A low-salinity softshell crab production system was developed from the design, construction and preparation of the experimental ponds in Coastal Mississippi. The experimental data on stocking, feeding and survival was collected from several years of pond grow-out trials conducted by The University of Southern Mississippi to evaluate the feasibility of growing soft blue crabs in low-salinity ponds in Lyman, Mississippi.
The fundamental assumptions of this low-salinity grow-out system include three crops per year and four quarter-acre ponds. Pond salinity was raised to one ppt by adding artificial salt before stocking. University-run hatchery and nursery provided the juvenile crabs stocked in the experimental ponds. The stocking density at earlier experiments was 2,000 juvenile crabs per pond and then raised to 4,000 juveniles per pond. Survival rates ranged from 20 to 40 percent in previous pond experiments.
Critical state and federal assistance are provided in the initial stages of industry development to enable the emerging industry to take off. The source of juveniles was initially considered as being produced by a public hatchery and nursery. However, the long-run sustainability of this production system depends on the volume and timing of the availability of privately grown juvenile crabs. The sustainability of crab farming under different farming systems depends on the adequate supply of crab seeds. Increasing survival rates and stocking densities are vital in making this emerging enterprise viable in low-salinity ponds.
At the lowest stocking density of 2,000 juvenile crabs per pond, according to the data used in this Sea Grant-funded project, the average production costs ranged from $49 to $139 per dozen soft blue crabs. As the survival rate increased, the average costs of production subsequently decreased.
With a higher stocking density of 4,000 juvenile crabs per pond, the average cost of production varied from $29 to $77 dozen soft blue crabs. Higher survival rates led to lower average production costs.
The highest stocking density of 6,000 juvenile crabs per pond generated an average cost of production from $22 to $56 dozen soft blue crabs (Fig. 1). The average production costs went down as higher survival rates were attained. This specific production system could be considered a viable enterprise at average wholesale market prices in the Mid-Atlantic markets of $38 per dozen of prime-size soft blue crabs.
Meet the author
Benedict C. Posadas, Ph.D.
Extension Research Professor of Economics
Since 1990, Ben Posadas has consistently developed and maintained the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center’s (CREC) extension and research program in economics with... Read more
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