GUINDULMAN, Bohol—Local government unit of this town formally received a mud crab hatchery from a government project recently.
The hatchery is expected to supply crablets for the benefit of mud crab farmers from Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Leyte.
Constructed in 2014 with funding from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST- PCAARRD), the hatchery is manned by technical staff who were trained on hatchery, nursery, and grow-out culture of mud crab.
The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center-Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC-AQD) in Tigbauan, Iloilo trained these technical staff.
An offshoot of the project, Pilot demonstration of commercial scale model mud crab hatchery in Bohol, the mud crab hatchery project was funded by DOST-PCAARRD in the middle of 2012 in connection with the Mud Crab Science and Technology Program led by Dr. Emilia T. Quinitio of SEAFDEC-AQD.
By accelerating the transfer of improved technologies on the hatchery, nursery, and grown-out culture of mud crab to stakeholders, the project is expected to ensure the continuous supply of crablets and lessen the dependence on the supply of wildstock for farming.
The local government unit of Guindulman, Bohol, as project recipient, commits to showcase the mud crab hatchery technology to ensure wider adoption in the province.
Availability of crablets all year round for farming will boost Bohol’s mud crab production, thus providing additional livelihood opportunities for the locals.