Preliminary study on population dynamic and seed production of the mud crab, Scylla serrata collected from three areas in Chuuk, FSM

Abstract

The mud crab, Scylla serrata, is the commercially important species in the Indo-Pacific region. The mud crab remains a species with good potential for aquaculturedue to its fast growth, good market acceptability and high price. Due to an over harvesting, the production of mud crab is decreasing in nature. Aquaculture of mud crab is getting more attention to meet up the demand for human consumption. The artificial seed production is the most important for its aquaculture, since the abundance of young mud crab is also decreasing in nature. However, the seed production of mud crab is still facing many problems due to lack of knowledge about breeding technique, suitable environmental factors as well as the feed for the early stage of mud crab. This study is conducting to investigate an effect of water temperature for mud crab breeding and larval rearing in Chuuk, FSM.