Bait Management and Depth‐Based Catch Distribution of Economically Important Marine Crabs in the Visayan Sea, Philippines

ABSTRACT Efficient bait management and deployment strategies are essential for improving the sustainability of artisanal crab pot fisheries. This study investigated the effects of bait type, bait quantity and depth on the catch, size and bycatch composition of marine crabs in the crab pot fisheries in the Visayan Sea, Philippines. Field experiments utilized five bait treatments (salted fish, fresh fish, chicken intestines, crab shell and no bait), comparative tests of 40 versus 20 g bait quantities and depth sampling using 20 g salted fish baits from 1 to 21 m. Salted fish significantly increased the catch and size of Portunus pelagicus and provided an effective alternative to fresh fish in areas with limited refrigeration. Chicken intestines attracted higher bycatch. Catch and size of P. pelagicus increased with depth, while Thalamita sima tended to be smaller in deeper waters. Integrating bait optimization, pot modifications and spatial deployment based on depth can enhance species and size selectivity, reduce bycatch and limit the capture of undersized crabs, thereby supporting more sustainable and ecologically responsible artisanal crabbing operations.