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Growth Rate of the California Sea Cucumber Parastichopus californicus : Measurement Accuracy and Relationships between Size and Weight Metrics
Author(s) -
Hannah Lucie,
Duprey Nicholas,
Blackburn John,
Hand Claudia M.,
Pearce Christopher M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1080/02755947.2012.663455
Subject(s) - bay , fishery , juvenile , sea cucumber , biology , condition index , environmental science , zoology , oceanography , ecology , geology
Management of the fishery for California sea cucumbers Parastichopus californicus in the Pacific Northwest is limited by a lack of natural growth rate estimates. Growth rates of caged juvenile California sea cucumbers (from Departure Bay, British Columbia) consuming a natural diet for 12 months (September 2008–September 2009) were examined. Growth was low between September and March but significantly increased thereafter, appearing to follow seasonal physiological processes, temperature, and natural sedimentation rates. Over the 12‐month period, whole wet weight in air (WWA) increased by an average of 164%, immersed whole weight (IWW) increased by 251%, and the size index (SI) increased by 85%. Average standard growth rates were 0.267%/d for WWA, 0.346%/d for IWW, and 0.169%/d for SI. Measurement accuracy, effects of body content, and relationships between size and weight metrics are discussed. These findings are an important addition to the knowledge of California sea cucumber biology and are valuable for the stock assessment, fisheries management, and aquaculture of this species. Received January 1, 2011; accepted November 10, 2011