Permission has been granted for the first time in the Maldives to implement a mud crab aquaculture project.
The Ministry of Agriculture granted approval for the "mud crab fattening" project to a company named Maritoll Private Limited. The project is being carried out in GDh. Fiyori.
According to the ministry, the objective of the project is to rear small crabs collected from Fiyori's "Kulhiye Valhagande" wetland in specialized cages, fattening and maintaining them to develop them to a standard where they can be commercially brought to market.
Fattening wetland crabs is an activity that can be accomplished within a short period. Its primary purpose is to transform crabs that are low in meat or have soft shells into high-end products with hard shells and abundant meat within a short duration.
How this work proceeds:
- Crab selection: Crabs weighing between 80 grams and 550 grams with low meat content are commonly used for this work.
- Maintenance system: To prevent crabs from attacking and consuming each other, and to protect them until their shells harden, they are kept in partitioned cages, plastic boxes, or specialized systems that purify water.
- Feeding: Crabs are fed daily with amounts ranging between five percent and 10 percent of their body weight. This includes protein-rich small fish and pieces of squid.
- Duration and results: This phase takes approximately 15 to 40 days. During this period, the crab's meat increases, its shell hardens, and its value in the market and for export increases significantly.
