The Department of Agriculture (DA) is piloting the culture of Australian redclaw crayfish in Nueva Ecija, a province best known for rice, to assess its commercial potential as a high-value aquaculture species.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel led the ceremonial stocking of 14,000 craylings on Thursday, launching a four- to five-month on-farm verification trial. The project aims to determine whether redclaw crayfish can be profitably raised in Philippine freshwater ponds.
The trial is being implemented by the DA–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) with private-sector partners. It follows the issuance of BFAR Administrative Circular No. 001, series of 2025, which sets the country’s first national guidelines for culturing redclaw crayfish, including strict biosecurity and sourcing requirements.
BFAR is supplying craylings from its prototype hatchery at the National Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center, which can produce up to 5,000 craylings per cycle. In Nueva Ecija, four ponds will be stocked at two densities—10 and 15 crayfish per square meter—to measure survival, growth, feed efficiency, and profitability.
BFAR said results will guide future technology demonstrations and farmer training if the species proves commercially viable. The agency stressed that the project reflects a more controlled, science-based approach to aquaculture, balancing market potential with environmental and biosecurity safeguards.
