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Demonstration of Blue Crab Culture in Inland Low‐Salinity Waters of West Alabama
Author(s) -
Roy Luke A.,
Whitis Gregory N.,
Walton William C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
north american journal of aquaculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.432
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1548-8454
pISSN - 1522-2055
DOI - 10.1080/15222055.2012.676006
Subject(s) - callinectes , fishery , salinity , shrimp , biology , aquaculture , euryhaline , penaeus monodon , estuary , crustacean , ecology , fish <actinopterygii>
The decline in natural stocks of blue crabs Callinectes sapidus in U.S. coastal waters has created more interest in the aquaculture of this species. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill threatened the health of blue crab populations in the Gulf of Mexico and spurred interest in alternative sources of blue crab harvest. Inland low‐salinity waters (ILSW) of west Alabama have a proven potential for the culture of euryhaline crustaceans. This study sought to evaluate the potential for blue crab culture in ILSW for commercial aquaculture and as a potential nursery for restoration efforts. A 21‐d bioassay was conducted using four different pond waters of differing ionic composition and salinity (2.0–5.7‰). No significant differences in survival, weight gain (%), and final weight were observed among different pond waters. An on‐farm demonstration was conducted in a 1.5‐acre low‐salinity pond (5.0‰) at a shrimp farm in west Alabama. Crabs grew from 2.0 to 202.0 g in less than 120 d when offered a varied diet of commercial shrimp feed, catfish offal, and fresh whole catfish. Results from these trials suggest that there is excellent biological potential for culture of blue crabs in ILSW of west Alabama.