Ecology and management of the invasive snow crab: Predicting expansion, impacts and sustainability in the Arctic under climate change

Informations

Funding country

Norway

Acronym

-

URL

-

Start date

1/1/2019

End date

12/31/2022

Budget

1,097,529 EUR

Fundings

Abstract

The snow crab is a large crustacean that has been invading the Barents Sea since 1996. The origin of this invasion is still unknown. The snow crab is both an invasive species that is rapidly expanding eastwards and northwards in the Barents Sea, but also a species of interest for commercial fisheries. There is thus an urgent need for new data, knowledge and robust predictions on the potential effects of the snow crab in Arctic marine communities as the population expands in the Barents Sea. This new knowledge will provide essential information for the development of robust management measures of a commercial fishery of an invasive species, to ensure the environmental sustainability of the Barents Sea. EISA includes national and international partners that will work together using novel methods and instruments to address main questions: 1) what are the changes caused by the snow crab on the seafloor communities, including other commercial species; 2) what are the dynamics of the snow crab population in the Barents Sea, and what is the origin of the invasion; 3) what are the predictions on the snow crab dispersal and impact, in particular considering changing environmental conditions under the current climate change scenario? At the end of the project, all results and knowledge will be synthesised in a socio-economic and governance framework that can inform environmental management decisions. In 2019 we had a kickoff meeting, organized and realized a 12-day research cruise in the Barents Sea, and hired the postdoctoral associate. In addition began investigating snow crab feeding preferences for integration into food-web models. The cruise was highly successful, and we collected information on the epifaunal and infaunal community along a gradient of snow crab density. We also collected samples for molecular analysis of stomach contents and for population genetic studies. All faunal work Is complete, including a MS thesis on foraminifera from our field sites. We have also collaborated with IMR and the MAREANO program to acquire historical data from areas that are and are not invaded by crabs. Statistical analyses are underway, and 2-3 manuscripts are in preparation. The Corona situation has had significant impact on some of the work packages in the EISA project, causing delays in progress as laboratories were closed, research trips were cancelled, collaboration with international colleagues were reduced, and restrictions for in-person interviews forced us to rethink how value-chain analyses could be best performed. Despite this, analyses of faunal samples and data from the cruise is largely complete. A reference genome for the snow crab has been attained so all tools are in place for population genetics studies comparing at least 4 sites. DNA from crab stomachs has been extracted and have been submitted for sequencing. Data are expected by the end of the year. The Ecopath models have been balanced and time-series data for Ecosim have been collected for most components. Ecospace modelling has now begun and we are collecting data for the first paper. This represents a huge effort conducted in 2021, primarily by the post doc. Ecospace work is integral to the later papers of the PhD student in Canada working on the snow crab value chain. His first paper, on the global snow crab fisheries, will be submitted in December 2021. The value chain work should be completed by May 2022. We take very seriously the development plan for our postdoctoral fellow (Helena Michelsen). Fortunately, both NFR and NIVA have agreed to supplement project funding to assure project work and development goals for the postdoc can be met. Despite having her research trip to Barcelona to work with project partners postponed, Helena has been balancing the Ecopath model, collecting time series, and working with faunal data. Some publication milestones will be delayed, but we hope these delays can be minimal. Helena has been brought into planning of project meetings as well as being responsible for social media outreach, both elements from the development plan. She has visited schools in the Fram Centre program 'Forskerne kommer!' presenting the project to over 900 teenagers. She has also presented the project at meetings of related projects on snow crab and king crab.