The Department of Agriculture (DA) is pushing for the commercial viability of the Australian redclaw crayfish in the Philippine market.

During the launching of a crayfish farm in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel said that he is hopeful that the high value species can help reshape local aquaculture.

Laurel led the ceremonial stocking of 14,000 craylings on January 15, launching an on-farm verification trial designed to determine if raising redclaw crayfish in Philippine freshwater ponds makes commercial sense.

"We want our farmers to grow profits, not just crops," he said. "With proper observance of good aquaculture practices and biosecurity measures, the culture of Redclaw crayfish offers huge potential that could sustainably transform fish farming in the Philippines," he added.

The said crayfish farm is rolled out by the DA's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) with private-sector partners.

BFAR cited that this aquaculture venture is driven by science, markets, and controls, not just expansion for expansion’s sake.

The said project was formalized late last year with BFAR Administrative Circular No. 001, series of 2025, which sets the country’s first national rules for culturing Australian redclaw crayfish.

BFAR said that vroodstock and craylings must come from certified local hatcheries or BFAR facilities, keeping biosecurity risks in check.

The BFAR’s prototype hatchery is located at the National Freshwater Fisheries Technology Center.

30 female and 10 male breeders anchor the program, supported by 200 future breeders, producing up to 5,000 craylings per cycle over three to five cycles a year.

Another 300 craylings are earmarked for tank-based trials.

In Nueva Ecija, the test will run four to five months across four ponds. Two stocking densities, 10 and 15 crayfish per square meter, will be tested. Survival, growth, feed efficiency, and returns will decide whether the species can thrive commercially, BFAR stated.

If successful, BFAR will roll results into full technology demonstrations, packaging protocols for farmer training and wider adoption in suitable inland areas.