Promising results for transporting live snow crab

This winter, Møreforsking carried out extensive field studies as part of the KrabbeFrakt project, which aims to optimize logistics solutions for the live transport of snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio). The project seeks to improve animal welfare, product quality, and delivery predictability—factors that are crucial for building a profitable and competitive snow crab industry.

The fieldwork was conducted in Båtsfjord, Finnmark, where live snow crab from the Barents Sea were delivered from RSW tanks on board Sille Marie to local landing facilities. Here, the crabs underwent various pre-treatments before being packed dry and shipped to Møreforsking for further analysis.

Due to challenging logistics in the region, one of the experiments was carried out locally in Båtsfjord. This work involved Susanne and Anja from Møreforsking, together with Natalie, a PhD fellow from NTNU Ålesund. In this experiment, crabs were subjected to dry transport periods of 12, 24, and 36 hours. After each period, the researchers recorded key parameters such as weight, shell width, vitality, shell condition, hemolymph indicators (protein, lactate, and hemocyte counts), and any visible injuries. Biological samples were also collected for further laboratory analyses.

The preliminary findings show very low mortality across the treatments. This provides a strong basis for comparing dry transport with alternative methods and supports the further development of gentle and commercially sustainable logistics solutions. The next phase of the project will focus on long-distance transport in water, which will offer a broader understanding of which methods best support product quality, animal welfare, and cost efficiency.