Residents of Quezon province and nearby provinces will soon have a reliable source of mangrove crab seedstocks through the efforts of Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) – Los Baños and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).
The project, “Adoption of Improved Hatchery-Nursery Culture System for Commercial Production of Mangrove Crab Seedstock in Infanta, Quezon,” aims to roll out an improved culture system for mangrove crab hatchery-nursery management and operations, which in turn would provide a steady and dependable supply of hatchery-bred crab seedstocks for Infanta, Quezon and nearby provinces.
LSPU has successfully set up a fully functional mangrove crab hatchery and has released the first batch of mangrove crab broodstock into one of the tanks in the facility.
Being the funding and monitoring agency of the project, the Technology Transfer and Promotion Division (TTPD) of DOST-PCAARRD, with LSPU, recently visited the Quezon facility on September 1, 2023. The PCAARRD team evaluated the on-site condition and recent accomplishments aligned with the objectives and deliverables set for the project.
Cagayan State University sourced best practices from the LSPU project
At the same time of the visit of DOST-PCAARRD, the Cagayan State University (CSU) embarked on a benchmarking activity on the existing mangrove crab hatchery facility established by LPSU in Infanta, Quezon. Prior meetings with PCAARRD and LSPU Project Staff were arranged to identify the best practices employed in the existing hatchery. They also delved into the administrative, financial, and project management aspects of LSPU's operations. The LSPU Team generously shared their insights gained and lessons learned from the tedious procurement process to the construction of the hatchery facility, covering the details of tank dimensions, selection of roofing materials, holistic hatchery design, intricacies of the equipment essential to its operation, and others.
The CSU Team is optimistic that incorporating PCAARRD’s insights and LSPU's best practices into their project implementation will help them realize tangible project outcomes over the next two years. The collaborators comprise the project leader and project staff from CSU, a group of technical experts from Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources - Region 2 (BFAR-RO2), and the City Administrative Officer and personnel from Local Government Unit (LGU) of Buguey, Cagayan. With their collective efforts and imparted wisdom, this collaboration envisions remarkable results in mangrove crab hatchery management and production.
Photo Documentation:
Photos taken duirng the PCAARRD-TTPD and LSPU Site Visit/Monitoring and Evaluation Activity to the Mangrove Hatchery Project in Infanta, Quezon; and benchmarking activity conducted by CSU, BFAR-RO2, and LGU Buguey to the hatchery (Image Credit: Gerlie Joy G. Dela Peña, PCAARRD-TTPD)
The mangrove crab hatchery facility established by LSPU in Infanta, Quezon. (Image Credit: Gerlie Joy G. Dela Peña, PCAARRD-TTPD)
Release of mangrove crab broodstock into a tank. (Image Credit: Gerlie Joy G. Dela Peña, PCAARRD-TTPD)