Big skates can grow up to 2.4 m (8 ft) from snout to tail!

Taxonomic description

• Diamond shaped with a mottled reddish-brown top, scattered small pale spots and larger dark blotches. ^[1]
• The large “eye spots” on its pectoral fins are thought to confuse predators about its size. ^[1]
• Can grow up to 2.4 m (~8 ft) long from snout to tail. ^[1]

Distribution

• Found from the Bering Sea and Southeastern Alaska down to Central Baja California, although rarely found south of Point Conception. ^[1]

Life history

• Lives up to 17 years old. ^[2]
• Males and females reach maturity at approximately 7-8 years and 12-13 years, respectively. Females lay large egg capsules which usually contain 3-4 eggs that hatch about 9 months after release. ^[1]

Habitat

• Commonly found at depths of 100-200m (328-656 ft) in coastal bays and estuaries along sandy or muddy bottoms. ^[2]
• Feeds on marine invertebrates on the sea floor as well as small fish such as sculpin. It is preyed upon by large bony fish and sharks. ^[1]
• Elephant seals are known to sometimes eat big skate egg capsules. ^[1]

While many species of skate can be found worldwide, the majority of the global supply comes from the United States and Canada.

Seasonal availability

• Available year-round. ^[3]

Regulatory and managing authority

• Big skate is managed federally by the NOAA fisheries and, as established by the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) through the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). ^[3]
• As established by the Marine Life Management Act, the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGC) regulates the big skate fishery in state waters, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) manages this fishery. ^[7]
• The California Groundfish Collective combines input from the industry and government entities to inform regulatory and management measures for this fishery. ^[8]

Gear type

• Usually caught as incidental bycatch by fisheries using trawl, longline, and trammel net gear. ^[2]

Status of the fishery

• Of least concern due to management throughout much of its range but is at risk of being overfished due to its large body size and slow growth rate. ^[2]
• Population size has remained stable in the northern part of its range but no formal stock assessment has been to done along the coast of Washington, Oregon, or California. Stock assessments from other regions confirm that the population is stable. ^[3]
• Within California boundaries, the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) limited the range of trawling boats and fishing pressure on this species. ^[2]

Potential ecosystem impacts

• There are minimal ecosystem impacts as the management plan takes into account fishery-independent biomass estimates and natural mortality estimates. Historically in California, landings of big skate tended to be smaller individuals with larger individuals being discarded, allowing for mature individuals to continue reproducing. ^[2]

Skate meat has a mildly pronounced flavor similar to scallops!

Edible portions

• Typically only the wings are eaten. ^[4]

Description of meat

• This fish has soft, off-pink meat that usually firms up after being chilled. ^[4]

Culinary uses 

• This fish can be obtained as skinless fillets or whole wings with skin. Each wing produces two fillets, one from the top and one from the bottom. ^[4] 
• If preparing freshly caught skate, cut along the thickest part of the wing where it once joined the body until you hit the layer of cartilage. Slide the knife along the cartilage until the fillet has been removed. Remove the skin the same way you would any other fish. Repeat on other side of the wing. ^[5]
• Some skate wing recipes can be found on EatSmarter! and Food and Wine. ^[6,10]

Nutritional information  

• Nutritional info is for one skate fillet. ^[4]

Toxicity report

• As skate processes urea through the skin, it can develop an ammonia smell if handled improperly. Avoid buying pieces that smell like ammonia and when sport fishing, eliminate gut immediately after obtaining and put on ice. ^[9]

Seasonal availability

• Available year-round but fresh skate landed in the winter is considered the best. ^[4]

Brown box crab is a type of king crab, like the better known Alaskan king crab.

Taxonomic description

• Carapace grows up to 15 cm (6 in.) across, it is red-brown or tan in color with white and purple patches, and small spines. ^[2,3]
• When disturbed, it folds its legs and abdomen tightly together, so that it appears like a tight box or ball. ^[2]
• Has a calcified abdomen, with relatively short legs, and its fifth pair of legs are small and folded under the carapace, making it seem as if it only has four pairs of legs. ^[2,7]
• While buried, two circular holes (foramins) in the claws allow for water circulation to the gills. ^[2]
• Its large claw (usually the right) has blunt white teeth, while the small claw has sharp teeth. ^[2]

Distribution

• Range extends from Kodiak Island, Alaska, to San Diego, California. ^[3]

Life history

• Lives in aggregations, moves together, and molts at similar times within the aggregation. ^[7]
• In British Columbia, it has a biennial (two-year) breeding cycle; females molt and breed in mid-summer, brood eggs and larvae for 18 months, and release zoeae over ~69 days during the second winter/early spring (Feb-April) after breeding. The life cycle may be shorter and brooding may begin earlier (February) in Southern California. ^[2,7]
• Passes through four larval stages before becoming a juvenile and gaining the ability to walk. ^[2]

Habitat

• Resides in depths of low intertidal to ~600 m (1968 ft), but is usually found deeper than 18 m on muddy bottoms or on rocky faces over mud. ^[2,3]
• Scoops up mud to feed on bivalves and organic debris, and also feeds on brittle stars and sea urchins. ^[3]
• Is preyed upon by octopus, and may be parasitized by commensal organisms including snailfish, whose eggs and larvae can be found on crab gill filaments, and polychaete tubeworms, hydrozoans, and small bivalves on brooding and post-brooding females. ^[2,8]

Once only caught as incidental catch, there is now an experimental fishery targeting this crab!

Seasonal availability

• Year round. 

Regulatory and managing authority

• As established by the Marine Life Management Act, the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGC) regulates the fishery, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) manages this fishery in state waters. ^[1,4]
• Currently there is no established fishery management plan, but California Sea Grant, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries, the Ocean Protection Council, CDFW, and NOAA Fisheries are presently working with fishermen to collect information about this fishery. ^[4]

Gear type

• Trap caught. ^[7]

Status of the fishery

• Box crab is an emerging fishery in California. An experimental permit system is currently being explored. ^[1,4]

Potential ecosystem impacts

• Traps can be modified to target specific species, but there is some risk that vertical lines running from the traps may entangle sea turtles and marine mammals. ^[9]