Rice Paddy Crabs

Rice Paddy Crabs

　　The farming of rice paddy crabs in Fengnan District began in the 1990s. At that time, crab prices remained high, and crab farming was highly profitable. While pond-based crab farming developed on a large scale, it also effectively drove the growth of rice paddy crab farming, which at one point reached over 30,000 acres.

　　The scientific name for the crab is the Chinese mitten crab, a type of high-value freshwater product known for its delicious taste and rich nutrition, making it economically valuable. Also called "crab" or "hairy crab," it is an arthropod belonging to the class Crustacea. Its head and thorax form a square, round carapace that is hard in texture. At the front of its body are a pair of eyes, and on the sides are two pairs of very sharp crab pincers. The foremost pair of appendages on the crab are the chelae, covered with fur-like hairs; behind these are four pairs of walking legs, which are flat and relatively long. The abdominal limbs are degenerated. The gender of the crab can be distinguished by its abdomen: females have a round abdomen, while males have a triangular one. These crabs often live in burrows on the muddy banks of rivers, lakes, and marshes, are nocturnal, and feed on fish, shrimp, animal carcasses, and grains. Every autumn, they typically migrate to estuaries leading to the sea to spawn. The eggs hatch between March and May the following year, developing into juvenile crabs. They then swim upstream into rivers, continuing their growth and maturation in freshwater. The crab meat is tender and has become a beloved food among many.