Among the larger species of crabs that are known to be of commercial value in the Philippines are

the Neptunus pelagicus (alimasag) and the Scylla serrata . Both belong to the swimming crab family
Portunidae, but the latter has been an incident product of brackish water fishpond.

Occasionally, juveniles are collected in tidal flats and marshes and stocked in fishponds, but usually
at their own accord. The recent years, over fishing, of Scylla serrata has threatened the fishery,
industry so possibility of culturing them in ponds was given attention.

Biology of Mud Crab

Mudcrab is a swamp crab that spawns in the sea but the larvae are carried by tide along the
seashore. Juveniles migrate to the tidal flats and marshy lands along rivers. It becomes sexually
mature in the first year of its life after the female undergoes the precopulatory molt which cannot be
readily distinguished from ordinary molting. At this stage the abdomen of the female changes from
its triangular shape into broad rounded form.

Mudcrab spawns throughout the year with a peak season for about four months staring from the last
week of to the third week of September. As early as April, the stage precopulatory molt which cannot
be readily distinguished from ordinary molting. At this stage the abdomen of the female changes
from triangular shape into broad rounded form.

During spawning season, the fertilized eggs get out of the ovary and attached to the pleopods where
they hatch within a few weeks. The eggs hatched into a planktonic zoea. After passing through
several zoea stages and a single megalopa stage within about a month, the larvae metamorphose to
benthic juvenile crabs that are found crawling in the shallow areas.

The mudcrab is a voracious feeder. It crawls on the pond or seabed searching food or may also be
seen swimming on the surface hunting for food. They feed on natural food, such as: algae, decaying
animals, crustacean, or decaying matter.

Suitable Crab Farm Site

Mudcrab prefers brackish water ponds with no less than one meter depth of water. It is the usual
practice of fishpond operators to stock mudcrab juveniles in newly constructed or partially developed
fishponds, although they are also cultivated in developed ones. In fully developed fishponds, some
operators placed hollow-blocks along the dikes to prevent the crab from burrowing along the dikes
thus causing leakages. These blocks serve as refuge or hideouts when not actively feeding.

Generally, the most suitable places for mudcrab culture are underdeveloped fishponds with
numerous high mounts and submerged region which the animal can take shelter.

Culture Method
The culture of mudcrab in the Philippines is only incidental to bangus culture, except in not fully
developed fishponds. Young crabs or juvenile stages are allowed to enter in the pond during high
tide when water is admitted to the fishpond. In some cases, seeds are purchased from fry collectors
or fishermen with size ranging from 2 to 7 cm along the length of the carapace.

They are caught by scissors nets (sakag) along the sandy shores. Young crabs when purchased
have no pinchers as they are removed for ease of handling and to prevent them from fighting or
hunting each other during transport. This is no problem, whatsoever, because they have ability of
regeneration and other pair of pinchers will grow within three weeks after stocking in the ponds.

Pond Management
As previously mentioned, mudcrab are usually cultured along with bangus, the pond management
employed is primarily for milkfish. In developed fishponds, where alimango is solely cultured not
much preparation on growing the natural food is done but water freshening is made during high tide.

In ponds, alimango aside from feeding on the natural foods can be given artificial feeds like trash
fish, kitchen refuse, by products of slaughters houses and other feeds of animal origin.

Harvesting
Alimango reared in ponds, if properly fed can reach marketable size in six months. Alimango are
usually harvested using different kinds of traps like “bintol” or liftnets baited with meat or small fish or
shrimp or by bare hands. Only the big ones are harvested and the smaller ones are set free in the
ponds to attain bigger sizes.
Mudcrab Industry Profile and Trends by Frank F. Santos

Mudcrab culture provides income and livelihood to many Filipinos. What was considered as a minor
fishery product is now an export commodity and a foreign exchange earner. Mudcrab being a
supplementary crop from brackishwater milkfish and shrimp ponds, it has virtually been overlooked as a
potential species for culture. With the increase in prices and demand from both domestic and foreign
markets, the attitudes towards mudcrab has been changed. This has triggered the development of the
mudcrab industry in the Philippines.

Mudcrabs are widely distributed in the Philippines and are easily available in the markets throughout
the year. In 2000, total mudcrab production (Scylla spp.) in the country reached 4,495 tonns (BFAR
2000). These provinces were Bulacan, Capiz, Masbate, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Sorsogon, Surigao del
Sur, Catanduanes, and Zamboanga del Sur.

TAXONOMY

There are several species of mudcrab in the Philippines and not all of them are ideal for aquaculture.
Estampador (1949a) identified three species and one variety. This, however, was revised by Keenan et al
in 1998. Below is a comparison:

Estampador (1949a) Keenan et al (1998)

S. serrata S. olivacea

S. oceanica S. serrata

S. serrata var. paramamosain S. paramamosain

S. tranquebarica S. tranquebarica

In this paper, the classification of mudcrabs follows that of Keenan, et al (1998). The mudcrab industry
uses the term King Crab as the local name for S. serrata (“Putian” or “Bulik”), considered as the biggest
and fastest growing mudcrab in the Philippines. This species is greenish with white polygonal markings
on the swimming and walking legs, chelipeds, carapace, and with orange claws. Locally named
“pulahan” or native alimango is the Scylla olivacea. It has deep green to grayish green color of the
carapace, rusty brown chelipeds, swimming, and walking legs.

Species Distribution

Collecting areas are situated in Northern Samar, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur,
Catanduanes, Cagayan, Aklan, and Surigao. Other areas include some municipalities of Negros
Occidental, Negros Oriental, Lanao, Misamis, and Zamboanga.

Mudcrab growers still depend on seedstocks coming from the wild for pond stocking. Native mudcrabs
are distributed in mangroves and in estuaries. King crabs (S. serrata) come mostly from provinces facing
the Pacific Ocean, the reason perhaps, why mudcrab growers believe they are oceanic species.

Production and Technology

Mudcrabs have been cultured in ponds, cages, and pens. Production data for mudcrab for the period
1998 to 2000 showed increasing production from brackishwater ponds. Production for the same period
ranged from 3,996 to 4,495 metric tons.

The commercial production of mudcrab in bamboo-fenced brackishwater ponds has already been
established, and is being practiced in the Philippines. Mudcrab grow-out in ponds can yield as much as
1,200 kg per ha per crop (10,000 mudcrab juveniles per ha per crop).

Mudcrab culture in mangroves or tidal flats has been also practiced in some parts of the country. It is
ecologically friendly because it does not destroy mangroves and uses locally available materials. The net
enclosure requires small financial investment to construct and operate.
Nets were installed enclosing the area as specified in the design by SEAFDEC-AQD. The mangrove area
(which can have 0.5-1.0 ha water area) was enclosed with “A” net (1-2cm mesh size) with bamboo or
wooden post as structural framework. The upper end of the net extends about 30 cm above the
waterline and is fitted with thick plastic sheets (50 cm) to prevent mudcrab from escaping. The lower
end of the net is staked 50-60 cm deep into the pond bottom.

The mangrove area goes through the usual pond preparation protocol. It is to be drained during the
lowest tide to eradicate predators. Flooding should follow the normal tidal cycle but water depth should
be maintained at 0.70 to 1.0 meter. Stocking density of 10,000 monosize mudcrab juveniles weighing
25-30 grams per piece can be stocked per hectare. Chopped trash fish, animal hide or entrails and snails
are used as feeds. After 4-5 months, marketable sizes (300-350 g) may be harvested by handpicking
during low tide. A production yield of 1,200 kgs. may be achieved with survival rate of 70%. Return of
Investment (ROI) is placed at 60% and payback period of 1.4 year.

Research & Development

There have been sporadic R&D work on mudcrabs in the country. Experiments to establish stocking
density of mudcrabs raised in brackishwater ponds were set up by SEAFDEC-AQD and BFAR. More and
more attention is now given to mudcrab aquaculture research and development. Development of
appropriate technologies is one of priorities of most R&D institutions in the Philippines namely;
SEAFDEC-AQD, UPV College of Fisheries, BFAR-NFRDI, PSU, Bicol University, and UEP in Catarman,
Samar.

SEAFDEC-AQD and UPV have successfully spawned mudcrab in captivity. However, mass production of
juveniles is still hampered by the low larval survival and production of crablets in the hatchery. Recent
improvements indicated a 1-4% survival from hatching to crablets stage which is economically feasible
considering that a female crab releases about 2 million eggs per spawning. BFAR-NFRDI is conducting a
study to refined the breeding and hatchery techniques on mudcrab in order to increase larval survival
and growth under controlled conditions. Private sector collaboration to pilot test the mudcrab hatchery
technology will be implemented next year.
Due to the availability of several species of mudcrab in the Philippines, the author is conducting
mudcrab seedstocks resource assessment to determine the geographical areas where each of the
mudcrab species is dominant.

Mudcrab Fattening

The market price of firm and fat crabs is usually higher hence techniques in improving the quality of
harvestable size through fattening has been developed. Moreover, this technique is oftentimes more
preferred than actual crab culture due to fast rate of return and minimal investment cost.

Lean mudcrabs do not possess the fat conditions demanded for by consumers, hence, the domestic
price is low and the export market rejects it. Growers fatten lean crabs before they are sold for export.
Fattening culture of mudcrab takes a minimum of 15 days and a maximum of 30 days. One of the
common features of mudcrab fattening in pond or mangrove is selective or progressive harvesting and
restocking.

More practical method of fattening is done in bamboo cages (138.5 cm long x 70 cm wide x 23 cm deep)
with 18 compartments. Each compartment measured 23 cm x 23 cm ans stocked with thin crabs at one
crab per compartment. Daily feeding is done in the morning and afternoon using any or a combination
of the following food items: trash fish, snails, and animal entrails. From an initial body weight of 150-200
g apiece, crabs averaged 250 g in weight after 10-15 days.

VILLAGE LEVEL AQUARIUM INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

Another livelihood income generating project is the promotion of ornamental fish production as
backyard livelihood activities to fisherfolk.

Breeding of freshwater aquarium fishes in a backyard or indoor type holding facilities (e.g. concrete
tanks, earthen ponds and aquarias) for propagation of tropical freshwater ornamental fishes.
Initially, a pilot demo farm along with recipient beneficiaries shall be identified per region to serve as
show window to fisherfolk who will be interested to venture in the industry.

Prospective areas are those of inland communities with sufficient ground water and power supply,
access to barangay roads and available local market outlets (such as pet shops and aquarists).

Initial ornamental fish breeders shall be provided by the BFAR National Aquaculture Centers free of
charge to qualified beneficiaries to start with the livelihood project.

Training and seminars shall be conducted in the National Aquaculture Centers of BFAR and ROS to
equipped the recipient of the breeding and production technology.

CONVERSION OF WASTELANDS INTO A PRODUCTIVE AQUACULTURE AREAS

Another community based livelihood program, the project is envisioned to assist-fisherfolk throughout
the country in converting and utilizing idle unproductive areas such as sand dune areas, lahar lands,
sunken flooded areas, mountainous and marshland/swamps to a productive livelihood projects in
response to priority thrust of increasing fish production and alleviate poverty nationwide.

Initially, a pilot demo project shall be identified in three (3) regions nationwide with ideal and viable
sites to served as show window and dissemination of technology to fishfarmers.

The launching of the first sand dune pilot demo project in Madiladig, Laoag City, a one (1) hectare
unproductive, idle, sand dune areas were undertaken recently to serve as another livelihood
opportunities to rural fisherfolk of the area.

a. Site Selection

Areas which are accessible thru tributaries, rivers, streams from the tidal influence of sea water.
Parcel of lands with not more than four (4) meters of topographic undulations from the ground (0
datum).

Preferably available source of electric power and access to market and barangay road network.

Available major farm inputs (feeds, fertilizers, etc.).

b. Technical/extension services and beneficiaries

Technical assistance on the basic design, management and operations to be provided by BFAR National
Aquaculture Centres and ROS who shall render extension services through training and seminars to the
beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries are those cooperators from the rural communities who are displayed farmers in the
locality to be organized by the BFARMC’s in coordination with the LGUs.

c. Financial and Administrative Assistance

To be provided by BFAR in collaboration with the LGU in a form of MOA.

d. Pilot Demonstration

Madiladig, Laoag City, has 1 sand dune area.

ESTABLISHED OF SEAWEED VILLAGE ECOZONE

Priorities are focused on seaweeds producing regions.

Provide alternative livelihood program for seaweed farming (farmers engage seed production, growing
and processing of semi-processed form seaweed.

Initial capital inputs will be provided by BFAR in establishing seaweed nurseries at farmer’s level,
support in the construction of seaweed warehouse and processing plants.