1. Aquaculture of Marine Shrimp
Ana Paula Pego
Marine Aquaculture - DISL
Dr. Hugh Hammer – Summer 2012

2. Cultured Marine Shrimp/Taxonomy
Pacific whiteleg shrimp
(Pacific white shrimp)
Litopenaeus vannamei
(Formally known as Penaeus vannamei)

3. Cultured Marine Shrimp/Taxonomy
Pacific tiger shrimp
(giant tiger prawn)
Penaeus monodon

4. Biology/Habitat
Benthic feeders: detritus, bivalves, worms, crustaceans
Preferred temperature: Above 20 °C
Preferred salinity: Between ppt
Maturity: Male 20g, Female 28g (8-10 months app.)
Penaeus vannamei
Penaeus monodon

5. WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?
NOT ME!!!

7. Economic Importance
Worldwide production: 5.0 million metric tons per year
US$ 9 billion/year
The United States import 500,000 tons that account for US$ 3 billion.

8. Price $$$ United States Import: 2000 – US$ 5.00/ lbs.
Store:
Small ≈ US$ 5.00 / 12 oz.
Large ≈ US$ 8.00
Europe 2000 – US$8.50/kg small shrimp
Japan 2000 – US$8.00/kg large shrimp

9. Main Markets United States Europe Union Japan
These three sites consume more than one third of the consumption of shrimp in the world.

10. Main Countries of Production
SE Asia account for more than 75% of the world’s production (China and Thailand mainly)
In the USA, mainly Texas and South Carolina
<1% global
Latin American account for about 20%

11. Invasive Species
Pacific white shrimp is an invasive species on the Gulf of Mexico.
Production in ponds in all coastal states, but it is hypothesized that Texas’ ponds are responsible for the addition of the species in the GOM.

12. Life Cycle/Larvae Larvae: nauplii - survive off yolk reserves
Protozoe - planktivore
Mysis – planktivore
Early post larvae - planktivore
Postlarvae – benthic feeder
Reach maturity at about 10 months
Adults live and spawn in open ocean
Postlarvae migrate inshore - estuaries, mangroves – and they stay there as juveniles until they reach maturity to go to open ocean

13. Reproduction in Captivity
Capture shrimp from ocean – if mature adult add to spawning tanks in hatchery, if juvenile, add to maturity tank for a few months;
Eggs are taken into hatching tanks until they form the first stage of larvae, nauplius.

14. Production Methods

15. Hatchery
Once an adult shrimp has spawn, eggs are transferred to hatching tanks until they become nauplius, the first stage larvae, which takes about 2-4 days.
Systems vary from sophisticated/ environmental controlled structures to simple flat, V shape tanks.
No need to feed since nauplii live off of yolk sac

16. Nursery
The next stages larvae are zoea (4-5 days) and mysis (3-4 days).
Systems vary from separate concrete nursery tanks or ponds, and may include cages within the ponds.
Both larvae stages are planktivores, but food is also added into the system.

17. Grow-Out Grow-out Extensive Aquaculture (mainly Latin America)
Add postlarvae at minimal tide – mangroves, ponds
No water pump/aeration
It takes about 4-6 months to become sub adult
Intensive Aquaculture (Southeast Asia)
Add postlarvae to small earth ponds (common)
Heavily aerated, recirculating, use liners to enhance water quality, feed daily
Use bacterial floc system to diminish feed

18. Harvest sub adult 10-25g Intensive Aquaculture
Shrimp is fed daily, but it also feeds on natural foods, heterotrophic bacteria, detritus.
Integrated systems: Low or no feed.
Hatchery: No feeding, feed on yolk sac
Nursery: Fed once a day
Extensive Aquaculture:
Shrimp is fed daily feeding with low protein diet (decrease deamination)

19. Water Chemistry/Environmental Requirements in Culture
SALINITY: ppt
Tolerate wide fluctuation, 5-40 ppt (Higher salinity may retard growth)
TEMPERATURE: 25-30°C
rate of chemical and biological reactions is said to double every 10°C increase in temperature
pH: 7.5-9
below 5 retards growth – can add lime to neutralize
ALKALINITY: pH levels must be below 9.5 (retard shrimp growth)
AMMONIA: 0.45mg/L (4.5ppm) can reduce growth by 50%
DO: above 5 ppm
Exchange water, improve aeration, avoid trees, larger ponds allow more O₂ diffusion

20. Marine Shrimp ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Intensive aquaculture
High density, successful, tolerance to variability
Very profitable
Most consumed seafood in the US, fast growth
Easy to maintain and harvest
Less destructive than trawiling
Natural food/No complete feed
DISADVANTAGES
Greenpeace Red List: Unsustainable fisheries that destroy mangroves, overfish juvenile shrimp and suffer significant human rights abuse
Ponds
Land space
Water use
Difficult treat

21. Works Cited
Culture of Marine Shrimp - Leonard Lovshin. Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture. Auburn University, AL.
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.
World Wildlife Fund