Growth, Production and Economic Considerations for Commercial Production of Marketable Sizes of Spotted Babylon, Babylonia areolata, using a Pilot Abandoned Marine Shrimp Hatchery and Recirculating Culture System"

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This study was conducted to determine the feasibility for culture of spotted babylon juveniles (Babylonia areolata) to marketable sizes using an abandoned marine shrimp hatchery. It was reconstructed with a large-scale recirculating culture system of 4.0 x 24.5 x 0.4 m concrete rearing ponds. The growth, production and economic analysis for culture of spotted babylon was evaluated. The average growth rates of spotted babylon were 0.94 g / mo. Feed conversion ratio was 1.8 and the average final survival was 90.5%. At the end of the experiment, the average yield was 148 kg / pond. The total production for six rearing ponds was estimated at 884 kg. Based on the farm data, stocking data and harvest data used in this study, total cost per 6 month production cycle was $6,458.40 (USD). In 2007, at farm gate prices of $8.60/kg (USD) resulted in a gross return and net return per production cycle of $7,575.90 (USD) and $1,117.50 (USD), respectively. The benefit cost ratio (BCR) showed a positive profit (1.17) and a payback period of 5.7 production cycles. The present study indicated that the use of an abandoned marine shrimp hatchery reconstructed to include a recirculating culture system was economically attractive for culture of juvenile B. areolata to marketable sizes.