(vasep.com.vn) This is the only bank in Vietnam founded to protect crabs with eggs, to keep the stocks and remain sustainability of Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province.
Kien Giang is known for blue swimming crabs. The province has nearly 2,000 vessels capturing blue swimming crabs. This species has high economic value, and has strong sales in both the domestic market and global markets. Blue swimming crab capture plays an important role in the development of local economy and creates jobs for local people. In particular, the waters of Phu Quoc (Kien Giang) was identified as breeding ground and fishing ground for blue swimming crabs.
“Demand for blue swimming crabs is increasing, both in export markets and the domestic market. The number of visitors to Phu Quoc surges while fish stocks and blue swimming crab stocks are shrinking, with decline in crab size”, said Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Phuong (Kien Giang Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment).
In late 2011, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kien Giang and WWF Vietnam proposed establishing Blue swimming crab Bank. The bank was founded to raise people’s awareness and contribute to the conservation and protection of blue swimming crab resource, and to ensure sustainable living conditions for local fishermen.
What Blue swimming crab Bank do is collecting egg-carrying female blue swimming crabs caught in one capture then nurture them until they spawn and then sell crab meat.
Households (fishermen, farmers, people who buy or sell crabs) who participate in the crab bank would be offered preferential loans from 3-5 million per household. Monthly repayments are paid with egg-carrying female blue swimming crabs (3-5 blue swimming crabs/ months). If they have more than 5 egg-carrying blue swimming crabs a month, consignment is available. Blue swimming crabs carrying eggs will be collected and put into cages, cared until they spawn. Baby blue swimming crabs are then put back to their natural environment.
This model was firstly placed in Bai Bon hamlet, Ham Ninh commune (in Phu Quoc, Kien Giang province). With the initial investment of VND 30 million, the Bank has now attracted 10 households to participate in the program.