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| Effects of key enenvironmental factors on ovarian maturation and spawning performance of pond-reared banana prawn, Penaeus merguiensis 03/1999-03/2002 Supported by Griffith University and Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Australia The lack of quality postlarvae Penaeus monodon (due to Increasing shortage of wild broodtock) has resulted in a shift to other species, which do not grow as fast as P. monodon, but can reproduce effectively in captivity for a reliable supply of shrimp seed. Examples of success include the white leg shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei and P. (L.) stylirostris in the western hemisphere. With these two species, progress in domesticating and selectively breeding is far advanced than in P. monodon, bringing the real benefits for the shrimp farming through the introduction of fast-growth or diseases free stocks. The introduction of these species to Asia (where 70-80% of the world cultured shrimp production is producing) also prompts concerns about spread of unknown diseases. The banana prawn, P. (Fenneropenaeus) merguiensis native to the Indo-Pacific region appears to be a good species for shrimp farming (Hoang 2001c). Banana prawn has been cultured for a long time in southeast Asia, mainly in extensive ponds and was an important species before the culture of P. monodon rapidly took off in 1980s. At that time, the failures of some initial trials to grow P. merguiensis at semi-intensive or intensitve scales have created reluctance of modern famers to further invest in this species. Recent attemps in Australia, on the contradictory, resulted in an attractive production figure of 4-5 tons per ha per 5 months. Stocking density can be high (40 - 70 per m2) and survival is often high. Banana prawn can mature and spawn in culture ponds, producing viable postlarvae for stocking. This permits domestication or selective breeding to start. With generation time between 6 and 8 months, selected strains could be soon available for the shrimp farming industry. As the future of shrimp farming will rely on pond-reared broodstock for hatchery production, this 3-year study investigated the effects of three key environmental factors (temperature, light intensity and photoperiod) on ovarian maturation and spawning performance of pond-reared P. merguiensis. It also attempted using environmental manipulation to imrove reproductive readiness of pond-reared broodstock. The hypothesis behind the manipulation protocols tested is the "Inhibitory Spawning Hypothesis", which explains the controlling mechanism of reproduction in penaeids. A number of valuable observations on cold tolernce, moulting and growth, sexual maturity, spawning behaviour, effects of increasing salinity on ovarian maturation of pond-reared P. merguiensis are also reported (see list of publications). |
| Last updated July 17, 2002 |
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| Create an inland prawn farming industry June/2001-June/2003 Funded by Queensland Department of Primary Industry Led by Dr. Adrian Collins, BIARC, QDPI In recent years, inland shrimp farming has become more popular. Cheaper lands, less confliction with other economic activities on the coast, higher biosecurity (less problem with diseases) are the major reasons for the conception of inland shrimp farming. As many species of penaeids can tolerate and grow at low salinities, they can be cultured in inland ponds using underground waters or using concentrated brine water to mix with freshwater. The development of new technologies in water recirculation and advances in pond water quality management have allowed this practice to thrill. In arid areas or where underground waters are too salty for horticulture or livestocks, the advantage of inland shrimp farming emerges obviously. This project, led by Dr. Adrian Collins, is examining the possibility of using low saline underground waters in Queensland, Australia for P. monodon, P. merguiensis and crab culture. Results from experiments at Bribie Island Aquaculture Centre suggest that inland farming of these species is feasible. Farm trials will start soon to examine this possibility in the real culture context. |
| Assess the possibility to produce juveniles of slipper lobster in hatchery June 2003 - June 2005 A small grant was provided by the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam for this preliminary work. Slipper lobster has been identified as a potential species for cage mariculture by the Ministry of Fisheries, particularly when rock spiny lobster culture in cages is encountering problem in seed supply. This challenging project will be implemented in two years with an expection to learn more about the reproductive biology of the species. |