Stock enhancement is a contemporary management method employed to support fisheries productivity. Blue swimmer crab (Portunus armatus) is a widely distributed species that has been identified as a candidate for stock enhancement; however, the release strategy and ecological impact of releases have not yet been assessed. Here, we (1) quantify the bioenergetics of blue swimmer crab, (2) estimate consumption rates, and (3) develop these relationships in a stocking model to assess appropriate release densities and associated trophic impacts. Static respirometry was used to measure the resting metabolic rate (RMR) of blue swimmer crab at three temperatures (19, 24, and 29°C). RMR was found to increase with temperature (Q₁₀ = 2.32), and was 73% higher when crabs were at a premoult or moulting stage. Parameters derived from respirometry experiments were applied to estimate blue swimmer crab stocking density in a south-eastern Australian estuary, by adapting an existing production-based simulation model. The model estimated a median stocking density of ~1.2 crabs per 100 m². A sensitivity analysis showed that the growth rate was the most influential parameter in this model, showing the importance of this parameter when assessing stocking scenarios.

种群增加是用于支持渔业生产力的现代管理方法。蓝色游泳蟹（Portunus armatus）是一种分布广泛的物种，已被确认为种群增强的候选物种；但是，尚未评估释放的释放策略和生态影响。在这里，我们（1）量化蓝色游泳蟹的生物能，（2）估计消耗率，（3）在放养模型中建立这些关系，以评估适当的释放密度和相关的营养影响。静态呼吸测定法用于在三种温度（19、24和29°C）下测量蓝泳蟹的静息代谢率（RMR）。发现RMR随着温度的升高而增加（Q ₁₀ = 2.32），而当螃蟹处于成虫前或换羽期时，则高出73％。通过改编现有的基于生产的模拟模型，将从呼吸测定法实验得出的参数应用于估计东南澳大利亚河口的蓝色游泳蟹放养密度。该模型估计每100 m ²的中位数放养密度为〜1.2只螃蟹。敏感性分析表明，增长率是此模型中最有影响力的参数，显示了在评估库存情况时此参数的重要性。