Abstract
AEI Aquaculture Environment Interactions Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections AEI 11:537-549 (2019) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00334 Survival and growth of the Caribbean scallops, Argopecten nucleus and Nodipecten nodosus, in suspended systems at different culture depths and net replacement frequencies L. A. Velasco*, J. Barros Laboratorio de Moluscos y Microalgas, Universidad del Magdalena, Carrera 32 No 22-08, Santa Marta, Colombia *Corresponding author: molmarcol@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Survival of the Caribbean scallops Argopecten nucleus and Nodipecten nodosus in suspended culture is relatively low. The effects of culture depth and frequency of net replacement on survival and growth of both scallops were assessed, in addition to the effects on the amount of biofouling and presence of predators in the culture systems. Hatchery-produced juveniles were kept in pearl nets suspended at 3 different culture depths (6, 9 and 12 m) with 2 frequencies for net replacement (i.e. monthly and every second month, hereafter ‘bimonthly’). Survival of both scallop species was higher at 12 m depth. A. nucleus also showed higher growth rates at 12 m depth, while N. nodosus exhibited higher growth rates at 6 m depth. A. nucleus and N. nodosus performed best under monthly and bimonthly net replacement schemes, respectively. Frequency of presence and size of cymatid predators did not differ between treatments, but greater frequency and size of portunids occurred at bimonthly net replacement in A. nucleus culture nets. In most months, the biofouling dry biomass in the pearl nets was higher in those maintained at a depth of 6 m with bimonthly net replacement. The results indicate that the survival of both scallops could be improved by maintaining the culture systems suspended at a depth of 12 m, under lower temperature conditions, and applying a monthly net replacement scheme in A. nucleus in order to minimize the biofouling on the nets and a bimonthly scheme in N. nodosus in order to minimize scallop perturbation associated with net replacement. KEY WORDS: Biofouling · Predators · Bivalves · Epibionts · Temperature · Portunids · Cymatids Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Velasco LA, Barros J (2019) Survival and growth of the Caribbean scallops, Argopecten nucleus and Nodipecten nodosus, in suspended systems at different culture depths and net replacement frequencies. Aquacult Environ Interact 11:537-549. https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00334 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in AEI Vol. 11. Online publication date: October 30, 2019 Print ISSN: 1869-215X; Online ISSN: 1869-7534 Copyright © 2019 Inter-Research.
Highlights
Argopecten nucleus (Born, 1780) and Nodipecten nodosus (Linnaeus, 1758) are pectinid species from the Caribbean, which are cultured at experimental and pilot scale (Velasco & Barros 2008, Velasco et al 2011, Valderrama et al 2016)
With the goal of identifying operational practices that could improve the productivity of A. nucleus and N. nodosus cultured in suspended systems, the present study assessed the effects of culture depth and frequency of net replacement on the survival and growth of both species as well as on the degree of biofouling and presence of predators
The biofouling dry biomass fluctuated between 215 and 1143 g m−2 (Fig. 3C), with the higher values found under a bimonthly net replacement scheme, in the month of August, and in pearl nets kept at a depth of 6 m, except in April when higher biofouling values were verified at 12 m (Table 1)
Summary
Argopecten nucleus (Born, 1780) and Nodipecten nodosus (Linnaeus, 1758) are pectinid species from the Caribbean, which are cultured at experimental and pilot scale (Velasco & Barros 2008, Velasco et al 2011, Valderrama et al 2016). A. nucleus is a species of moderate size (~50 mm) occurring over the sea bottom until 50 m depth, while N. nodosus reaches larger sizes (~150 mm) and lives attached to hard substrates at depths between 10 and 120 m (Díaz & Puyana 1994, Lodeiros et al 1999) Both exhibit strong growth in suspended culture systems at low densities Some of the main predator species for these scallops in suspended culture systems are portunid crabs (Charybdis hellerii and Cronius ruber) and cymatid snails (Cymatium pileare and C. cingulatum) (Freites et al 2000, Ciocco & Orensanz 2001, Velasco et al 2009). With the goal of identifying operational practices that could improve the productivity of A. nucleus and N. nodosus cultured in suspended systems, the present study assessed the effects of culture depth and frequency of net replacement on the survival and growth of both species as well as on the degree of biofouling and presence of predators
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