Thailand facing sea crab crisis

FOR the first time in its history, Thailand this year has had to import sea crabs from Arab countries to meet local demand, the Thai-language daily Thai Rath reported today (May 11).

“This is a crisis that the government must tackle with urgency,” marine biologist Ismail Bensa-ard told the paper, “The sea crab population in our country has apparently gone down, and we must find out why.”

The price of sea crab in Thailand this year has gone up from 800 baht per kilogram to 1,500-1,800 baht, the highest in local sea crab history, said Mr Ismail.

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Top: Sally lightfoot crab resting on a rock at the Galapagos Islands. Photo: Niccie King (CC-BY-2.0)

By Songpol Kaopatumtip

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