Cancer borealis

Conservation

Though Jonah crab have been a long-time resident within New Jersey waters, little is still known about the life history of these cancer crabs.  Historically considered a bycatch or “nuisance” species within the lobster fishery, landings have rapidly increased since the early 2000’s.  Several factors are thought to have caused the increase in harvest, however the declining stock in the Southern New England (SNE) lobster stock appear to be the most influential.  Coastwide landings are primarily attributed to Massachusetts and Rhode Island (estimated at 95%), while New Jersey accounted for 1 million pounds in 2020.

Jonah crab have been managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASFMC) under a Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) since 2015.  As referenced from the ASMFC, the FMP was designed to fully utilize the resource by industry, while researching and better understand the ecological life cycle of the stock.  An initial Stock Assessment has been approved for Jonah Crab, and preparation began in early 2022. The New Jersey DEP Fish and Wildlife encounters Jonah crab in multiple state-operated surveys.  The Ocean Stock Assessment Program records length, weight, and sex data associated with Jonah crab in its otter trawl survey.  Additionally, a ventless trap survey was initiated in 2016 to characterize production on several Artificial Reefs managed by NJ Fish and Wildlife.  Biological information collected mirrors parameters that are collected on the Ocean Stock Assessment Program.


More information on this species can be found below:

Description

• round shell with small white spots
• claws with dark brown-black tips
• dome like shell with jagged marginal spines

Size

• males up to 7 inches
• females up to 6 inches

Range

• Northwest Atlantic Ocean from Canada to Florida

Facts

• diet includes mussels, arthropods, and snails
• species moves offshore in the winter and fall