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.