Services
Scylla provides a comprehensive range of services to support the mud crab farming sector including support for hatchery, nursery, farming (for both hard-shell and soft-shell), harvesting, post-harvest quality control, marketing and training.
Our team can also facilitate improved management regimes for mud crab fisheries, independent review of existing fisheries, R&D programs and support for industry development.
Mud crab farming
Mud crab hatchery systems
Whilst Scylla in collaboration with Singapore Aqua has produced its own, state of the art turn-key, modular mud crab hatchery system, the Scylla 200® incorporating RAS technology.
It can also assist in retrofitting existing hatchery facilities to make them suitable for mud crab production. Scylla can also assist in site selection, training, provision of key staff, establishing standard operating procedures and record keeping. In addition, packages are available to support on-going sustained growth and continual improvement.
Nursery System
Tank or pond based nursery facilities can be custom designed to meet clients needs. In addition, standard operating procedures can be provided, underpining the reliable supply of crablets to farming operations.
Juvenile crab farming systems
For the production of soft shell mud crabs, crablets are grown in ponds to a size of approximately 50g, prior to being put into individual boxes for soft-shelling. Maintaining water quality, utilising quality feeds in a proper feeding protocol is essential to maximise productivity. Scylla can support the development and operations of juvenile crab production systems, incorporating monitoring and quality control.
Soft shell crab farming systems
Floating, pond based soft-shell box systems remain the most cost-effective technique to produced soft shell crabs. Scylla can design systems, monitoring bridges and provide standard operating procedures and training for such systems.
Hard shell crab farm systems
There is a premium price for large mud crabs in Singapore and Chinese markets. Scylla can provide feed, feeding protocols and pond management techniques to maximise growth and reduce mortalities of stock.
Post harvest
Mud crab fattening (coming soon)
From farms and fisheries, harvested mud crabs can be ‘empty’, alternately described as water crabs, as when opened they have little meat and more water. This is a result of a recent moult by the crab and not enough time to feed and grow meat to fill the entire shell.
As a result, such crabs need fattening to become an A grade crab. Scylla in partnership with Singapore Aqua are currently developing Scylla 100®, for wild crab fishers and farmers to hold and feed empty crabs for 2-4 weeks to fatten them into top quality crabs.
Quality control, packing and HACCP systems for soft and hard shell mud crabs
To minimise mortalities during transit from the farm (or fishery) to market, Scylla can provide training and guidelines to enable staff to accurately test the ‘fullness’ of hard-shell crabs and check their quality prior to packing.
Advice and design of mud crab processing lines can also be provided, which may include support for record-keeping and development of HACCP systems for both hard and soft shell crab processing facilities, to meet international standards.
Wholesale and Retail sales of mud crab
Receiving & holding facilities, quality checking and repacking can impact significantly on wholesale and retail traders dealing in mud crabs. Scylla can independently review and provide advice to improve such systems, or design new ones as required, together with standard operating procedures and record-keeping systems. In addition review of existing
value chain logistics can often identify issues to be improved by appropriate interventions.
Marketing & managment
Marketing & sales of soft shell mud crab (SSC)
Scylla now markets frozen soft shell mud crabs on behalf of a variety of producers, allowing them to concentrate on production. Whole round and cleaned SSC are available by the container load.
Market research & product development
Targeted international market research for crab fishers or farmers can help in developing new markets and maximising profits from operations. Scylla works with various specialists to assist existing, developing and niche marketing opportunities for its clients.
Fisheries management
Mud crab populations in many regions & countries are suffering from over-fishing, impacting on fishermen, communities and potentially sustainable fisheries. Scylla has extensive experience in working with fishers, communities and governments to put in place management plans, regulations and practical measures to assist in the recovery of fisheries and long-term sustainability.
Scylla can provide an independent assessment of fisheries and work with all stakeholders to put in place better management & enforcement measures
Industry development & value chain analysis
Many mud crab fishers, organisations and their communities can benefit from clear industry development planning. Fisheries management should be clearly linked to sustainability and an industry structure that maximises income and profitability for fishers, traders and retailers.
Working with all participants in a fishery, or an aquaculture sector, using its extensive industry & Government experience, Scylla can analyse the value chains and identify areas for improvement and intervention as required to increase transparency and performance.