Spatial and temporal variation in exploitation rates of the Louisiana Blue Crab spawning stock

Objective: Blue crabs Callinectes sapidus support one of our nation's most valuable fisheries, and Louisiana has led national landings from 2012 to 2021. Fishery-independent estimates of abundance have declined in recent years; in 2015, the Louisiana spawning stock biomass reached the lowest point ever recorded. Management efforts for the blue crab spawning stock have been hindered by incomplete knowledge of the dynamics of natural and fishing mortality. The purpose of this study was to examine spatiotemporal variation in exploitation rates of the Louisiana blue crab spawning stock. Methods: From 2016 to 2017, we conducted a mark– recapture study in three Louisiana estuaries. During this period, we tagged 6133 mature female blue crabs, of which 964 were recaptured. Exploitation rate estimates were calculated using re-capture data. In 2018, Louisiana implemented a 2-month female harvest prohibition; to examine impacts of this harvest prohibition on exploitation