Effects of mangrove deforestation on mangrove mud crab fishery

Mangrove forests support diverse animal populations of commercial importance among them is the mangrove mud crab Scylla serrata. Destruction of mangroves through deforestation, conversion into salt pans and for aquaculture has been a major concern and is likely to affect the systems the mangrove support, including crab fishery. Mud crab catches from areas with different levels of mangrove destruction in Ngomeni area, Malindi Kenya were analysed.

Autorentext

Esther Fondo, a Research Scientist working at the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute(KMFRI), Mombasa, Kenya under the Fisheries Program, has an MSc in Biology of Conservation.Dr. Edward Kimani has over 20 years experince in marine fisheries and ecology research in the West Indian Ocean. Dixon Odongo is a Fisheries Technologist at KMFRI.