COLLABORATIVE CRAB RESTOCKING PROGRAM

About the Program

The Collaborative Crab Restocking Program is a joint initiative between I-AQUAS UPM, Petronas Dagangan Berhad (PDB), and local fishermen in collaboration with the Persatuan Nelayan Kawasan (PNK) Port Dickson. The program is designed to restore blue swimming crab populations, strengthen coastal ecosystems, and enhance the socio-economic well-being of coastal communities.

Building on previous crab seed conservation efforts, this initiative emphasizes:

• Biodiversity restoration through sustainable stock enhancement.
• Community empowerment, where local fishermen, guided by PNK Port Dickson, play an active role in conservation.
• Corporate–community partnership, with Petronas Dagangan Berhad contributing towards long-term environmental stewardship.
• Transparency and innovation, using digital tools to monitor crab restocking, fishermen incentives, and ecological outcomes.

Release Location

Crabs will be released along the Port Dickson coastline, supported by both shoreline and offshore release activities.

The map highlights the crab release site at the shoreline near I-AQUAS, the offshore release sites, and the trap locations used by fishermen.

Crab Bank Program

A Crab Bank is a community-based conservation approach where berried female crabs (crabs carrying eggs) are collected from fishermen and placed temporarily in dedicated tanks at the I-AQUAS hatchery. To encourage participation, fishermen are provided with incentives for each berried female they return. Rather than being sold or consumed, these crabs are allowed to release their eggs safely in controlled conditions. Once the eggs hatch into juvenile crabs (crablets), the mother crabs are either released back into the wild or reused for future spawning cycles.

This approach:

• Reduces the harvesting pressure on natural crab populations.
• Ensures that millions of larvae are released back into the ecosystem.
• Empowers fishermen by giving them incentives to conserve, not just harvest.

Flow of the Crab Bank program: from fishermen’s contribution to ecosystem recovery and carbon savings.

• Contribution to Biomass and Carbon Savings

Each berried female crab can carry up to 2 million eggs, and even if only a small fraction survive, they contribute substantially to the local biomass. Through continuous restocking, Crab Banks enhance the standing stock of crabs in fishing grounds, which in turn improves long-term harvest potential and supports ecosystem stability.

This growth in biomass directly reinforces blue carbon ecosystems such as seagrass beds, mangroves, and benthic habitats, where healthy crab populations play an ecological role in maintaining balance. Stronger ecosystems mean greater carbon sequestration capacity, turning biomass gains into measurable carbon savings. In addition, the incentive system reduces unnecessary fishing trips, lowering fuel consumption and associated COâ‚‚ emissions, while sustainable harvests help decrease reliance on imported seafood with higher carbon footprints.

In this way, the Crab Bank program not only replenishes crab stocks but also contributes to climate action by linking biomass enhancement with carbon savings, creating a positive cycle that benefits both the environment and local communities.

Crab Bank Dashboard