1. Sea Bass Aquaculture
By: Eric Brown

2. What species are used? European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
Sometimes marketed as Mediterranean Sea Bass.
Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata)
Spotted Sea Bass (Lateolabrax japonicus)

3. Reproduction

4. Seabass Life Cycle Spawn in groups External fertilization Eggs pelagic
2-4 year Sexual maturity
Longer in Atlantic
Ocean
Spawn once a year
Embryos develop in 3 days
Larval development occurs in about 40 days
Protandrous except for European (dioecious)
Males in between 4-7 years and females 5-8. Spawning happens in the winter but can happen in the spring in southern areas.

5. Reproduction in Captivity

6. Feeding Open Water Eggs feed on yolk
Juveniles feed on Zoobenthos (worms, crustaceans, polycheates
Adults – neckton (finfish & bony fish)
Aquaculture
Larva – only feed on small live food (Enriched Rotifers and artemia)
Adults – pellet feed (55% protein, 10% lipid)
FCR – 1.7:1

7. Production methods used
Cages (new)
Lagoon Systems
Intensive
Semi-intensive
Hatcheries
Broodstock
Spawning

8. Lagoon Systems Semi-Intensive Extensive
Fisherman collect fry from coastal waters May- June
Transport with oxygenated tanks to special ponds
Extensive
February - May
Barriers – reeds,nets, cement
Nomally polycultured with seabream, mullets, and eels

10. Hatcheries Broodstock Spawning
Breeders of different ages are maintained here
Parent can be farm raised or wild
Females 5-8years, Males 2-4 years
Induce ovulation by hormone treatments
Fertilization in spawning tanks and incubation in open water
Spawning
Move selected breeders to spawning tanks
Male:Female – 2:1
Only Females with oocytes in the late-vitellogenic stage (diameter larger than 650 micrometers) selected

12. Cages Made of steel 4-10m² Nets suspended 6- 8m deep
Some anchored on land others in open waters
Frequent net changes (15-20 days)
Weekly cleaning to remove foul organisms
Done by divers

13. Water Quality pH – between 6-8 Temperature – 20- 22 degrees Celsius
Salinity – g/L
DO – 7.5 ppm
High rates of algae

14. Economic Importance
Overfishing is a large concern and aquaculture of this species has been deemed sustainable
Market price in U.S. $6.99 lb
Annual Production 60,000 tons
Turkey, Croatia, Spain, Italy, Greece

15. Advantages
Disadvantages
Very hardy fish
Cutting back on Overfishing
Easily marketed
Could be inexpensive if lagoon aquacultured
Long to mature
Very competitive market
Low filet yield
Carnivorous
No synthetic larval feed