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Intensive culture of oysters, Crassostrea virginica, in the Chesapeake Bay: Development of flow models to predict optimum site selection for off-bottom culture.
Luckenbach, Mark Mann, Roger
Luckenbach, Mark
Mann, Roger
Abstract
Intensive off-bottom culture of oysters, Crassostrea virginica, is emerging as an alternative to a collapsed wild oyster fishery along the mid-Atlantic coast of the U.S. The Virginia Institute of Marine Science Oyster Aquaculture Program has been actively involved in the development of techniques which have led to rapid growth in oyster aquaculture in Chesapeake Bay.
Our approach towards growing oysters in disease endemic areas is predicated on rapid growth to market size, in effect out running the diseases. Thus, the selection of good growing sites is critically important. In this project we sought to improve site selection capabilities for oyster aquaculture by developing an approach based upon the potential of the local food supply to support rapid growth. Based upon field experiments using hatchery-spawned, single cohort animals, we initially developed a posteriori models to explain variation in oyster growth between sites. Subsequently, these models provided the basis for making a priori predictions of oyster growth rates, which we then tested in field experiments conducted at a large number of sites in Virginia.
Initial tests of the model revealed some success, but also identified some areas of concern: high current velocities and dinoflagellate blooms. Field experiments which manipulated water flow through groups of cultured oysters were used to clarify the relationship between current velocity and oyster growth rate. A series of studies on the effects of dinoflagellate blooms on oysters (conducted in this and a concurrent project) revealed species-specific effects of dinoflagellates on oyster growth and survival, and pointed to the need to apply this model cautiously in areas which experience blooms.
In conjunction with another research project (funded by VA Center for Innovative Technology), we produced triploid (3N) oysters and compared their growth rates in the field to . normal diploid (2N) oysters. Although triploid oysters generally grew slightly faster than diploid oysters in the field, this improved performance was not sufficient to offset the hatchery losses associated with their production.
The approaches we developed have contributed significantly to our ability assist in site selection for a growing oyster aquaculture industry in the mid-Atlantic. Widespread dissemination of the results at scientific meetings and aquaculture workshops have made the approach of evaluating sites based, in part, upon food flux available to the emerging industry.
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1995
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Virginia Institute of Marine Science
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luckenbach_mann_1995.pdf
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Natural Resources