Abstract
The strong demand for live spiny lobsters in Asian markets is being met by long-distance airfreight. Holding lobsters out of water during transportation often results in mortalities due to the accumulation of metabolites, especially ammonia. This study examined the potential to improve the survival of tropical lobster species exported from India through the use of the food-safe aquatic anaesthetic isobutanol, both with and without cold stunning, typically used prior to live lobster transportation. The results of the study indicate that treatment with 50 ppm isobutanol in ambient seawater temperature (i.e., 28 °C) prior to simulated live transport for 22 h significantly reduces ammonia levels in the haemolymph in all four lobster species (Panulirus homarus, P. ornatus, P. versicolor and P. polyphagus) compared to lobsters treated with cold stunning (i.e., 16.5 °C) with and without 10 ppm isobutanol. Cold stunning at 16.5 °C combined with 10 ppm isobutanol reduced ammonia levels compared to cold stunning alone only in P. ornatus. All experimental lobsters were returned to ambient seawater after simulated transport and were alive after 48 h. These results indicate that isobutanol has the potential to be used to suppress metabolism during the live transport of tropical lobsters and to reduce mortalities during live transport.
Highlights
Academic Editor: VittorioSpiny lobsters are one of the most valuable seafood species in the world, with well over USD 1 billion of harvest each year and extensive global trading [1,2,3]
Given the significant financial losses due to the mortality of live lobsters exported from India, the aim of the present study was to determine whether isobutanol could be used as an aquatic anaesthetic to improve the survival of four of the most valuable live lobster species exported from India (P. homarus, P. versicolour, P. ornatus and P. polyphagus), with isobutanol either used on its own or in conjunction with the typical chill-stunning methods used for the live transport of spiny lobsters from India
Given that the aim of this initial study was to assess the potential of isobutanol to be used as an aquatic anaesthetic to improve the survival of four of the most valuable live lobster species exported from India, a simultaneous experiment was conducted on all four species (P. homarus, P. versicolour, P. ornatus and P. polyphagus) to avoid the potential of experimental artefacts arising from serial experimentation with individual species
Summary
Spiny lobsters are one of the most valuable seafood species in the world, with well over USD 1 billion of harvest each year and extensive global trading [1,2,3]. With the strong growth in a number of Asian economies, where spiny lobsters are highly prized, the market demand and prices in the Asian region for spiny lobsters have increased dramatically in the past 20 years. As a consequence of the market demand, spiny lobsters are being shipped to Asia from fisheries in many distant locations, including. The Asian consumer market has a very strong preference for live lobsters, with holding tanks of live lobsters a frequent sight outside seafood restaurants and markets, with consumers paying premium prices for the live product.
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