I believe that many people have heard of banks and financial institutions that operate monetary credit business, but have not heard of "crab banks", but in Cambodia it is real. It is said that this "crab bank" not only supports members to donate and buy spawning crabs, but also to create loans.
The magical "Crab Bank" function is very powerful, it not only protects crab resources and promotes production growth, but also satisfies the supply of crab market in Cambodia, so that foodies can eat delicious crabs at any time.
01What is the origin of Cambodia's "Crab Bank"?
Zovenje, the manager of the Fisheries Administrative Region of Hakuba Province, told the media that the "Crab Bank" originated in Japan in the mid-1980s and was established to increase the production of crabs in the natural stock and ensure the sustainable use of crab resources, so that crabs can lay eggs before they are sold.
In order to protect marine resources and sustainable use and development, Cambodia introduced the "Crab Bank" project in 2008. The project consists of three ways to donate crabs, buy spawning crabs, and create a loan. Community Crab Bank members choose based on their ability to fish, their ability to repay their loans, and their willingness to provide a usable crab every two or three days.
Fishing communities must install artificial box "drainage ditches" as far as possible in their seagrass reserves as living and breeding sites for crabs, fish and other marine animals.
So, does the Crab Bank help increase the production of natural stock crabs?
Some fishery professionals said that crab hatching takes at least 1 to 3 weeks, the number of eggs and hatching rate of a female crab are more than 1 million, of which about 40% of crabs will survive to "adulthood", if they are not well protected and maintained, large-scale fishing may cause Cambodian horse crab resources to decline, and even lead to the loss of horse crab species in the next few years.
Fortunately, 28 fishing communities in coastal provinces such as Baima, Kampot, Sihanoukville and Guogong have set up crab bank projects, making Cambodia's crabs "unfinished".
02 "Crab Bank" promotes the increase in crab production
Crab is a food business card of White Horse Province, mainly based on horse crabs, commonly known in China as orchid crabs/pike crabs, it is understood that the local 3 fishing communities have jointly established a "crab bank". Each fishing community can receive at least 30 million crabs a year if it donates 1,000 spawning crabs that hatch outside their shells.
Bashan, president of a community crab bank in Hakuba province, said that since 2008, 28 families in their community have participated in the crab bank project, supported by CORIN FAO and EU organizations. All members donate 10 to 15 crabs per month, and the implementation of the project has led to a significant increase in crab production.
Crab Bank members release millions of hatched crabs into natural seagrass reserves each year, and crab resources are protected, and now there are more crabs than ever before. What used to be only about 10 kilograms of crabs per day per fishing boat has now grown to 15 kilograms.
Delin, president of another community crab bank, said that members can borrow 500,000 to 1 million riels without interest every half to 1 year, but they need to donate 4 to 6 egg-only female crabs every month, mainly based on the amount of their loans.
In Kampot province, the supply of horse crabs can reach about 2 tons a day. A local female trader: "The Crab Bank helps the local horse crab supply to be abundant, and it can even be wholesale to traders in other provinces. Although the weather is unfavorable during the rainy season and some fishermen are unable to go out to sea to catch fish, we still have enough crabs to supply the market. ”
A seafood vendor in Sihanoukville said that compared with the past four or five years, the demand for crabs has doubled, and in order to meet the market demand, some farmers with weak awareness illegally catch "young" crabs for sale, which will lead to a decline in crab production and become a "catastrophe" for the fishery.
In any case, in order to meet the crab demand and export, fishing operations are carried out regularly by fishermen, in which a large number of horse crabs are caught on weekends or holidays.
03 daily supply of more than 5 tons, Cambodian crab free
In fact, cambodia's "Crab Bank" project has enabled fishermen to create a virtuous ecosystem in the protection and utilization of marine resources. While crabs are fertilized, fishermen can benefit in the long run.
Even during the rainy season, when most of the fishermen in boats do not go out to sea for fishing operations due to fear of strong storms and heavy waves, fishermen in coastal provinces can supply an average of more than 5 tons of crab wholesale and retail to all parts of the country every day, maintaining and stabilizing the crab market supply chain.
Delicious stir-fried crabs can be served to the table at any time, tourists who visit the coastal provinces can feast at any time, and Cambodian foodies are envious of their crab freedom. #柬埔寨 #