Download PPT - Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia

Overview of the production cycle
for bivalve culture
oysters
clams
scallops
mussels
Marc Ouellette
Aquaculture and Coastal Ecosystem Section
Gulf Fisheries Centre, Moncton, NB, Canada
Eastern Canada : unique ecosystems (& geopolitical)
Newfoundland
Québec
Gaspésie (QU)
IM (QU)
Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
(France)
sGSL
Prince Edward Island
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Maine
(US)
Atlantic Ocean
“extreme environmental conditions”
Eastern Canada : unique ecosystems
Commercial species (bivalves)
Aquaculture & Fisheries
Blue mussel
Mytilus edulis
foundation
Fisheries & Aquaculture (potential)
Northern quahaug
Mercenaria mercenaria
Soft-shell clam
Mya arenaria
Bar clam
Spisula solidissima
Traditional Fisheries
American oyster
Crassostrea virginica
Stimpson’s surf clam
Spisula polynima
Ocean quahaug
Arctica islandica
Razor clam
Ensis directus
“sea ranching”
Aquaculture
Giant scallop
Placopecten magellanicus
(non-indigenous species)
European “Belon” oyster
Ostrea edulis
Bay scallop
Argopecten irradians
Shellfish aquaculture (biology & ecology 101)
“productivity vs. survivorship”
« filter-feeders »
physicochemical characteristics
optimal
threshold (min.)
•
•
•
•
•
•
temperature
salinity
oxygen
nutrients
pH
...
threshold (max.)
(Newell 2004)
Shellfish aquaculture (coastal zone characteristics)
Site location:
oyster (2-3 m)
blue mussel (4-5 m)
•
•
•
•
•
water depth
currents, waves
ice
turbidity (sedimentation)
...
Orb View-2 (03-05-99)
Shellfish aquaculture (techniques & husbandry)
“spat collection”
American oyster
Blue mussel
“fouling & predation control”
Shellfish aquaculture (production cycle)
aquatic environment (full exposure)
Growth = T°, nutrients, food, predation & competition, water quality...
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
$
harvesting
grow out
spat collection
Cost = equipment, labour, volume...
“cocktail”
Blue mussel
Mytilus edulis
American oyster
Crassostrea virginica
Shellfish aquaculture (production cycle)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
$
spat collection
harvesting
grow out
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
$
spat collection
grow out
Year 1
Year 2
harvesting
Year 3
Year 4
$
spat collection
grow out
harvesting
Laws of the market (time, quality, volume...)
Shellfish aquaculture
12,000
(blue mussel industry)
Exploration
16,000
Developement
14,000
8,000
6,000
oyster
4,000
2,000
scallop
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
clams
2,000
0
1980
AIS
12,000
0
1985
2009
1990
Year
1995
2000
Production (t)
mussels
Management
Surface (acres)
10,000
Shellfish aquaculture (sustainability)
spat
($)
(++++)
overwinter
market
($$$$) - ($$$) = ($)
harvest
(+)
+ Time = - $
(+++)
(+ cost & - volume)
grow-out (1)
overwinter
overwinter
(++)
($$)
($$$)
grow-out
(x)
energy ($) = temperature + food
survivorship = fitness & size
versus
(predation)
productivity = growth, meat yield...
Shellfish aquaculture (strategies)
monitoring & maintenance
($$)
($)
($$)
wild seed
(spat collection)
Nursery (water based):
Flupsy
(+ / -)
(++)
Grow-out (water based):
floating bags
overwintering
seeding
(++)
Harvesting
« ground zero of the operation! »
($$$$)
($$$)
($$$)
Hatchery seed
(spat production)
Nursery (land based):
raceway
upweller / downweller
Grow-out (land based):
raceway
upweller / downweller
(+++)
(++++)
(+++)
Production cycle - oyster & mussel
Shellfish aquaculture (strategies)
monitoring & maintenance
Issues:
• oysters (growth = 3-5 years)
• mussels ($/lbs vs. costs)
($$)
($)
($$)
wild seed
(spat collection)
Nursery (water based):
Flupsy
(+ / -)
(++)
Grow-out (water based):
floating bags
overwintering
seeding
(++)
Harvesting
($$$$)
($$$)
($$$)
Hatchery seed
(spat production)
Nursery (land based):
raceway
upweller / downweller
Grow-out (land based):
raceway
upweller / downweller
(+++)
(++++)
(+++)
Production cycle - clams (?)
Shellfish aquaculture (strategies)
monitoring & maintenance
“one size does not fit all!”
($$)
($)
($$)
wild seed
(spat collection)
Nursery (water based):
Flupsy
(+ / -)
(++)
Grow-out (water based):
floating bags
overwintering
seeding
(++)
(?)
site specific
Harvesting
($$$$)
($$$)
($$$)
Hatchery seed
(spat production)
Nursery (land based):
raceway
upweller / downweller
Grow-out (land based):
raceway
upweller / downweller
(+++)
(++++)
(+++)
Shellfish aquaculture (R&D Funding)
Questions?
spat
(hatchery seed production)
(++++)
overwinter
harvest
(+)
Production cycle?
(alternative species)
(+++)
overwinter
overwinter
(++)
grow-out
(x)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
construction vs. improvement
improvement vs. technology transfer
technology transfer vs. innovation
innovation vs. research
applied vs. fundamental research
research vs. development
Phase I vs. Phase II vs. Phase III
...
grow-out (1)
Funding?
•
•
•
•
•
•
ACRDP
AIMAP
IRAP
ACOA
AIF
...
« To hatch or not to hatch... that is the question! »
Conclusion

Shellfish hatchery
(pros & cons analysis)

seed production (alternative species)

broodstock development (established species)

American oyster (genetics)

Mercenaria mercenaria
& notata
growth vs. fitness

government vs. private vs. community owned and operated

risks assessment of relying on external sources (sustainability)


I&T issues, price fluctuation, supply reliability...
national (BC to Maritimes), international (US to Canada)

high tech vs. low tech

funding