NGIWAL STATE, PALAU.  Dr. Miguel Delos Santos, Researcher/Extension Specialist, Palau Agricultural Experiment Station.

A total of 350,000 healthy crablets of mangrove crabs locally known as “chemang” were released by the PCC–CRE staffs in two conservation areas in Palau on December 31, 2012 and January 2, 2013. About 150,000 and 200,000 crablets were released near the mangroves of Ngemai Conservation Area in Ngiwal State and the Bkulengriil Conservation Area in Ngeremlengui State, respectively. These 30 to 32 days old crablets were produced at the PCC Multi-species Hatchery in Ngermetengel, Ngeremlengui State. The purpose of this release was to enhance the mangrove crab stock in the mangrove areas and provide a steady supply of this high valued sea food commodity in the Republic of Palau.

These chemang crablets were products of the recently completed hatch funded research project entitled “Seed Production of Mangrove Crabs in the Republic of Palau” which is being implemented by PCC-CRE’s Aquaculture Researcher Miguel Delos Santos. Six units of 10 tons capacity tanks were stocked with a total of 2.4 million mangrove crab larva and after 30 to 32 days of larval rearing, a total of 390,000 crablets were harvested.  The remaining 40,000 crablets were reared at the outdoor nursery tanks at the PCC Hatchery and once the crablets reach about 1 to 2 inches in carapace length these will be distributed to prospective crab farmers in the country.