The mangrove crab sector is on the right track. Malagasy fishermen are beginning to flock to crab fishing. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of fishermen turning to the crab sector. “We have noticed that mangrove crab fishermen have multiplied over the past two years. Agriculture is not very productive, which is why people are turning to this sector. There is also the health crisis, and people are looking for new sources of income; even fish fishermen are engaged in crab fishing,” explained Dr. Daniel Raberinary, teacher-researcher at the Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (IHSM), yesterday in Ambatoroka. Mangrove crabs are mainly found in four regions of the Big Island, namely Diana, Boeny, Menabe and Atsimo-Andrefana.
In the Boeny region, the average monthly number of fishermen reached 9,753 in 2021 against 11,233 this year 2022, according to the results of research carried out by scientists.
This sector is booming in Madagascar. According to statistics collected from the Ministry of Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Madagascar exports more than 2,000 tons of crabs per year.
In 2020, Madagascar recorded 5,714.20 tons of crabs, of which 2,372.39 tons were exported. In 2021, production was 4,092.77 tons, of which 2,239.33 tons were exported.
An expertise workshop on the mangrove crab sector took place in Ambatoroka from August 22 to 26 (yesterday).
The Research Institute for Development (IRD) with the support of the CORECRABE research project (COoperation for the promotion of research for the management of small-scale crab fishing in Madagascar), brought together, during this workshop, all researchers and scientific partners, crab exporting companies and NGOs.
The objective of the workshop is to deliver a scientific opinion on the state of resources, the evolution of the mangrove crab sector in Madagascar and the problems of management of crab and mangrove fisheries in the Diana, Boeny, Menabe and AtsimoAndrefana.