2.2. Determination of delayed mortality for discarded Tanner crab
To establish the relationship between the seven reflex impairment scores (0–6) and probability of mortality, crab were held to determine delayed mortality. All live crab with Scores greater than zero (with the exception of those with apparent parasites or disease) and a large sample (n > 75) of Score-zero crab were held. Held crab were tagged at the base of the third walking leg with a cable tie that had an attached RFID chip (Hallprint, www.hallprint.com), and were kept in plumbed (constant inflow and outflow of sea water), on-board, 100 cm × 68 cm × 58 cm (inside dimensions) holding tanks. The crab were held in these tanks, without food, until the completion of the three-day fishing trip. Daily observations were made to determine if any crab had died. Dead crab were removed from the tanks and number of days until death was recorded. At the end of the fishing trip, before returning to port, all of the surviving held crab were divided into two groups: (1) crab that would be transported to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) laboratory in Kodiak, AK; and (2) crab that would be put in cages ( Fig. 1) and lowered to the sea floor for holding to determine delayed mortality.