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16-1023: The Guimaras Strait is an important fishing ground in the Philippines, having an average of annual fish production of 50,000 metric tons. The northern part is particularly known for blue crab , a top export commodity. Other species present in the strait include barracuda , cavalla , clams , cockles , crevalle , dolphin , flounders , flying fish , fusiliers , glassfish , goatfish , goby , grouper , jacks , jelly fish , lizard fish , marine turtle , milkfish , mojarra , moonfish , moray , mullets , mussels , scallops , oysters , perchlet , scads , sea bass , sea catfish , sea cucumber , sea perches , sea urchins , seaweeds , shads , sicklefish , siganids , sillago , slipmouth , snappers , spadefish , sponges , surgeon fish , threadfin , and wrasses . The Guimaras oil spill , that occurred in Panay Gulf on August 11, 2006, has severely affected

32-487: A variation of the Moro-moro that originates from Carcar , Cebu , in the Philippines, where the crab is called "Lambay". Soft-shell crab Soft-shell crab is a culinary term for crabs that have recently molted their old exoskeleton and are still soft. Soft-shells are removed from the water as soon as they molt or, preferably, just before to prevent any hardening of their shell. Catching soft-shell crab

48-591: Is a species of large crab found in the Indo-Pacific , including off the coasts Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam; and in the intertidal estuaries around most of Australia and east to New Caledonia . The males are bright blue in color with white spots and with characteristically long chelipeds , while the females have a duller green/brown, with a more rounded carapace . The carapace can be up to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) wide. They stay buried under sand or mud most of

64-450: Is characterised by having large chelipeds used to catch prey. Once the megalopa metamorphoses to the crab stage, they continue to spend time in estuaries which provides a suitable habitat for shelter and food. However, evidence has shown that early juveniles cannot tolerate low salinities for extended periods, which is likely due to its weak hyper-osmoregulatory abilities. This may explain their mass emigration from estuaries to seawater during

80-474: Is dependent on estuaries as the larvae and early juveniles use these habitats for growth and development. Prior to hatching, the female moves into shallow marine habitats, releases her eggs, and the newly-hatched zoea I larvae move into estuaries. During this time, they feed on microscopic plankton and progress from the zoea I stage to the zoea IV stage (approximately 8 days) and then to the final larval stage of megalopa (duration of 4–6 days). This larval stage

96-513: Is typically more toxic than ammonium, as it can more easily diffuse across the gill membranes), makes this species ideal for aquaculture. The species is commercially fished in Australia, and is also available to recreational fishers and is regulated by various state governments. Relevant recreational fishing regulations for Australia (as of March 2016) are tabled below. P. pelagicus commonly enters estuaries for food and shelter. Its life cycle

112-446: Is very time-sensitive and requires that any caught crabs be kept in climate-controlled areas immediately after catching until they molt, at which point they can be safely removed and sold. This means that almost the entire animal can be eaten, rather than having to shell the animal to reach the meat. The exceptions are the mouthparts , the gills and the abdominal cover , which are discarded ("cleaned"). The remaining, edible part of

128-464: The coast of Málaga . Typically, they are deep-fried and served with a vinaigrette . In Italy , the soft-shell of the common Mediterranean crab is a delicacy typical of the Venetian lagoon (called moeca or moeche in the local idiom). Soft-shell crabs can have the soft organs along the dorsal cavity removed during cleaning, or they can be left in for consumption. In the latter case, along

144-412: The coastal region of Andalusia . Irrespective of the species, they are called chiguatos , from the local slang verb achiguatar , meaning to soften . Typical preparations include velvet crabs ( Necora puber ) and langoustines ( Nephrops norvegicus ), which are highly regarded delicacies of Sanlucar de Barrameda , and lobster ( Homarus gammarus ) (called langosta chiguata ), which is typical along

160-693: The crab is typically deep-fried or sautéed . In the United States , the main species is the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus , which appears in markets from April to September. In the Deep South region of the United States, most notably the Gulf coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, "Buster crab" can be a synonym for a plump, meaty soft-shell crab. (" Buster Crabbe " was a famous movie star, known for playing Flash Gordon). However,

176-476: The ecosystems of the Guimaras Strait also suffer from rapid coastal development and overfishing . Increased urban populations and transportation are causing anthropogenic pressures, while gillnet fishing has exceeded the maximum sustainable yield since 1999. Portunus pelagicus Portunus pelagicus , also known as the blue crab , blue swimmer crab , blue manna crab and flower crab

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192-664: The fishing industry. During this spill, considered Philippines' worst, the oil tanker M/T Solar 1 sank during a violent storm, spilling some 500,000 litres (110,000 imp gal; 130,000 US gal) of oil which formed an oil slick that drifted through the strait. This spill followed another one in December 2005, when a passenger ship ran aground in the strait. It spilled 360,000 litres (79,000 imp gal; 95,000 US gal) of fuel oil, polluting some 40 kilometres (25 mi) of coastline and 230 hectares (570 acres) of virgin mangrove forests. Besides these oil spills,

208-502: The original meaning of Buster crab referred to either a soft-shell that had yet to complete molting, or to a soft-shell that had died before being provided to a seafood vendor, and was then consumed quickly by the crabbers. In Japan , various species are used to make sushi such as maki-zushi or temaki-zushi . The Japanese blue crab ( Portunus trituberculatus ) or the shore swimming crab ( Charybdis japonica ) are typically used. In Spain , soft-shell crustaceans are typical in

224-461: The rainy season. Male Portunus pelagicus are believed to become more territorial in colder water. This may explain why male crabs are rarely sighted within a close proximity to each other in more temperate waters; it also may explain why their female counterparts seem more prolific in these areas. The movement of this species of crab is the basis for the dance steps and movements of the Linambay ,

240-467: The time, particularly during the daytime and winter, which may explain their high tolerance to ammonium (NH 4 ) and ammonia (NH 3 ). They come out to feed during high tide on various organisms such as bivalves, fish and, to a lesser extent, macroalgae. They are excellent swimmers, largely due to a pair of flattened legs that resemble paddles. However, in contrast to another portunid crab ( Scylla serrata ), they cannot survive for long periods out of

256-765: The water. The species is commercially important throughout the Indo-Pacific, where they may be sold as traditional hard shells, or as " soft-shelled " crabs, which are considered a delicacy throughout Asia. The species is highly prized as a substitute for Callinectes sapidus . This species is fished heavily and almost exclusively for meat consumption in the Persian Gulf, with the females sold at higher prices than males. These characteristics, along with their fast growth, ease of larviculture, high fecundity, and relatively high tolerance to both nitrate and ammonia , (particularly ammoniacal nitrogen , NH 3 –N, which

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