FISHERY

The crab fishery in India is yet to be recognized as a major fishery despite the abundant occurance of edible crab all along the Indian coast. There are about 600 crab species occuring in Indian waters. However, only few of them are used for human consumption, most important among these are Scylla serrata, S. tranquedarica, Protunus pelagicns, P. sanguinolentus, Charybdis crusiata, C. feriata. Among these, the Scylla serrata, commenly called as mud crab or green crab forms the mainstay of crab fishery of India and is economically most important. It has wide distribution, occuring abundantly along both east and west coast of India. It is the popular species in Indo-Pacific region because of its size, meat quality, high price and export potential. Annual crab landings from the natural population is estimated to be 38,000 tonnes per year of which 25,000 tonnes is from marine sector and 13,000 tnnes from brackish water. Crab meat, cut crab and live crabs are exported from India to countries like Japan, USA, France, Hong Kong and  Malaysia.

In India the crab fishery is small scale and is based mainly on capture fishery. Data on important area of crab fishery along the Indian coast with the fishing season and crab landings is presented below.
 

Crab Landing along the Indian coast.
STATE/TERRITORY GEAR EMPLOYED FISHERY SEASON
MARINE SECTOR
Gujarat Gillnet, stakenet, castnet, line with bait, pair of tongs, iron rods June-August
Maharashtra Seinenet, hoopnet, hooked iron or steel rods, line with bait August-October
Goa Gillnet, line with bait, handpicking June-September
Karnataka Gillnet, trawlnet, scoopnet October-May
Kerala Gillnet, boat seine, shore seine, trawlnet May-November
Tamil Nadu Boat seine, shore seine, gillnet, castnet, trawlnet March-June and October-December
Pondichery Gillnet, boat seine, shore seine, trawlnet October-December
Andhra Pradesh Gillnet, trawlnet April-December
Orissa Gillnet, seinet October-December
West Bengal Gillnet, seinet, stakenet July-December
Andaman & Nicobar Islands Gillnet, boat seine, shore seine, catsnet, handpicking December-April
BRACKISHWATER SECTOR
Zuari & Mandovi estuaries Gillnet, line with bait, scoopnet, bamboo pot, handpicking June-September
Kundapur estuary and Natravati-Gurpur estuaries Gillnet June-September
Vembanand backwaters Stakenet, castnet, dragnet, line with bait, scoopnet, trap May-September
Mudflat areas at Tuticorin Scoopnet August-February
Killai backwaters Gillnet, line with bait, castnet, scoopnet, dragnet March-September
Kovalam backwaters Dragnet, scoopnet January-September
Adyar estuary Dragnet, castnet, scoopnet June-October
Ennore estuary Dragnet, castnet, scoopnet April-November
Pulicat Lake Shore seine, dragnet, line with bait, scoopnet March-October
Godavari estuary Dragnet, stakenet November-March
Chilka Lake Gillnet, scoopnet, crab trap, line with bait August-October
Sunderbans Line with bait, hooked iron or steel rods April-June
Source : BOBP/ REP/51,1992
Crab landings (in tonnes) from important brackishwater areas of India
 
Locality Yera Total crab landings Landing of S. serrata % shared S. seratta
Gulf of Kachchh 1972 09.5 09.5 100
1973 11.7 11.7 100
1974 16.6 16.6 100
1975 22.7 22.7 100
Mandovi and Zuari estuary 1972 51.8 51.8 100
1973 49.0 48.0 100
Netravati estuary 1975 01.0 01.0 100
Cochin backwaters 1971 46.4 24.9 53.7
1972 69.8 34.9 50.0
1973 115.1 51.7 44.9
1974 105.0 54.9 52.5
1975 171.8 56.7 33.0
Vembanad backwaters 1964-65 17.9 N.A. N.A.
1965-66 35.3
1966-67 20.4
1976 350.0
1977 345.0
1978 321.0
1979 357.0
1980 370.0
1981 343.0
1982 352.0
1983 389.0
1984 398.0
1985 392.0
1986 376.0
Tuticorin area 1974-75 4.4 4.4 100.0
Killai backwater 1973-74 12.1 9.9 81.8
Adyar estuary 1963-64 3.3 3.3 100.0
Ennore estuary 1960-61 5.9 N.A. N.A.
1965-66 13.2
1966-67 11.5
Pulicat 1968 52.1 35.0 67.2
1969 24.6 8.7 35.2
1970 89.4 47.2 52.8
1971 102.2 34.7 34.0
1972 72.3 N.A. N.A.
Godavari estuary 1967-68 337.5 N.A. N.A.
1972 16.6
1975 3.6
1979 93.1 91.9 98.7
1980 51.7 41.5 80.3
Chilika Lake 1952 18.0 N.A N.A.
1971 52.9 52.9 100.0
1972 67.8 67.8 100.0
1973 64.3 64.3 100.0
1979-80 59.0 N.A. N.A.
1984-85 90.0
1985-86 79.8
1986-87 54.0
Sundarbans area 1954 33.6
1972 350.0
As seen from above data, mud crab accounted for more than   75 % of crab landing. Mud crab is available along all the maritime states of India. However, the gears used for this fishing and the fishing season varies with the region. Though there is a great demand in local market for mud crab, interest is being focused on their export. The mud crab fishery has emerged as an export oriented trade in recent years. Data on the export of crab product is given below
 
 Import of crab products from India
Year Frozen crab meat (tonnes) Canned crab meat (tonnes) Live crabs (tonnes)
1987 9 42 -
1979 - 56 -
1985-86 9 - -
1986-87 30 - -
1987-88 86 36 36
1988-89 174 42  412
1989-90 641 - 619
1990-91 NA NA 651
Source : MPEDA Export Review, 1989-90.
 

As can be seen from the above table export of live crab is a thriving activity today. Kerala is a major supplier to the export trade and Chennai (Madras) is the main centre of live mud crab exports to Singapore and Malaysion markets.
 
 Domestic Marketing

Scylla serrata is much in demand in the domestic market and fetches a good price, compared to other species of crab. It was observed that S. serrata can be successfully marketed but only in live condition, as there is a prejudice purchasing dead crab. medium and large crab of more than 14 cm CW and weighing more than 400 g. are collected exclusively for export in  West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujrat.

As crab stay alive out of water only for a maximum of about 72 hours, they are generally sent to major cities by train. The crab are packed in bamboo baskets, each basket accomodating about 20-30 kg. Middlemen who collect the crab from the fishermen often mark up the price by about 50-100 per cent, depending on the size, when re-selling them to the retailer at the market. There is again a mark-up ranging from 50-100 per cent by the retailer in the local markets.