Suspended mesh-bags enclosures for Southern King Crab Lithodes santolla (Molina 1782) larvae and juvenile culture in the sea

SOTELANO, M. PAULA; LOVRICH, GUSTAVO A.,; DI SALVATORE PABLO; FLORENTIN, OLGA; GIAMPORTONE ARIEL; TAPELLA FEDERICO

AQUACULTURE

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdamm; Año: 2018 vol. 495 p. 575 - 581

0044-8486

The potential for using suspended mesh-bags forlarval/juvenile southern king crab (Lithodes santolla) aquaculture wasassessed. Three early stages (Zoea, Megalopa and first juvenile, or C1) wereconfined for 45-65 days in mesh-bags near the sea-bottom. As L. santolla startsfeeding when it reaches the first juvenile stage, the effect of biofoulingpresence was also tested in the C1 culture. Extreme vulnerability of the firstlarval stage was observed, as no live larvae were recovered when Z1 were usedas seeds. On the other hand, survival of Megalopa and C1 reached 19.76 ±1.08and 30.00 ±3.50 %, respectively, and both C1 juvenile survival and growth wereenhanced significantly by the presence of biofouling on the bags. These resultsindicate that suspended mesh-bags have potential for L. santolla juvenileculture in the sea. We suggest a 2-step culture process: indoor culturing ofthe three Zoea stages, and subsequently sea culture starting at the Megalopastage. Once Megalopa molt to the C1 stage in the field, the already fouledculture system (mesh-bags) would allow newly molted crabs to feed. Furtherresearch should be directed towards sea culture optimization, including feedingrequirements for bigger crabs, to implement a future stock enhancement programfor king crabs in the Beagle Channel. .