Mud crabs being trialed for the project
By Lesley Foinagwa [Freelance Journalist, Malaita province]
The Malaita Provincial Fisheries Office, in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is trialling a mud crab fattening project at Heruiesi Community in Ward 21, Small Malaita.
Senior Fisheries Officer for Malaita Province, Mathew Isihanu, says the project began in April this year and is being implemented on a trial basis to assess whether mud crab fattening can be successfully expanded to other communities.
Mr Isihanu made the remarks while monitoring mud crab fattening trays at Heruiesi, where the first harvest has already been completed and a second batch of small mud crabs has been placed in the trays for fattening.
He says the project currently involves one community, with 10 fattening trays established during the trial phase.
“This project is only on a trial basis. If it works well and monitoring shows that it is successful, we will carry out full implementation and expand it to other communities,” Mr Isihanu said.
Under the trial system, one mud crab is placed in each tray and monitored as it grows.
Mr Isihanu explains that after about one month, the mud crab grows larger and undergoes a process known as moulting, where it sheds its old shell.
He says the crab initially develops a soft body after shedding its old shell before the new shell gradually becomes stronger.
Mud crabs can moult two to three times as they continue growing before reaching maturity, he says.
The project aims to promote sustainable mud crab management while providing communities with an additional source of food and income.
Mr Isihanu says the initiative could contribute to food security and household income generation, particularly if the trial proves successful and the model can be expanded to other communities in Malaita.
The Malaita Provincial Fisheries Office and JICA will continue monitoring the project to assess the growth and survival of the mud crabs before any decision is made on wider implementation.
The Heruiesi trial is expected to provide valuable information on whether mud crab fattening can become a practical livelihood opportunity for coastal communities across Malaita Province.
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