Present Status of Mud Crab Population in Bangladesh

Apparent declines in abundance of mangrove crabs Scylla spp. in the coastal area of Bangladesh have prompted concern regarding long-term determination of this important cultural and economic resource. From the survey of ten districts according to treatment T1, T2 and T3 the total production of the coastal area was decreased from 32255.06±178.18mt to 25643.46±141.96mt between 2013 and 2016 and the percentage of the total production of the experimental area was declined 9.55, 15.36 and 20.50% within the year 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16. The decreasing trends or regression type was Exponential and the equation was y = 6.724e0.81×; where R2 is 0.980. There is a significant trends in case of male, female and immature mud crab of coastal area. In case of female mud crab total catch percentage was decreased from 43.11% to 27.95% between 2013 to 2016. In case of male and immature mud crab total catch percentage was increased from 29.08% to 38.34% and 27.81% to 33.71% between 2013 and 2016. Rising pressure of trap, line and catch by hand, and decreasing pressure of catch by net was detected to catch mud crab in the experimental area. So, eco-friendly catch and juvenile culture of mud crab is to be practiced until established mud crab hatchery to minimize the requirement of seed production of crab in aquaculture crab field.