pathogens (a reovirus, CsRV, and the rotozoan parasite Hematodinium sp.) from Delaware Bay to the south shore of Massachusetts. After a successful first year, we are extending crab disease monitoring for a total of 5 years, to establish a baseline on blue crab health in the Northeast. Understanding whether diseases are present and influencing crabs in the NE will require the help of a network of fishermen, academics, and managers. It may serve as a template for long-term studies of the effects of climate change and latitude on the prevalence of diseases of blue crab or other fishery species in the NE. The endeavor can also provide opportunities for participation of graduate and undergraduate summer interns.

Warm Winters May Have Reduced Over Winter Mortality

Temperature Abundance link – long known in the coastal review of the blue crab
century ago a United States Fish Commission 1887 reports mentions a climate/temperature abundance connection.

It is thought that great cold – the coldest of temperatures in the early 1870s in which extremely cold temperatures damaged or killed Connecticut apple trees (Orchards) extended hibernation periods causing starvation or delayed mobility of blue crabs. The colder winters is thought to have allowed to starfish and conch to consume them in large numbers. This coincides with comments made from trawl fishermen seeking winter flounder in the 1950s and 1960s. Here the muddy bottoms between Faulkners Island and Kimberly Reef held a great number of blue crabs and starfish feeding upon them. Cold temperatures did not create preferred habitat conditions for the blue crab. That would change at the turn of the century.

At the beginning of the great heat – 1880 to 1920 New England saw a pronounced lift of its blue crab fisheries. As waters warmed blue crabs became much more abundant and the connection between temperature and river mouths was clearly described for these fisheries at the time. The US Fish Commission report contains habitat clues for the blue crab fishery regarding;

1) Abundance connected to temperature
2) Entering the mouths of Rivers
3) Overwintering in muddy bottoms
In volume II, section V, The Crab Fisheries, pages 634, 635 of the 1887 United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries report contains this paragraph written by Richard Rathbun assistant to George Brown Goode and submitted to Congress in response to the Tenth Census.

The following quote details the Southern New England Fishery. Part 1 – Natural History and uses of The Blue Crab.

“Southern New England cannot be said to have any regular crab fishery. About New Bedford many crabs are taken for bait and for eating, and at other places smaller quantities are captured and made use of; but very few persons, if any, devote their entire attention to this industry, even for a short period. Most of the blue crabs eaten in the interior New England towns and in Boston, come from farther south, through the New York markets. New Bedford makes some shipments to Providence and New York. Both the north and south shores of Long Island furnish many crabs, the bulk of those not used at home going to New York and Brooklyn.

New England – The blue crab is not known from north of Massachusetts Bay, where it is of rare occurrence, but it ranges along the entire southern coast of New England from Cape Cod to New York. At no place upon this section of coast, however, is crab-catching carried on as a regular business, mainly for the reason that this species of crab is less abundant here than to the south of New York, where it is more easily and cheaply obtained. Blue crabs are common in Buzzard’s Bay, especially in the vicinity of New Bedford, and enter the mouths of the rivers during the summer in large numbers. Acushnet River, near New Bedford, is described as a great abiding place for crabs in the summer season, and as affording good facilities for their capture. In the spring the average weekly catch is stated to be about four hundred crab, but in the fall the number taken is sometimes as great as forty thousands per week. Some of these crabs are used as food, being retained in New Bedford or sent to Providence or New York, but far the greater portion are employed as bait for tautog. Among the other species of fish for which this crab is utilized as bait in this vicinity are the striped bass, rock bass, cod, squeteague, and blackfish. When shipped away, they are packed in boxes with seaweeds, ice being added in warm weather.

In Vineyard Sound blue crabs are less abundant, and are only taken occasionally by persons desiring them for their own use. The Newport markets are partly supplied with blue crabs from Narragansett Bay, where they are said to be more abundant and more easily taken than the Jonah crab (Cancer borealis), which also occurs there, and is the only other species of crab used in Newport. Soft blue crabs are also sent to Newport from New York.

All of the other larger towns and cities on the Southern New England coast (Stonington, New London, New Haven, &c.,) make use of greater or less quantities of crabs caught in their immediate vicinity, but these places probably receive most of their supplies from New York. At the smaller towns and villages crabs are probably also collected at times, when desired for home consumption, but nowhere in this region can crab-catching be regarded as an established industry, nor is it possible to give an estimate of the number of crabs annually taken and disposed of. The season extends from April to November, but varies according to the conditions of temperature, some years being more favorable than others. The fishing is carried on mostly by means of dip-nets or scoop-nets, the crabs being sometimes enticed to the surface of the water by the use of baited lines. Incidentally crabs are obtained, often in great abundance, in lobster pots, fish seines, and other nets. In the winter they area occasionally speared by eel fishermen, who find them buried in the muddy bottoms.”

Capstone questions –

1) Can a temperature/climate link be clearly established for the Southern New England Blue Crab resources?
2) Has the warmer temperatures enhanced habitat carrying capacity for the Long Island Sound Blue Crab population?
3) How can resource monitoring provide population abundance indicators?


Just before printing – Adult Blue Crabs Observed in Connecticut River

A late report -= Monday, April (23rd) has adult blue crabs in large numbers on the Connecticut River above the Baldwin Bridge – Report is a night time observation, if report is confirmed, large adult blue crabs have survived our very mild winter and are out actively seeking out food. Looking for reports from the Hammonasset, Branford and Housatonic Rivers.

Some of the western CT coves and salt ponds that warm quickly may have similar observations. As in 2010 reports of small crabs along the shore would be a very positive indicator for the upcoming blue crab season.

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.

All Blue crabs and Megalops observations are valuable; please email them to me at tim.visel@new-haven.k12.ct.us.

Program reports are available upon request. 1-4 catch/observation reports 1-15 are also available.
For more information about New Haven Environmental Monitoring Initiative or for reports please contact Susan Weber, Sound School Adult Education and Outreach Program Coordinator – email to: susan.weber@new-haven.k12.ct.us

If you do not wish to receive these reports, please let us know.

Looking forward to hearing about any Blue crab research.

Tim Visel

Supervised Research Projects / State Graduation Capstone Projects, ISSP’s

For over a century high school students attending Agriculture Science and Technology Centers (formerly known as Vocational Agriculture Centers) have had a statutory obligation for having a planned supervised agriculture work experience program. (SAE) For Agriculture Education students, the senior year contained a special topics/portfolio project that is designed with consultation with the scope & sequence teacher. The addition of directed laboratories in the 1990s research projects can satisfy both the (SAE) and now the supervised Capstone graduation project. The Capstone Project description is as follows and also found on the State Department website:

“The Capstone Experience is a culminating activity that provides a way for students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they acquired during their secondary school years of education. It engages students in a project/experience that focuses on an interest, career path or academic pursuit that synthesizes classroom study and real world perspective. High school students are asked to demonstrate their ability to apply key knowledge and skills by planning, completing and presenting a culminating project linked to one or more are of personal interest and the individual’s Student Success Plan.

The Capstone experience may include an in-depth project, reflective portfolio, community service and/or internship. As part of the experience, the student will demonstrate research, communication and technology skills including additional relevant 21st century skills.

Work on the Capstone Project may begin as early as 9th grade. Successful completion of a Capstone Project will earn the student one credit toward high school graduation.”



For more information about the Capstone Project, please contact:

Ann Gaulin, Consultant
CT State Department of Education
(860)713-6544
Ann.gaulin@ct.gov
-Or-
Scott Shuler, Consultant
CT State Department of Education
(860) 713-6746
Scott.shuler@ct.gov

For more information about the Capstone Projects in CT, please go to:
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2702&Q=322264

We look to the possibility of some for credit ISSP proposals from any interested Sound School students.


Independent Study and
Seminar Program
New Haven Public Schools

The contact person for the Sound School is Barbara Mente; other schools could also have ISSP programs. A quick call to your high school guidance director should be able to assist students from other school systems.