Abstract

The blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus), a marine crab, is an economic marine species in Thailand. To address the rising demand for blue swimming crabs, a crab bank project was initiated to increase their population in their natural habitat. It involves collecting berried female blue swimming crabs and nurturing them until the eggs attached to their abdomens are released. The released eggs are incubated until they hatch into larvae, subsequently released into the wild, where they grow into fully mature blue swimming crabs. Although the project has been in operation for an extended period, its efficacy has been subject to limited evaluation. This study examines the genetic information of berried females from the crab bank project and wild crabs in Bandon Bay, Surat Thani Province, Thailand. Nucleotide sequences in the mitochondrial DNA control region were analyzed. The findings reveal that 58.39% of wild crabs in Bandon Bay share haplotypes with berried females from the crab bank. We found a lack of genetic structure of blue swimming crab in Bandon Bay. Demographic history analysis suggests a long period of population stability, followed by recent expansion. These results highlight the genetic diversity and provide a basis for developing management strategies for the crab bank projects in Bandon Bay. However, as this study is preliminary, further research incorporating nuclear genetic markers and larger sample sizes from regions beyond Bandon Bay is recommended to enhance the understanding of population dynamics and improve conservation strategies.