Contact: Rick Cawthorn
Start: 2009
End: 2012

NSERC Strategic Project Grant - Aquaculture and Capture Fisheries Initiative
Integrated Studies of the Effects of Bitter Crab Disease on Atlantic Canadian Snow Crabs

Principal Investigator:  R.J. Cawthorn, University of Prince Edward Island
Co-applicants: S.J. Greenwood and  A.L. Battison, University of Prince Edward Island
Collaborators:  E.G. Dawe, Fisheries and Oceans Canada; J.F. Morado, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US)
Supporting Organizations: Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation (NL);  Fish, Food and Allied Workers’ Union (NL).

Bitter Crab Disease (BCD) is a fatal disease of snow crabs and other crustaceans that is caused by a parasitic dinoflagellate, Hematodinium sp..  Currently infecting greater than 40 species of crustaceans worldwide, several of which are commercially important,  the disease continues to spread in warm, cool and cold oceanic environments.  Additional to causing significant mortality, BCD affects product quality in terminal stages of the disease, causing  bitter, aspirin-like taste to the meat.  Consequently BCD could adversely affect commercial and recreational snow crab fisheries and the economies of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Although BCD has been recognized since the mid-1980’s, previous research used a “shotgun” approach without prioritization or coordination. Thus much is unknown about the parasite and resulting disease.  Major unknowns include the life history of the parasite outside the crustacean host, the route(s) of infection, disease progression in a susceptible population, and the impact this disease may have on population abundance and distribution of snow crab.  This project systematically addresses the above issues through focused laboratory (in vitro and in vivo) and field studies, with collaboration of industry, research and management entities.  A new technician (Byron Parsons) and opportunities for two graduate students (Melanie Buote, co-supervised by Andrea Battison and Rick Cawthorn) are incorporated in the project.

The goals of the BCD Integrated Studies Project (Integrated Studies of the Effects of Bitter Crab Disease on Atlantic Canadian Snow Crabs) are more comprehensive understanding of  (1) the disease, (2) the biology of the parasite and  (3) the impact that BCD has on recruitment, abundance and distribution patterns of snow crab.  Recently, the project has expanded to evaluate the prevalence of BCD in snow crabs in the Maritimes and Gulf Regions (cooperative studies with Fisheries and Oceans Canada).  An additional collaborator is Sherry Tamone from the University of Alaska Southeast.  The information developed from this project will be provided to resource managers and industry, and  should significantly enhance efforts to sustain the  important snow crab fishery in Atlantic Canada.