Crab pots: An alternative for the sustainable use of our Blue Crab resource

The practice of our fishermen engaged in blue crab fishing of using gill nets threatens the sustainability of this resource. It has been monitored that crab catch has been steadily declining, in terms of volume as well as size. Juveniles, as well as gravid crabs, are part of the daily harvest. This practice of using gill nets puts unnecessary pressure on the resource, particularly the depletion of the breeding stock. The continued use of this method will result to the loss of this precious resource, which is the main source of income for 30% of our population. The blue crab ordinance, enacted in 2004, prohibits the taking of gravid and juvenile crabs, and penalizes its sale.

There is now a need to change the fishing method from one that is not selective and results to illegal catch to one that will allow our fishermen to conserve the resource, increase their income through higher quality of catch, and comply with the law. By changing the fishing gear from gill nets to crab pots, we allow our fishermen the opportunity to return to the sea those that are gravid or juveniles, thereby conserving the resource by allowing them to spawn or reach sexual maturity. Crab pot fishing method also creates support livelihood activities that generates more economic activity. It will harness the communities’ skill in crab pot making, create a demand for bamboo which is the abundant raw material for the pots, and create a demand for bait fish, usually the valueless by-catch of other fishing activities.

In addition, due to the consistency of this fishing method in terms of volume and quality of catch, it is our plan to establish a processing plant. This will result to adding more value to our product, reduce loss of weight during transport and transport cost, provide employment to members of the community, and reduce costs for the processors. This will also allow us to develop other products designed for the local market.

Presently all of our unprocessed crab catch are bought by processors for export mainly to the United States, Canada and Japan.

In our pilot area, we experienced an increase in the volume as well as quality of catch. This has resulted to an increase in buying price of crabs. With these developments we are convinced that the change in fishing method presents new opportunities to improve the economic situation of this sector of our population. To further realize opportunities for the sector, we must go into processing to address the loss in weight while transporting and the high cost of transport of unprocessed crabs. Initially, instead for selling unprocessed crabs, we semi-processed our crabs resulting to a reduction of costs for the processors. This is an advantage realized not only by the processors but by the community as well. We have solved the loss in weight while transporting, high transport cost incurred by our fishermen, increased the buying price because of semi-processing/value-adding, generated employment, at the same time reducing processing needed to be done by the processors. As efficiency increases, more and more of the processes can be outsourced to the community. This will also allow the community to develop other products designed for other markets. Waste and by products of processing can be utilized for fertilizer, handicrafts and animal feeds. This model can be replicated in other crab fishing communities in the province.

The municipality has already committed resources to this project. Investments have been made in the research and piloting of this idea. We are continuing this investment until all fishermen can comply with the law and the full potential of the economic benefits of this resource has been realized.

The use of crab pots allows us to preserve our breeding stock and ensure that there is no over fishing of the resource. Being made out of bamboo, pots are biodegradable unlike the nylon gill nets. Pots also do not pose the threat of ghost fishing, a major problem when gill nets are lost at sea. It also increases the value of the catch because of larger sizes, which commands at least a 30% premium in market price per kilo. It is also a more consistent method of fishing volumewise compared to gill nets which is erratic and susceptible to problems both natural like rough weather and man made like sea traffic. With a consistent catch, both in size and volume, we increase quality thereby realizing higher prices, and establish our credibility as a reliable supplier of blue crabs. We also create additional livelihoods for our bamboo farmers to supply the raw material for the crab pots, utilize skills of the women sector in the weaving of the pots, and create an alternative use for the otherwise valueless trash fish as bait. With value added processing, we can generate more employment opportunities for the community.

The immediate outcome or result of this project is to eliminate the use of gill nets by our blue crab fishermen. The ordinance on blue crab fishing does not outlaw the use of gill nets, only the catching of juvenile and gravid crabs. Crab pot is an efficient yet conservative method of fishing.

The ultimate outcome that we desire is the rejection by our fishermen of gill nets as a fishing method because it is a threat to the sustainability of the resource and their livelihood. As a result of this realization, our fishermen would push for the amendment of the ordinance to outlaw the use of gill nets as a fishing method for blue crabs.