2,197 mud crab juveniles released to help restore Sabah’s mangrove ecosystem

UMS released crab juveniles in KK RAMSAR site (Photo and info by UMS) 

KOTA KINABALU: More than 2,000 mud crab juveniles have been returned to the wild in an effort to strengthen Sabah's natural crab population amid mounting pressure from climate change, overexploitation and habitat degradation.

A total of 2,197 mud crab juveniles (Scylla tranquebarica) were released into the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Ramsar Site (KKWRS), highlighting the role of mangrove ecosystems as critical nursery grounds for marine life.

The initiative was carried out by the Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), in collaboration with the Sabah Fisheries Department and Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society (SWCS), which manages the Ramsar site.

BMRI deputy dean (Academic and International), Associate Professor Dr Juanita Joseph, said the release was more than a symbolic conservation exercise, describing it as a proactive and scientific step towards sustaining Sabah's fisheries resources.

“Climate change, overexploitation and degradation of natural habitats have placed tremendous pressure on the population of this species.

“Therefore, today's juvenile release initiative is not merely a symbolic event, but a proactive and scientific step towards the sustainability of the state's fisheries resources,” she said.

Juanita said mud crabs played an important role in maintaining the balance of the food chain within mangrove ecosystems, while the initiative could also support the sustainability of the species in Sabah, particularly along the east coast.

The juveniles were produced through collaboration between the BMRI hatchery and the Sabah Marine Fish Hatchery (PPIMS) under the Sabah Fisheries Department.

“These high-quality crab juveniles, produced through the expertise and collaboration between the BMRI hatchery and the Sabah Marine Fish Hatchery (PPIMS), Sabah Fisheries Department, are now being returned to their natural habitat to support the recovery of natural populations,” she said.

The choice of KKWRS as the release site was significant as the protected wetland provides a mangrove ecosystem within an urban setting.

Its mangroves serve as a nursery ground where young crabs can seek shelter and grow, providing an important habitat during their early life stages.

The programme also formed part of a research and knowledge-transfer initiative supported by continued cooperation and facilities provided by the Sabah Fisheries Department.

UMS said it would expand the collaboration to strengthen research and conservation efforts involving Sabah's marine resources.

The release ceremony was officiated jointly by Sabah Fisheries Department deputy director (Development) Irman Isnain, representing the department's director; Juanita, representing the BMRI dean; and SWCS honorary secretary Azalene Amelia Kamal Quadra, representing the society's president.

Also present were BMRI Aquaculture Centre director Associate Professor Dr Annita Yong Seok Kian, programme director Dr Audrey Daning Tuzan, Sabah Fisheries Department leadership delegates and SWCS Scientific Committee members Alex Yong Su Fen, Renee Chin Nyet Yin and Dr Dayang Nur Sakinah Musa.

Tags: mud crab, mangrove conservation, Kota Kinabalu Wetland, Sabah fisheries, marine biodiversity, climate change, UMS