Technical congress renames mud crab as mangrove crab

Participants of the 1st National Mud Crab Congress held at Ann Margaret Ballroom,Diversion 21 Hotel, Iloilo City (Photo by the Inland Aquatic Resources Research Division, PCAARRD)

Mud crabs will now be referred to as mangrove crabs.

This was agreed upon during the first National Mud Crab Congress held by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center-Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC-AQD) in Tigbauan, Iloilo. The congress had the theme, Philippines: In the forefront of the mud crab industry development. The resolution was signed by 246 participants, wherein 20 are from the academe or state universities and colleges, 71 from different government agencies, 99 from non-government organizations and private sectors, and 67 from SEAFDEC-AQD, University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).

As crabs live in the mangrove, the congress participants agreed to link the species to its environment to give importance to mangrove forests, an extremely productive ecosystem. Mangrove forests provide numerous goods and services both to the marine environment and populace. Not only serving as home to fishes, crabs, shrimps, and mollusks, they also provide the essential source of food for thousands of coastal communities around the world.

Locally known as alimango, mud crab will now be referred to as mangrove crab as its standard common name in English and will apply to all species belonging to the genus Scylla.

The National Mud Crab Congress was held in collaboration with the UPV in Miag-ao, Iloilo and DOST-PCAARRD.

The congress aimed to discuss the present state of mangrove crab industry in the country; latest developments and technologies, problems, issues, and researchable areas; and to increase awareness, support and development in attaining the common goal of making the Philippines as the biggest producer of mangrove crab, surpassing its ranking as second to China. The event was held at Diversion 21 Hotel, Iloilo City.

The congress also featured paper presentations focused on hatchery, nursery and grow-out including fattening and aquasilviculture, soft-shell crab farming, and postharvest. Aside from recent updates on researches undertaken on mangrove crab, new research areas for its industry development were identified.

The decapod crustacean or 10-legged mangrove crab is also referred as Indo-Pacific swamp crab. There are three species of mangrove crab in the Philippines, namely, Scylla olivacea, S. tranquebarica, and S. paramamosain. In the Philippines, mangrove crab is considered a very important aquaculture commodity due to its high demand in the local and world markets. 

Source: http://www.pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph/home/portal/index.php/quick-information-dispatch/2649-technical-congress-renames-mud-crab-as-mangrove-crab