Rearing mangrove crabs, the more hygienic way

By Olivia Miwil - March 11, 2019 @ 1:46pm

File pix) Local tour operator and owner of Anjung Gayang Jetty, Tony Chew has modified crabs farming method by having individual cages to reduce fatalities and increase higher returns. Pix courtesy of Tony Chew

TUARAN: A local tour operator has successfully found a more cost-effective and hygienic way to cultivate crabs, and ensure higher returns.

Tony Chew, who owns Anjung Gayang jetty said he had been experimenting on cultivating the mangrove crabs in their own individual cage at a fish farm here for about half a year now.

“Crabs are cannibals, they would eat each other, especially when it is changing shell, usually at night.

“Many are unaware that crabs change their exoskeleton as part of its growing process. This is also the stage when people harvest the species, for serving ‘soft shell crab’ dishes at restaurants,” he said.

Chew added due to the cannabalistic nature, he had thought of a way to keep each crab in its own cage to reduce fatalities.

“Over time, the crabs will grow bigger, and each will fetch a higher price.

“It costs between RM15 and RM20 to build a cage, and it can last a long time,” he said, adding that the system did not require any filtration system.

Chew added in the first stage of experiment, he had trained his workers to look after the crab farm placed at the readily available mangrove swamp.

In the second stage, he plans to work with the Sabah Fisheries Development Corporation (Ko-Nelayan) to adopt the cultivation method using individual cages, and teach other villagers how to do it.

“All this while, the villagers here have been putting all the crabs in one cage and under their (stilt) houses, which is less hygienic.

“Hopefully, my method will help boost their income, he added.”