North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Territory fishos have said red rambo crab numbers are increasing. Do you agree?

Yep. Out of 12 crabs 7 were Rambos from middle arm the other week

3 out of 6 at shoal bay 2 weeks back.

This just emailed in by a mate ...

"Over the past three years I've noticed I'm getting more and more WA brown mud crabs (aka red rambos) in my pots in Shoal Bay. On Wednesday out of my five pots I got four crabs, 1 bluey (now called green by Fisheries) and three browns. But the frustrating thing was that even though the male browns had far bigger claws than the big female bluey they were about 1-2mm under size using the bluey measurement.

"But I see on my Strike Zone measuring device that the WA crab is stated as legal at 1200mm ... that made my three crabs legal ... hhhhhmmm!!!!!
So I rang Fisheries regarding the issue. Can you believe I'm told that even though Fisheries are well aware that the WA crab has migrated (or increased in numbers) into Darwin waters recently, is a smaller crab and are contemplating the ramifications, I am the first person to raise this issue. The fact I've done that means it has to be addressed because there are legal implications as well. They admit the browns have arrived very quickly, I first noticed one in my pots only three years ago.

"But already there is an problematic implication ... the greens are mating with the browns and are producing a hybrid ... oh dear."

I caught one bluey at 15 cm, and about 7 rambos yesty at Dundee land based and all except 2 of the rambos were 12cm and obviously went back. And yes agreed numbers are on the up...Also all the rambos had bigger claws than the 15cm bluey haha

The rambos seem to be more aggressive, and also seem more relatively mature when they have a smaller carapace size.
Maybe throwing them back at 12cm is part of the reason for their population boom?
Also, I have never caught a female red Rambo looking crab. What do the females look like?

Excellent point PMS, it might be growing fishing pressure that is benefiting the rambos via size limits.

The rambos are supposed to tolerate fresh better than the green crab, given the four dry years you would think serrata would have benefited.

Howz thingz with crabs this year? Anyone had a shot yet? Many rambos?

Trolled one up on the flats out the front of Sadgroves a week ago, probably one of the biggest crabs I have ever caught before. The claws were the size of beer cans.

Got 10 bucks today and no Rambo ones

Have hardly seen a red crab this year. Got 72 crabs in 4 trips and only 2 of those have been rambos. Seems last year was a bit of a random event. In saying that there wernt the numbers of green crabs last year. In saying that its still early and we will see what happens when the numbers of green crabs back off in a months time.