Now that’s a crab! Hopes research will lead to Indigenous-owned fishery for giant Kimberley mud crabs

The first detailed research on mud crab populations in Western Australia’s far north is underway with the goal to set up a sustainable, Indigenous-owned fishery. 

Like many Top End communities, the region’s large mud crabs are highly sought after, and a regular catch for local and visiting recreational fishers.

Some of the crabs can grow to a shell width of 30cm and weigh up to 2.5 kilograms.

Beginning this year and continuing through to 2026, the research involves scientists and some of the area’s Warrwa traditional owners surveying the mangrove creeks, channels and mud flats of King Sound, the inlet off Derby, 2,200 kilometres north of Perth, that records some of the world’s largest tides.

Researcher Danielle Johnston said the unique study provided an opportunity to engage with Kimberley Aboriginal communities in the collaborative survey.

“I guess because it’s such a small fishery there hasn’t been much emphasis on getting fishery independent research done on this species,” Dr Johnston said.

“It’s the first research work that has actually been done and fully funded in WA, so it’s very exciting.”

Department of Primary Industries spokesman Tom Ellies said it was timely to look at economic development for Aboriginal corporations and communities, with more than 90 per cent of the Kimberley now recognised under native title.

“It’s been a significant species in the majority of regions in the Kimberley for groups, everyone fishes for mud crabs on a recreational level and there is a commercial fishery existing in the Kimberley already,” Mr Ellies said.

“This is just the very first step in being able to engage and empower Aboriginal communities to enter that commercial fishery.”

Dr Johnston said the fishery’s current output was significantly lower than those in production interstate.

“The fishery has been ticking along for a long time but just not in big numbers, less than 10 tonnes a year,” she said.

“That’s in stark contrast to the Northern Territory and Queensland who have between 500 and 800 tonnes per year coming out of their mud crab fisheries.”

Scientists excited to locate ‘massive’ crabs 

Dr Johnston said she looked forward to what findings would emerge from the research.

“We’re just really excited … from a scientific perspective of what the stocks are and genetically what the stock structure is,” she said.

“It’s great for us to start getting the data first and then down the track doing the trap allocations appropriately.”

So far, Dr Johnston said there had been some discoveries which came as a surprise that included the appearance of the crabs.

“The sheer size of the crabs … particularly in the Cambridge Gulf. They’re massive crabs which clearly haven’t been fished heavily in certain creeks and that’s exciting from a marketing perspective because Kimberley crabs are very big,” she said.

Under-utilised fishery

Dr Johnston said while it could be difficult to get the mud crabs to market, there would be appetite domestically which could see the product on the plates of WA eateries.

“It’s possibly just going to be a domestic market, local restaurants, El Questro station has already shown some interest in getting Aboriginal owned and operated sourced mud crab,” she said.

“So there’s a lot of calls, a lot of demand for getting local mud crab to the restaurant trade and probably down to Perth restaurants as well.”

Mr Ellies said while there had been good engagement so far, there was still work to be done to make sure the licences for the product were distributed equitably.

“The product coming out of WA is next to nothing compared to the Northern Territory and Queensland market, so I think there’s a lot of potential with the industry down the track,” he said.