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My scientific specialty is chronobiology (circadian rhythms and photoperiodism), with additional interests in comparative physiology, animal behavior and evolution. I am not an MD so I cannot diagnose and treat your sleep problems. As well as writing this blog, I am also the Online Discussion Expert for PLoS. This is a personal blog and opinions within it in no way reflect the policies of PLoS. You can contact me at: Coturnix@gmail.com


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« New and Exciting in PLoS ONE | Main | Emerging Nanotechnology: A New Risk Factor for Lung Diseases? »

Can you raise sea-water blue crabs in fresh-water ponds?

Category: FoodInvertebratesNorth CarolinaPhysiology
Posted on: October 3, 2008 5:36 PM, by Coturnix

Apparently yes: Freshwater Farm Ponds Turning into Crab Farms:

North Carolina's native blue crab population has been at historic lows since 2000. Dr. Dave Eggleston, director of NC State's Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) and professor of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences, looked at various methods for helping the population recover. He hit upon a solution which not only reduces pressure on existing crab populations, but also benefits farmers looking to diversify their crops: using irrigation ponds on farms to grow blue crabs.

----------------------------

Eggleston and his fellow researchers discovered that crabs can tolerate a salinity level of only .3 parts per thousand, which is about the same level found in coastal tap water. They did further work to determine the best set of circumstances for raising crab: population density, food rations, and habitat structure in ponds.

This past July, Eggleston and Ray Harris, NC State director of cooperative extension for Carteret County, had the opportunity for a large-scale test when they stocked a 10-acre lake with 40,000 hatchery-raised crabs, and a smaller pond with 4,000 crabs. The crabs will take approximately 105 days to reach maturity, and so far the endeavor looks successful.

With the rapid rate of growth for pond-raised crabs, Eggleston expects that in a given year, a farm could produce two to three harvests, as crabs don't do well in freshwater during the winter months.

"If you look at a 2 1/2 -acre pond, you could stock it with 50,000 hatchery-raised crabs and expect to harvest around 20 percent, or 10,000 fully grown crabs. At $3 per crab, that's $30,000 - and multiply that times three. It definitely adds up."

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Comments

1

where do i buy the blue crab.i would like to start my own hatchery.

Posted by: jackie | July 22, 2009 7:56 PM

2

the idea is brillian i would like to start my own crab farm.
is there any guide lines that could help me start one
and what are some links that i migth want to checkout
or if i could volunteer with the studiesor research.
thank you.
Pepe

Posted by: pepe leyva | February 18, 2010 9:21 AM

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