| Updated
4 September 2002 |
| Project Title: |
Purple Hinge Rock Scallop
Aquaculture Development |
| Project Number: |
A/152-15 |
Initiation Date: |
02/01/2002 |
| Revision Date: |
|
Completion Date: |
01/31/2004 |
| Principal Investigator: |
Ray
RaLonde |
| Affiliation: |
Marine Advisory Program, School
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, UAF |
| Sea Grant Funds: |
$20,823 |
| Match Funds: |
$10,343 |
| Related Projects: |
|
| Parent Projects: |
|
| Keywords: |
shellfish aquaculture, scallop,
purple hinge rock scallop |
| 1. Objectives: |
- Test the feasibility of culturing purple hinge rock scallop
(Crassadoma gigantea) by suspended cage culture in scallop
lantern nets, Nornets, ear hanging, and adhesive attachment
to substrate.
- Determine the amount of drop-off from ear-hanging and adhesive-attachment
techniques.
- Measure the growth and mortality of purple hinge rock scallop
cultured by each method listed in objective 1 for the four years
of growout.
- Determine the effect of oceanographic conditions on the growth
and survival of purple hinge rock scallop by culturing scallop
in four sites for the first two years of growout.
|
| 2. Rationale: |
The survival of the Alaskan
shellfish culture industry depends on its ability to diversify
production to species other than the Pacific oyster. Over the
past eight years, the Alaskan shellfish farming industry has conducted
a series of projects to expand production of shellfish species
native to Alaska. Shellfish hatchery technology was developed
in 1999 to produce seed from purple hinge rock scallop. Since
the scallops are not grown in captivity, purple hinge rock scallop
growout protocols have not been developed.
Purple hinge rock scallop seed is now being produced in Alaska
at the Qutekcak Shellfish Hatchery in Seward. Approximately 1,000
seed are currently being grown at a single farm; however, an expanded
project is necessary to provide farmers with complete growout
information.
The intent of this project is to conduct growout research in
cooperation with participating farms and provide the information
to the farming industry. |
| 3. Methodology: |
Growout studies will be conducted
at five sites located in southeastern Alaska. Three growout techniques
will be employed at each location. Growth and survival data will
be collected over a four-year period. The information will be disseminated
to shellfish farmers to be used for developing business and operation
plans. |
4. Benefits:
|
This project intends to develop
growout procedures, site selection criteria, and economic information
necessary to bring purple hinge rock scallop into full farm production.
The Alaskan shellfish farming industry needs to expand into high-valued
shellfish species in order to survive. The purple hinge rock scallop
is the most desirable new species for growout in Alaska. |
| 5. Accomplishments: |
September 2002
Experimental protocols for nursery phase growout were developed
in April 2002, and rock scallop seed (3 mm–5 mm) were shipped
to two sites, Rocky Pass Seafarm near Juneau and Tenass Pass Seafarm
north of Craig, Alaska. By September 1, 2002, nursery stock scallop
at Tenass Pass ranged from 16-32 mm and will be ready for stocking
in growout gear by late fall 2002. Results from the colder Rock
Pass nursery will be forthcoming. Permit applications have been
submitted to distribute the post-nursery-phase scallop to five locations
in southeastern Alaska for a comparison study of growout potential
under various oceanographic conditions. |
| 6. Students supported: |
None. |
| 7. Extras and Follow-up: |
Equipment for the growout project
has been ordered and will arrive for distribution to the growout
sites by October 2002. |
