If you’ve seen small red, squat lobsters, on your beach, chances are high you’ve just seen part of the red pelagic crab (tuna crab) swarm currently hitting Southern California. These guys look to be a precursor to El Nino.
What does the tiny red crab invasion mean? Signs are pointing to El Nino as the cause. According to Chris Dunn of thefishingweatherman.com, the tuna crab invasion was “a harbinger of the 1982-83 El Nino.” The OC Register reports that while the pelagic red crabs have been showing up in Balboa during king tide, or an especially high tide, it is just another report of unusual activity pointing to El Nino, (like the wahoo caught in August that we reported on).
El Nino Influence
From SIMoN, Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network from the National Marine Sanctuaries and NOAA:
The 1982-83 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event brought huge numbers of pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) northward to Monterey Bay. The presence of Pleuroncodes, which look like bright-red baby lobsters, is indicative of the intrusion of southern sub-tropical waters into central California, since these crustaceans normally live in the warm waters off the coast of Baja California. During an ENSO event, warmer southern water moves poleward, often bringing marine species not normally found in the cold temperate waters off the coast of California. Several warm temperate and sub-tropical species, including Pleuroncodes, are observed beyond their normal geographic range during ENSO events, and sometimes as far north as Oregon and Washington…The species was first discovered in 1859 during a mass-stranding event in Monterey. Further stranding events in Monterey occurred later in 1959 and again in 1969. Dr. Steve Webster, senior marine biologist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, noted that when present, seagulls were feeding on so many crabs that they could not get airborne.
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We’ll see if the next months will bring more swarm sightings, and we’ll also keep a watch on water temps.
Red Pelagic Crabs Swarm Beach | Dana Point Fish Company. Image Source: KTLA 5 News Public Facebook Page.
Upside to the Swarms
If you can stand the stench of hundreds of crabs on your beach, JD’s Big Game Tackle Fish Report suggest you ‘match the hatch’ and look for lures that match the tuna crabs in size and color, to attract the fish that go for them.