ICAR-CIBA Demonstrates Blue Swimmer Crab Farming

The ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIBA) in Chennai demonstrated Blue Swimmer Crab farming technology for the first time in India on 22 June 2026. The species is scientifically known as Portunus reticulatus, and the trial used institute-produced hatchery seed and a pelleted feed named BSCrabPlus.

Blue Swimmer Crab

Blue Swimmer Crab belongs to the genus Portunus and is a commercially important marine crab species in brackishwater aquaculture. The species is farmed in several Asian countries and is known for its fast growth and market demand in coastal fisheries.

Technology Package Developed by ICAR-CIBA

ICAR-CIBA has standardised a technology package for Blue Swimmer Crab aquaculture. The package includes hatchery seed production protocols, nursery rearing methods, and grow-out farming practices. The institute also developed BSCrabPlus, a scientifically formulated pelleted feed for the species.

Trial Results at Muttukadu Experimental Station

The demonstration trial at the ICAR-CIBA Muttukadu Experimental Station recorded a productivity of 1,100 kg per hectare after a 105-day culture period. The marketable crabs in the trial averaged 150 grams in body weight and fetched ₹500 per kilogram in the market.

Important Facts for Exams

• ICAR-CIBA stands for the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture.
• Blue Swimmer Crab is scientifically named Portunus reticulatus.
• The demonstration trial was held at the Muttukadu Experimental Station in Chennai.
• The Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan is often used for targeted beneficiary-based development programmes.

Institutional and Market Linkages

The harvest function on 22 June 2026 transferred revenue of ₹1,22,500 to the Success Self-Help Group from Pudhunemmelikuppam in Chengalpattu district under the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan programme. The Director of the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture, which functions under the Marine Products Export Development Authority, attended the event.