Rowell, David2022-07-062022-07-062022-07-06https://hdl.handle.net/1794/2722942 pagesThe role of an estuary or bay in the life cycle of Cancer magister is not well understood. I believe Coos Bay, as well as other bays, is an important "nursery" ground for young crabs, its recruits are necessary for sustaining a commercial fishery. Tasto (1978) has shown that juveniles account for a larger percentage of an estuary's crab population than in nearshore waters. The juveniles in the S.F. Bay-complex exhibited a growth rate nearly twice that of ocean-reared crabs (Tasto et al 1981). It is postulated that this is due to reduced predation pressure and increased food supply within the estuary.enCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-USMarine BiologyLarvae DynamicsCancer MagisterThesis / Dissertation