Mangroves Treasures: Pate Islands Mud Crab Fattening Boom Brings New Hope For Fishermen

He used to spend endless hours on his boat, skimming the salty waters of the Indian Ocean, searching for his crustacean prey in the fish-rich areas of Pate, Manda, and Lamu islands, which make up the larger Lamu archipelago.

With the invaluable guidance of Wetlands International aquaculture specialists, Abdalla undertook a pioneering initiative in July last year: the cultivation of giant mud crabs.

With this endeavor, he hoped to outperform the meager returns from his old-fashioned crab hunts, which frequently produced only one catch per day. For the new venture, however, he was to buy crablets.