SGER -- Collaborative Research: Impact of blue crab fishery on population structure of diamondback terrapins

在切萨皮克湾，菱形龟——生活在海湾里的唯一一种龟——偶然被用于捕捞蓝蟹的商业陷阱捕获而淹死。拟议的研究将确定商业捕蟹器对水龟种群的大小和年龄结构的影响。首先，侧扫声纳将用于定位和找回在2006年8月的热带风暴埃内斯托中丢失的商业螃蟹陷阱。在这些废弃的陷阱中，死龟将被进行性别鉴定和老化，并测量壳的尺寸。将溺死的水龟的年龄大小关系与在邻近的水龟栖息地调查的活水龟种群进行比较，这些栖息地有或没有商业螃蟹的压力。拟议的研究将通过提供及时的数据来确定商业捕蟹对切萨皮克湾弗吉尼亚水域菱形龟的影响，从而协助政策和管理决策。除了提供学生培训机会和在科学杂志上发表文章外，在非技术渠道发表的报告将有助于使科学易于获得，并促进对有关渔业和养护问题的更好了解。这项研究将提供数据，在蓝蟹渔业崩溃之前，协助制定基于生态系统的管理计划，其中包括菱形龟。

In Chesapeake Bay, diamondback terrapins - the only species of turtle living in the bay - drown incidentally as by-catch in commercial traps used for harvesting blue crabs. The proposed research will determine the impact of commercial crab traps on the size and age structure of terrapin populations. First, side-scan sonar will be used to locate and retrieve commercial crab traps lost during tropical storm Ernesto in August 2006. Dead terrapins in these abandoned traps will be sexed and aged, and shell dimensions will be measured. The age-size relationship of drowned terrapins will be compared with live terrapin populations being surveyed in adjacent terrapin habitats with and without commercial crabbing pressures. The proposed research will assist policy and management decision-making by providing timely data determining the impact of commercial crabbing on diamondback terrapins in Virginia waters of Chesapeake Bay. In addition to student training opportunities and publication in scientific journals, presentations at non-technical outlets will help to make the science accessible and promote better understanding of the relevant fishery and conservation issues. The research will provide data to assist the structure of an ecosystem-based management plan for the blue crab fishery - one that includes diamondback terrapins - before the fishery collapses.