Establishment and ecosystem effects of the alien invasive red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) in the Barents Sea–a review

Abstract

Falk-Petersen, J., Renaud, P., and Anisimova, N. 2011. Establishment and ecosystem effects of the alien invasive red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) in the Barents Sea – a review. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: . Since its introduction to the Barents Sea from the North Pacific in the 1960s, the red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) has become invasive. The crab represents an important source of income, but also a potential threat to the highly productive fisheries in the region through its ecosystem impacts. A literature review was conducted, identifying factors contributing to the success of the crab as well as its interactions with native biota. Characteristics of the Barents Sea and the crab itself that may explain its success include suitable habitat for settlement and growth of the larvae; the wide range of habitats occupied throughout its life history, high mobility, generalist prey choice, low fishing pressure during establishment, and the lack of parasites. Being a large, bottom-feeding omnivore of great mobility, the king crab can significantly impact the ecosystem. Reduced benthic diversity and biomass have been registered in invaded areas. Important prey items include large epibenthic organisms whose structures also represent important habitat. Impacts on commercial and non-commercial fish species, through egg predation or indirect interactions, are difficult to detect and predict.

Current Status of the Red King Crab (Paralithodes camtchaticus) and Snow Crab (Chionoecetes opilio) Industries in Norway

“…Thus, regular research surveys have been conducted since 1993 to investigate their impact, population distribution, and biology (Falk-Petersen and Armstrong, 2013). A negative effect on the benthic fauna and destruction of fishing gear in coastal Norwegian fisheries has been documented (Falk-Petersen et al, 2011;Jørgensen and Nilssen, 2011). The RKC has continued its expansion westwards and today, the species can be found along the entire coast of Finnmark, and sometimes as far south as Tromsø (Jørgensen and Nilssen, 2011;Sundet and Hoel, 2016).…”

A large population of king crabs in Palmer Deep on the west Antarctic Peninsula shelf and potential invasive impacts

“…In particular, echinoderms, which are common prey items for lithodids [1,26], were absent on soft sediments and drop stones within the lithodid depth zone, yielding substantial declines in biodiversity. Megafauna on sediments and on drop stones were dominated by tubicolous cerianthid anemones and sponges, respectively; both these taxa appear to be lightly preyed upon by lithodids in other regions [26].…”

Marine invasive species in the Arctic

“…These finding may lead to the conclusion that the crab is a generalist feeder (Falk-Petersen et al 2011), but other studies reveal that the crab prefers and remove large individuals of invertebrates such as bivalves, echinoderms and siphunculids (Haugan 2004, Oug et al 2011. Prey preference studies based on stomach content analysis may, however, be difficult to interpret since for some prey groups only soft parts of the animals are ingested (e.g.…”

“…This makes future management decisions even more complicated as one weighs more easily measurable gains from the crab against difficult valuations in changes to the ecosystem and its productivity. The 2007 management decision to have an open access fishery for crab west of 26°E in an attempt to stem the invasion does not appear to be successful (Falk-Petersen et al, 2011).…”