abalone

	Why abalone hatchery? � Hatchery technology has been developed by SEAFDEC/AQD � Wild or hatchery-bred broodstock spawns spontaneously throughout the year � Abalone feeds on the seaweed Gracilaria, and the technology for seaweed culture is an easy one � High demand for juveniles by culturists for grow-out culture � Less competition being a new aquaculture technology
Inquiry: AQD integrated mollusc program: Mr. Armando C. Fermin commodity team leader

Technological Viability Hatchery and nursery Breeders that are wild or hatchery-bred can be held in flow-through sand-filtered seawater tanks or stocked in floating sea cages. Abalone can spawn spontaneously in captivity throughout the year [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grow-out Hatchery-reared abalone juveniles (35-40 mm) can be grown in cages suspended in tanks, and in floating net cages in sheltered coves. They can grow to a marketable size of 55-60 mm within one year, faster than the temperate species [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stock enhancement and sea ranching Abalone is ideal for stock enhancement in marine protected areas (MPAs). And if fed artificial diet, the abalone exhibits a green band on its shell, and this band would serve as a marker for monitoring released abalone in MPAs --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feeds Abalone feeds continuously on seaweeds (Gracilaria), or it may be given a formulated diet Downloads Abalone culture poster 20.32 X 30.48 cm [3.55 MB] Conceptualized by SM Buen-Ursua Abalone Project

Research / News � Abalone: we need our space! � Substrate matters � Navicula + abalone mucus = high metamorphosis � Papaya, malunggay, ipil-ipil and Azolla: must-haves for abalone? � Abalone: feed, mark, let go � In abalone culture, omnivores rule � Abalone: don't cramp my style � Virus expected to cost abalone industry AQD's Work on Abalone Spontaneous spawning of wild-caught abalone in the hatchery was achieved in 1994. The following year, SEAFDEC/AQD started producing abalone juveniles in its hatcheries, and because the effort was pioneering, production was no higher that 50 million until 2005 when this skyrocketed to 198 million. The breakthroughs in abalone R&D at AQD had come rapidly, noted as follows: 1996 - Grow-out in floating sea cages was successfully undertaken 1997 - Abalone life cycle was completed 1998 - Formulated diets for juveniles were developed, and grow-out rearing in tanks successfully achieved 1999 - Formulated diet for broodstock maturation and spawning was successfully tested 2000-2001 - Seed production underwent more refinement, shell-marking method by feeding formulated diet was developed, and mass production of juveniles for culture and stock enhancement was started 2002-2003 - Searanching and stock enhancement begun experimentally, and techniques in abalone grow-out in floating net cage were refined 2004-2005 - Hatchery techniques for the mass production of juveniles were developed, behavioral studies of hatchery-produced juveniles for stock enhancement were conducted, and AQD began a training course on abalone hatchery and grow-out 2006 - Abalone hatchery technology was pilot-tested in a private hatchery in Oton, Iloilo