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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Integrated seaweed cultivation on an abalone farm in South Africa
Journal of Applied Phycology, Volume 20, No. 5, Year 2008
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Description
Land-based abalone aquaculture in South Africa, based on the local species Haliotis midae, started in the early 1990s and has grown rapidly in the last decade, with 13 commercial farms now producing over 850 t per annum. Over 6,000 t per annum of kelp Ecklonia maxima are now harvested for this purpose, and some kelp beds are reaching maximum sustainable limits. Research into seaweed aquaculture as feed (Ulva and some Gracilaria) for abalone started in the late 1990s on the southeast coast (where there are no kelp beds) using abalone waste water. A growing body of evidence suggests that a mixed diet of kelp plus other seaweeds can give growth rates at least as good as compound feed, and can improve abalone quality and reduce parasite loads. A pilot scale Ulva lactuca and abalone integrated recirculation unit using 25% recirculation was designed and built on the south west coast of South Africa using one 12,000-L abalone tank containing 13,200 15±2.5 g abalone, connected to two 3,000-L seaweed tanks containing an initial starting biomass of 10 kg of seaweed, replicated 3 times. In an 18-month period, there were no significant differences in abalone health or growth rates, sediment build up and composition, mobile macro fauna densities and species between the recirculation or the flow-through units. Transfer of oxygen generated by the seaweeds to the abalone tanks was poor, resulting in the recirculated abalone tanks having lower (33%) dissolved oxygen concentrations than a comparable flow-through abalone unit. Seaweed nutrient content and specific growth rates in the units were comparable to seaweeds cultivated in fertilized effluent (SGR=3.2±3.4%.day-1; Yield=0.2±0.19 kg.m2.day-1). Indications were that at this low recirculation ratio the seaweeds in the units were nutrient limited and that there were no negative effects to the abalone being cultivated in such a recirculation unit at this recirculation ratio. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
Authors & Co-Authors
Robertson-Andersson, Deborah Vivienne
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
South Africa, Bellville
University of the Western Cape
Potgieter, Michelle
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Hansen, Joakim P.
Sweden, Stockholm
Stockholms Universitet
Bolton, John J.
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Troell, Max Fredrik
Sweden, Stockholm
Stockholms Universitet
Sweden, Stockholm
Kungl. Vetenskapsakademien
Anderson, Robert J.
South Africa, Cape Town
Marine and Coastal Management
Halling, Christina
Sweden, Stockholm
Stockholms Universitet
Probyn, Trevor A.
South Africa, Cape Town
Marine and Coastal Management
Statistics
Citations: 106
Authors: 8
Affiliations: 5
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1007/s10811-007-9239-7
ISSN:
09218971
Research Areas
Environmental
Study Locations
South Africa