Assessment of macroinvertebrates culture in an integrated multitrophic aquaculture system

Abstract

A continuously expanding world population along with less availability in natural resources requires an aquaculture sector that must be able to produce more with less. Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture Systems (IMTA) are more efficient food production systems, allowing to grow together different organisms using an ecosystem-based approach. This work represents a preliminary assessment of the potential of production of invertebrates, including filter feeders (oysters), herbivorous/detritus feeders (sea urchins), and detritus feeders (sea cucumbers and peanut worms), using pumped nutrient enriched water from a fish pond. Good results were attained concerning oysters’ growth, while for sea urchins the growth was temperature-dependent, with replacement by sea cucumbers when the temperature raised above a certain level. Regarding the peanut worms, several reasons may have contributed to the poor results, such as high temperature, or excessive water renewal in the experimental tanks and lack of appropriate food items. Further research and experimental work are necessary to define the best environmental conditions appropriate to the culture of some of the invertebrates tested, such as the peanut worms.