Areas with relatively low tidal ranges are preferred. From a practical perspective, if
there is an extreme tidal range, pen construction would need to be higher to contain
crabs on high tides and mechanically stronger to withstand higher current regimes.
When choosing an appropriate area to construct a mangrove pen, low- to mediumdensity
mangroves are preferred to extremely dense mangroves. This is because denser
stands of mangrove will be more difficult to construct pens in.
Mud crab farming and wild fishing can coexist. Critical in the development of such
sites is community consultation to ensure that only a limited, agreed area of the total
area covered by a mud crab fishery is utilized for farming.