Snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) – a new invasive crab species becoming an important player in the Barents Sea ecosystem

No abstracts are to be cited without prior reference to the author.

Since the first recordings in 1996, the snow crab has now spread to most parts of the Russian Economic Zone and international waters of the Barents Sea. It is also observed in the Norwegian Economic Zone and in the Svalbard area. The extent of distribution and crab density indices reveal that the total stock size must be considerable. Recordings of berried female snow crabs and numerous juveniles confirm that this species is self reproducing in the Barents Sea. It is therefore obvious that the propagule pressure for further spread in this arctic region is high and that new areas further north and west is likely to be invaded. The snow crab in the Barents Sea will probably adopt a more northerly distribution than the red king crab; the other invasive crab species in the area. A commercial fishery started in 2013 and counts now 15 vessels fishing for the snow crab in the Barents Sea. Future impact of this new species on the existing ecosystem is discussed based on preliminary stomach analyses and potential spread to new areas.