Crab Fishery - Pacific Region

Dungeness crabs (Cancer magister) are the most important species of crab harvested in British Columbia and are exploited by commercial, native and sport fishers coast wide. Dungeness crabs occupy the eastern Pacific Ocean and range from the Aleutian Islands to Mexico, from the intertidal zone to depths of 180 m. The inception of the commercial fishery occurred before the turn of the century with first recorded landings in 1885. The sport fishery has an equally long history and aboriginal harvests of Dungeness crab precede the discovery of North America by Europeans.

Highlights

• Report: The Economics of British Columbia’s Crab Fishery: Socio-Economic Profile, Viability, and Market Trends

Integrated Fisheries Management Plans

• Crab Integrated Fisheries Management Plan

Fishery Information

• Species Biology
• Crab Consultations - Fisheries Management Consultations and the Crab Sectoral (advisory) Committee and Research Subcommittee
• Research documents and stock status reports - Scientific papers and short resource status papers, available through the Department's PSARC (Pacific Scientific Advice Review Committee) WebPage

Service Providers

Howard McElderry Archipelago Marine Research Ltd 2nd Floor, 525 Head St Victoria, BC V9A 5S1 T: (250) 383-4535 F: (250) 383-0103	Hank Buitendyk Pacific Coast Fishery Services Nanaimo, BC V9R 5H9 T: (250) 753-8209 F: (250) 753-8208
Doug Tallman J.O. Thomas & Associates Ltd 1370 Kootenay St Vancouver BC, V5K 4R1 T: (604) 291-6340 F: (604) 291-6496

Contacts

Lead Resource Manager, Crab:
Bryan Rusch

Departmental contacts for more information (click name to email):

Regional Shellfish Co-ordinator	Vancouver	Todd Johansson	604-666-7998
Resource Management Biologist	North & Central Coast	Bryan Rusch	250-627-3477
Resource Management Biologist	South Coast	Guy Parker	250-756-7163
Resource Manager	Lower Mainland	Bridget Ennevor	604-666-7112