Physiological responses to live air transport of red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus)

Abstract

Abstract Live transport of red king crab from the fishing grounds to the market is an activity that is increasing and the future sustainability of this practice depends on maintaining optimal animal welfare during transport. The current study evaluated the physiological response of red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) to live air transport, mimicking current commercial practices. Specifically, this study assessed stress and osmoregulatory haemolymph metabolite variation, together with free amino acids (FAAs) pool variation in the haemolymph of red king crab. Forty male crabs (2136 ± 800 g) were caught in the North Cape area in the Barents Sea during April 2019. They were transported by the fishing boat directly to a land-based live holding facility in Honningsvarg, Norway where they were held for