This data package contains datasets obtained from counting and measuring larval and juvenile Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) caught using Shanks style light traps at various locations along the coast of British Columbia, Canada. This work is an ongoing collaborative project between the Hakai Institute and numerous community and institutional partners within the Sentinels of Change project led by Hakai Institute. The purpose of this project is to investigate the magnitude and timing of Dungeness larval delivery along the coast of British Columbia, expanding on an existing network of light traps in Puget Sound, Washington, coordinated by the Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group (PCRG).
Light traps are deployed from April 15th to September 1st each year. The project began in 2022 with 20 light traps, expanded to 30 in 2023, and 29 were deployed in 2024. The traps operate on a timer which turns the light on during dark hours and is adjusted through the season. The traps are checked approximately every two days and Dungeness megalopae (final larval stage) are counted each time. The carapace widths of Dungeness megalopae are also measured each week. Initially, measurements were taken by hand using calipers, however this technique was altered starting July 15th 2022 to a photo technique which allows measurements to be taken later using software (ImageJ). This protocol and schedule will be followed in subsequent years until 2030.
This data package includes:
-Dungeness megalopae count data from April 15th to September 1st for 2022, 2023, and 2024.
-Dungeness megalopae size data (when applicable) from April 15th, 2022 until September 1st, 2024.
10.21966/36hp-7f40
