27 - Advances in the culture of crabs

Abstract

Farmed crab production in 2005 reached 660 000 tonnes globally of which virtually all was produced in Asia. The freshwater Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir japonica sinensis accounts for two thirds of global crab production with the remainder estuarine portunid crabs such as Scylla species. Initially reliant upon harvest of wild juveniles, the adoption of hatchery methods to supply ‘seed’ makes a significant increase in aquaculture production possible. Many fundamental husbandry issues such as feeding and reproduction are only now receiving research attention.