SOS SAVE OUR SPIDER CRABS
#saveourspidercrabs
CODE OF CONDUCT
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR TIPS
The annual Spider Crab aggregation is an amazing experience to be witnessed. World-famous and locally admired, we as the community hold stewardship over such an amazing natural event and thus promote positive behaviors for interactions. To interfere, injure or inhibit their natural process through inappropriate, ignorant or deliberate behaviors is unacceptable. So we call on all on-lookers to do their best to explore the aggregation with little to no impact. Here are some valuable tips to help you achieve this!
Snorkelling
Snorkeling by far is the most popular way for buddies, family, and friends to explore the Spider Crab aggregation in the water. Slowly swimming around on the surface above the aggregation is a simple way to appreciate the spectacle but for those wanting a closer look, skin diving down deeper, there are actions to avoid. Here are some great tips to help snorkelers:
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Avoid kicking the crabs. You are a lot 'taller' in the water when wearing fins which means you are closer to the bottom than you think. Keep a good distance away from the crabs to avoid kicking them.
Avoid the 'crab-nado'. The water turbulence flowing off your fins when kicking is invisible to the eye but certainly present. Kicking too close to the grabs will roll them around like tumbleweeds and send them off in a 'crab- tornado'. The Smooth Rays may think it fun but we can easily avoid being the cause.
Avoid touching, poking, pushing, or picking up the crabs. They are at a vulnerable life stage and shouldn't be disturbed.
Avoid kicking or touching pier pylons. There is other amazing sea life living and feeding on the pier pylons. No damage = healthy marine life.
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Scuba Diving
To dive the Spider Crab aggregation is to tick off a bucket list goal for scuba divers. To achieve this without the crabs ever knowing you were there is even better! Here are some key tips for scuba divers to reduce or eliminate their impacts while exploring the aggregations:
Avoid poor buoyancy control. Divers plus dive gear is heavy and that heavy mass landing on a crab could force the crab to a fateful end. This is completely unacceptable.
Avoid the 'crab-nado'. The water turbulence flowing off your fins when kicking is invisible to the eye but certainly not gone. Kicking too close to the grabs will roll them around like tumbleweeds and send them off in a 'crab- tornado'. Frog kicking instead of flutter kicking is advised.
Avoid touching, poking, pushing or picking up the crabs. They are at a vulnerable life stage and shouldn't be disturbed.
Limit the light. Photographers and videographers are asked to limit their light exposure time to the crabs to prevent unnecessary disturbance. Shoot and move!
Wading in the Shallows
As the Spider Crabs aggregate in the shallows interactions in very shallow water is possible and amazing! Here are some tips to reduce your impact:
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Avoid standing on crabs! This is a no-brainer. Take care and move slowly pausing between movements to allow any disturbed sand to settle so you can maintain good visibility.
Avoid herding crabs or disrupting any congregations. The crabs are on their march searching for safety and security amongst one another. Splitting them up or herding them away from one another may be disastrous to their molt.
Avoid touching, poking, pushing, or picking up the crabs. They are at a vulnerable life stage and shouldn't be disturbed.
