The Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) inhabits eelgrass beds and water bottoms of the west coast of the US, where it is one of the most important species to the seafood industry and therefore heavily reliant on sustainable fishing techniques. It begins its life as a free swimming zooplankton, growing through several larval stages before reaching its recognizable crab form. It will then begin to inhabit the sea floor and continue to molt until its maturity of about 2 years. Estuarine and bay areas are critically important to this and other coastal species as they act as nurseries for juveniles. Visit portfolio page to learn more.