Low injury rates on snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) overrun by demersal trawls

Since its emergence a decade ago, the Norwegian snow crab fishery in the Barents Sea has become the most important pot fishery in Norway. Snow crab is fished in areas where demersal trawl fisheries targeting whitefish and shrimp also occur, causing spatial conflicts between these user groups. Additionally, demersal trawlers are subject to claims of damaging snow crab by interaction with the gear, causing mortality and loss of potential economic revenue for pot fishers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate snow crab injury rates caused by demersal trawl ground gears. Both the traditional rockhopper gear (RHG) and the alternative semicircular spreading gear (SCSG) were tested. The results showed that crabs run over by the SCSG and RHG had a 95- and 99% chance of sustaining zero crush injuries, respectively. Further, crabs had 75- and 79% chance of not suffering pereiopod loss when interacting with the SCSG and RHG, respectively. Overall, the SCSG appeared to cause comparable or slightly higher injury rates compared to the RHG. The results demonstrate that the effect of demersal trawls on crab damage is low.