Thumbnail Image

Status, technological innovations, and industry development needs of mud crab (Scylla spp.) aquaculture

FAO Expert Workshop, 27–30 November 2023, Singapore

Copyright licence

Year of publication 2025

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 388 p.

Author Lovatelli, A. (ed.); Shelley, C. (ed.); Tobias-Quinitio, E. (ed.); Waiho, K. (ed.); Chan, D. (ed.);

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (series)

Category Proceedings

ISBN 978-92-5-139558-5

Series title FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Proceedings

Series number No. 73

To cite or share https://doi.org/10.4060/cd3976en

Synopsis (short abstract) The FAO Expert Workshop on Mud Crab Aquaculture, held in Singapore, brought together leading experts to address critical challenges and emerging opportunities in the sustainable farming of Scylla spp. mud crabs. Driven by escalating demand for both hard-shell and soft-shell mud crabs, the sector faces constraints such as overfishing, habitat degradation, reliance on wild seedstock, and unsustainable farming practices. The workshop provided a collaborative platform to evaluate the current state of the industry, identify technological innovations, and set a course for advancing sustainability and resilience in mud crab aquaculture. Central to the discussions was the transition from capture-based to hatchery-based production systems to secure consistent and high-quality seedstock. Experts highlighted the importance of domestication and selective breeding to enhance aquaculture yields. The development of formulated feeds, reducing reliance on wild-sourced feed, and the integration of advanced technologies such as probiotics and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) were identified as critical pathways to address water quality, biosecurity, and production efficiency challenges. Innovative farming system approaches were presented, including sustainable polyculture systems and the adoption of cellular farming techniques to mitigate cannibalism and improve survival rates. The potential of the soft-shell crab sector for value addition through enhanced post-harvest practices, packaging, and processing was also discussed, though key bottlenecks such as limited seedstock availability, forced moulting practices, and inconsistent farming standards need to be adequately addressed. Broader ecological concerns, such as the overexploitation of wild populations and the degradation of mangrove habitats were highlighted. Experts advocated strengthened fishery management, habitat restoration, and policy interventions to mitigate these issues. Additionally, the role of advanced technologies such as IoT-enabled systems,digital training tools, and automation was underscored as transformative for achieving scalability and operational efficiency in mud crab farming. Aligned with FAO’s Blue Transformation initiative, the workshop outlined a comprehensive strategy to promote sustainable development in the mud crab aquaculture sector. Key recommendations included establishing broodstock banks, deploying cost-effective disease screening, enhancing international collaboration, and scaling capacity-building programmes to share knowledge and technologies across diverseaquaculture contexts. By fostering innovation, improving productivity, and addressing environmental challenges, the outcomes of the workshop aim to strengthen global food security, enhance aquaculture value chains, and sustain the livelihoods of communities dependent on mud crab production.

Last updated 21/08/2025

Previous version:

VIEWS
1,609

DOWNLOADS
848

Cite this content as:

Lovatelli, A., Shelley, C., Tobias-Quinitio, E., Waiho, K. & Chan, D., eds. 2025. Status, technological innovations, and industry development needs of mud crab (Scylla spp.) aquaculture – FAO Expert Workshop, 27–30 November 2023, Singapore. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Proceedings, No. 73. Rome, FAO.

https://doi.org/10.4060/cd3976en

Read on Google Books and buy online

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (series)
    Technical report
    Report of the Global Conference on Aquaculture +20 – Aquaculture for food and sustainable development
    Shanghai, the People's Republic of China, 22–25 September 2021
    2022
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Feeding an expected global population of 9 billion by 2050 is a daunting challenge that is engaging hundreds of millions of farmers, food processors, traders, researchers, technical experts, and leaders the world over. Fish and other aquatic products from aquaculture can and will play a major role in meeting the dietary demands of all people, while also meeting the food security needs of the poorest. To realize the maximum contributions of the aquaculture sector toward achieving the targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030, coordinated and accelerated actions are required. Not only must these actions increase sustainable production, but also address the broader value chain, markets, and decent employment. Recognizing the critical importance of aquaculture, and the need to exchange and discuss reliable information to further enhance its contribution to sustainable development, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), at the request of its Members, collaborated with the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, to organize the Global Conference on Aquaculture Millennium +20 (GCA +20), 22–25 September 2021, in Shanghai, the People's Republic of China. Under the theme “Aquaculture for food and sustainable development”, the GCA +20 aimed to bring stakeholders from government, business, academia, and civil society together to identify the policy and technology innovations, investment opportunities and fruitful areas of cooperation in aquaculture for food and sustainable development. A key output from the GCA +20 – the Shanghai Declaration on Aquaculture for Food and Sustainable Development – highlights the principles and strategic pathways to maximize sustainable aquaculture in achieving the SDGs, with a special focus on “Leaving no one behind”.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (series)
    Technical report
    Current and future genetic technologies for fisheries and aquaculture: Implications for the work of FAO 2022
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Within the last few decades, advances in genetic technologies have created powerful and efficient tools for fisheries stock identification, genetic improvement and domestication of aquaculture species and characterization of changes in aquatic life due to environmental or anthropogenic influences. Emerging genetic tools are improving our understanding of organisms in aquatic ecosystems, in terms of diversity, distribution, abundance, movement, function and adaptation, and are being applied in aquaculture facilities and across fishery and aquaculture value chains. In this study expert elicitation was used to examine and predict current and potential future (10 year) impacts of the application of these novel technologies in fisheries and aquaculture. Highlighting the need to prepare sectors for likely changes that will follow. All suggestions received were collated into themes, to provide a conceptual framework that partitions potential impacts, and calls for required action — action required on governance, management and practical application of these innovations at both a national and international level.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    Brochure
    KOFAP, Korea FAO Sustainable and Innovative Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme 2022
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    KOFAP aims to strengthen the fisheries and aquaculture sector by promoting development, innovation and collaboration. The programme seeks to engage directly with fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders, including fishing communities, associations, enterprises, government agencies, academia, civil society and non-governmental organizations, in an effort to develop better strategies for food security, improved livelihoods, more efficient and enhanced working conditions, market access opportunities and equity for all.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Thumbnail Image
    Booklet
    Corporate general interest
    FAOSTYLE: English 2024
    Also available in:
    The objective of having a house style is to ensure clarity and consistency across all FAO publications. Now available in HTML, this updated edition of FAOSTYLE: English covers matters such as punctuation, units, spelling and references. All FAO staff, consultants and contractors involved in writing, reviewing, editing, translating or proofreading FAO texts and information products in English should use FAOSTYLE, together with the practical guidance on processes and layout questions provided in Publishing at FAO – strategy and guidance.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    Corporate general interest
    Publishing at FAO 2025
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    This document consists of comprehensive guidance for producing FAO publications throughout all stages of the process, from conceptualization to dissemination and beyond. It is divided into sections focusing on matters regarding the workflow, visual identity, content and structure of FAO publications. In addition to FAOSTYLE in six languages, this guidance also includes: "Publishing policy", providing high-level guidance aimed at those involved in the creation or approval of a publishing plan; "Authorship and plagiarism guidelines", outlining the principles and criteria for authorship of FAO publications; "Graphic design guidelines", focusing on the practical application of FAO's visual identity and design standards; “Responsible use of AI in publishing”, covering how to use AI responsibly and ethically when producing a publication; “Open Access policy”, a summary of the policy that encourages the wide use, reproduction and dissemination of the intellectual property that FAO produces; and "Digital publishing", guidance on how to create a digital (HTML) publication. Publishing at FAO is a living document and will continue to evolve as publishing practices evolve. A new section on managing a publishing project is forthcoming. Last updated June 2025.
  • Thumbnail Image
Show more