Original Article
Blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus Linnaeus, 1758) spawner’s survival and egg hatchability in net cages
Authors:
Paul B. Doronila
and Rhoda A. Aguilos
Central Philippines State University, Ilog Campus, Washington St., Barangay 1, Ilog, Negros Occidental, Negros Island Region, Philippines 6109
ABSTRACT
The declining population of the blue swimming crab (BSC) (Portunus pelagicus Linnaeus, 1758) necessitates effective resource management and hatchery development for crablet production, which is vital for reseeding and aquaculture. This study aimed to determine the water quality and evaluate the survival rate (SR) of spawners and the hatching rate (HR) relationships to the spawners’ carapace width (CW) and body weight (BW) using a net cage hatchery system in the coastal waters of Bocana, Ilog, Negros Occidental, Philippines. Berried BSC were individually stocked in net cages and grouped into five size categories based on CW: S1 (100.00-104.99 mm), S2 (105.00-109.99 mm), S3 (110.00-114.99 mm), S4 (115.00-119.99 mm), and S5 (120.00-124.99 mm). The findings indicated that the physicochemical parameters in the coastal waters of Bocana were suitable for BSC spawning. Larger CWs were associated with higher SR (mean overall 80 ± 40.82%). Spawners with a CW ranging from 110 to 124.99 mm exhibited higher HRs compared to those ranging from 100 to 109.99 mm. The mean (±SD) hatching rate (51.89 ± 29.67%) was comparable to previous studies with highly controlled environmental conditions. The BSC spawners’ CW (r(23) = 0.614, P < 0.001) and BW (r(23) = 0.563, P < 0.003) were significantly correlated with their HR. The correlation between HR vs. CW and HR vs. BW was significant. The net cage system offers a method that can contribute to a sustainable blue swimming crab fishery industry and serves as a potential model for community-based aquaculture initiatives.
Keywords: berried crabs, body weight, carapace width, fecundity, net cage hatchery system
Available Online: 23 January 2026
How to Cite:
Doronila PB, Aguilos RA. 2026. Blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus Linnaeus, 1758) spawner’s survival and egg hatchability in net cages. The Palawan Scientist. 18(1):74-85. https://doi.org/10.69721/TPS.J.2026.18.1.08
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
