Site selection for tropical marine fish hatchery and its application in the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua

Abstract

A five-phase procedure for tropical marine fish hatchery site evaluation and selection is presented. On phase-1, the main definitions and criteria should be established, followed by a preliminary screening phase-2 to select several potential sites located at the interest region, based on historic records. In phase-3, additional historic information and general information gathered during preliminary visits will possibly allow the reduction of the potential site list, as well as to prepare a sampling program to complete and up-date characterization of the most relevant sites for the assessment of each site potentialities. On phase-4, the evaluation of the pre-selected and monitored sites will allow the selection of the best site available on the target region, based on a point and multiplying factor system adapted to the present purpose. Final phase-5 should be the pilot-scale operations to adapt and make the adjustments required to the specific selected site, before the commercial scale investments are completed. The applied system can be modified according to the planned technologies, as well as particular considerations to be applied. Results of application of this procedure on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua are presented. Four areas were initially identified and only one was selected to continue the evaluation process, Big Corn Island. Of the five specific sites at Big Corn Island sites that were evaluated, Sandy Fly Point was selected by its highest total score.