Mud crab aquaculture

The mud crab (Scylla serrata) is a promising aquaculture species due to its fast growth and good market acceptability and price. However, a mud crab aquaculture operation requires significant capital input for both the breeding and growout phases.

Mud crab farming requires expertise in husbandry of crustaceans, water quality control, pond management, nutrition, processing and marketing.

Mud crabs have good export potential. The development of new mud crab products, both for domestic and overseas markets, also creates opportunities for farmers. One of these new products is soft-shell crab (i.e. crabs that are harvested when they have just completed moulting). Commercial production of soft-shell crabs has already commenced for blue swimmer crabs (Portunus pelagicus) where the crabs are farmed in a similar manner to mud crabs prior to being harvested for soft-shell production. The processing technologies used for this crab species also apply to mud crab soft-shell production.

This guide provides an overview of mud crab aquaculture in Queensland.