Growth rate, meat yield, condition index and reproduction of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Lamarck 1819) integrated to a fish farm

Abstract

In the current study mussels were integrated to a fish farm located at the Aegean Sea, which is providing important production sites for the European aquaculture industry. Growth and survival, meat yield, condition index were calculated and gonad development was observed monthly over a one year period from April 2018–2019. First the impact area of sea cage farm was determined and study carried out at three sitations that were identified as impact zone, sea cage center and distant zone without impact from farm site. Temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a and particulate matter were measured monthly. It was determined that, the mussel growth of at the impact zone was statistically significant with a final size of 61.36 ± 4.2 mm which was superior than those located in the center point and far distance zone with no influence from the cage farm. The mussels in the study area were in the resting phase during the summer months; became sexually active with the decline in water temperature and spawning occurred during the winter time from December to March.