Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T14:45:09.633Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of mesh coverings on retention and growth of blacklip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) spat during early nursery culture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 October 2008

Andrew C. Beer  and
Paul C. Southgate
Andrew C. Beer
Affiliation:
Pearl Oyster Research Group, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia
Paul C. Southgate
Affiliation:
Pearl Oyster Research Group, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia
Get access

Abstract

Hatchery produced pearl oyster spat are generally transferred to the ocean on spat collectors which may, or may not, be covered with fine mesh to prevent spat loss. This study examined the effectiveness of mesh bag covers on culture units for spat of the blacklip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera. It assessed spat retention and growth in culture units without mesh bags (REMOVE) and in those where mesh bags were replaced weekly (REPLACE), washed weekly (WASH) or left unwashed (NO WASH) for the duration of the six-week experiment. Culture units in the REPLACE treatment had the greatest number of spat at the end of the experiment and 41% more spat than in the REMOVE treatment. Grading of the spat from each treatment at the end of the experiment showed that the REPLACE treatment had the highest number of spat in large and medium size classes with mean (± SE) dorso-ventral height of 23.9 ± 0.5 mm and 17.4 ± 0.5 mm, respectively. Mean wet weight of the mesh bags at the end of the experiment differed between treatments with bags from the WASH and NO WASH treatments having significantly greater mean wet weights than those from the REPLACE treatment. The results show that the presence of a mesh bag around spat culture units may improve retention of spat by between 18–41%. However, protective mesh bags may foul quickly and, to maximise retention and spat growth, weekly replacement of mesh bags should be undertaken.

Keywords

Pearl oysterSpat collectionGrowthSurvivalNursery culturePinctada margaritifera
Type
Brief Report
Information
Aquatic Living Resources , Volume 21 , Issue 4 , October 2008 , pp. 441 - 445
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, IFREMER, IRD, 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Fassler R.C., 2002, Recent developments in selected Pacific and Indian Ocean black pearl projects. World Aquaculture Society. World Aquaculture 2002, Beijing, China, Book of Abstracts p. 218.
Friedman, K.J., Bell, J.D., 1996, Effects of different substrata and protective mesh bags on collection of spat of the pearl oysters, Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) and Pinctada maculata (Gould, 1850). J. Shellfish Res. 15, 535–541.
Friedman, K.J., Southgate, P.C., 1999a, Growout of blacklip pearl oysters, Pinctada margaritifera collected as wild spat in Solomon Islands. J. Shellfish Res. 18, 159–168.
Friedman, K.J., Southgate, P.C., 1999b, Grow-out of blacklip pearl oysters, $P.$ margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) on chaplet in suspended culture in Solomon Islands. J. Shellfish Res. 18, 451–458.
Gervis, M.H., Sims, N.A., 1992, The biology and culture of pearl oysters (Bivalvia: Pteriidae). ICLARM Stud. Rev. 21, 49 p.
Holliday, J.E., Maguire, G.B., Nell, J.A., 1991, Optimum stocking density for nursery culture of Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea commercialis). Aquaculture 96, 7–16. CrossRef
Pit, J.H., Southgate, P.C., 2000, When should pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera (L), spat be transferred from hatchery to the ocean? Aquac. Res. 31, 773–778.
Pit J.H., Southgate P.C., 2003a, Fouling and predation; how do they affect growth and survival of the blacklip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, during nursery culture? Aquac. Int. 11, 545–555.
Pit, J.H., Southgate, P.C., 2003b, Should slow growing pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) spat (`runts') be discarded? J. Shellfish Res. 22, 773–775.
Rose, R.A., Baker, S.B., 1994, Larval and spat culture of the Western Australian silver- or gold-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada maxima Jameson (Mollusca: Pteriidae). Aquaculture 126, 35–50. CrossRef
Southgate, P.C., Beer, A.C., 1997, Hatchery and early nursery culture of the blacklip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera L). J. Shellfish Res. 16, 561–567.
Southgate, P.C., Beer, A.C., 2000, Growth of blacklip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) juveniles using different nursery culture techniques. Aquaculture 187, 97–104. CrossRef
Taylor, J.J., Rose, R.A., Southgate, P.C., 1997a, Inducing detachment of silverlip pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima Jameson) spat from collectors. Aquaculture 159, 11–17. CrossRef
Taylor, J.J., Southgate, P.C., Rose, R.A., 1997b, Fouling animals and their effect on the growth of silverlip pearl oysters, Pinctada maxima (Jameson) in suspended culture. Aquaculture 153, 31–40. CrossRef
Taylor, J.J., Southgate, P.C., Rose, R.A., 1998, Effects of mesh covers on the growth and survival of silver lip pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima Jameson) spat. Aquaculture 162, 241–246. CrossRef
Zar J.H., 1996, Biostatistical Analysis. Prentice Hall, London.