Developing optimal grow-out culture systems and diets for green sea urchin juveniles
The general objective of the project is the development and testing of systems and diets for on-growing juvenile and sub-adult sea urchins. Specifically, this project aims to:
- Obtain a good understanding of the dietary requirements, feeding and growth of post-larval green sea urchins.
- Determine the effects of different diatom strains on early survival and growth.
- Determine the effect of initial food quality on longer term juvenile survival and growth.
- Develop a good understanding of the feeding and growth of young sea urchins and identify optimal diet items for the critical early life-history stages.
- Develop effective systems for growing out juvenile sea urchins. This involves system design, water flow patterns and investigating the potential for re-circulation technology.
- Determine essential rearing parameters such as adequate water renewal rates, optimal stocking densities, optimal rearing temperatures and salinities etc.
- Determine the essential dietary components in prepared feeds for on-growing juvenile sea urchins.
- Investigate the potential of developing low-cost but effective prepared diets for sea urchin growth and roe-enhancement.
Pearce CM, SW Williams, F Yuan, JD Castell, SMC Robinson (2005) Effect of temperature on somatic growth and survivorship of early post-settled green sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (Müller). Aquacult Res 36: 600-609
Walbourne CM, JF Piercey, SMC Robinson, JD Castell, CM Pearce (2005) Preliminary assessment of recirculation technology for cultivation of the green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis). Can Tech Rep Fish Aquat Sci 2569: iv + 12 pp
Project Start Date: September 01 2002
Project End Date: May 31 2005
Chris Pearce (PearceC@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca)
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