Seeking Dungeness Crab Monitoring Volunteers
Checking a Light Trap ~ Hakai Institute
Date and Time
Mornings, April 15 – September 1
Location
Comox Valley Marina
Description
We are partnering with the Hakai Institute on the Larval Dungeness Crab Monitoring Project to track Dungeness crab dispersal around BC. Using light traps and a network of community partners we can find answers to important questions about these crabs’ ecology, dispersal and survival that are becoming increasingly important with climate change.
This year, a light trap will be placed at Comox Valley Marina, and we are recruiting volunteers who are interested in committing to regularly check the light trap (once a week or every two weeks would be ideal). In addition to Dungeness crab larva, we are also interested to see if any young forage fish wander into the trap!
What’s involved?
The light trap season runs from April 15th – September 1st. During this time volunteers sign up to check the light trap in the morning every 2 days. The process involves removing the trap from the water, counting and releasing juvenile Dungeness crabs and filling out a digital data form. Volunteers receive training on how to safely check the trap and how to identify Dungeness larval- so don’t worry, you don’t have to be an expert!
Time Commitment
Training: A 1-hour training session prior to participation. (This will be held the week of April 8th.)
Trap Checks: Between 30 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on how many crabs are caught. We are looking for volunteers who can commit to regular volunteer shifts throughout the season.
Volunteer Sign Up
Project Watershed is not the lead coordinator for this initiative, so we don’t have specific timeslots for you to sign up for, but if you sign up below we will share your contact info with the folks who are organizing the volunteer schedule.