Abstract

The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, MS has successfully operated a hatchery for blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) for over five years. The ability to reliably produce “seed” crabs has great potential for expanded development of soft crab fisheries in the northern Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Hatchery-reared blue crabs are stocked as juveniles into non-vegetated, one-quarter acre ponds and fed a diet of manufactured feed and scrap fish. When crabs reach 40 to 50 mm carapace width, bushlines constructed of wax myrtle are placed across the pond in close proximity to provide shelter for pre-molt and molting crabs. Peeler crabs collected in the bushlines are harvested and maintained in recirculating shedding systems until they molt. Small soft-shell portunid crabs are currently imported into the U.S. for sale as “cocktail” or “appetizer” crabs and demand exceeds supply. Pond culture of soft crabs would greatly reduce pressure on natural populations and would allow for expansion of the fishery independent of wild stocks. Continuing market demand, profitability to the fishermen, and regional familiarity with pond cultured products all suggest that blue crab aquaculture for soft shell production could be an economically viable enterprise and would provide a measure of conservation to the fishery.

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