The effect of the BFT system on the zootechnical and physiological performance of the North Atlantic white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus grown in seawater and low salinity water
Author: Manuel Angel Valenzuela Jimenez (Currículo Lattes)
Supervisor: Dr Wilson Francisco Britto Wasielesky Junior
Co-supervisor: Dra. Gabriela Gaxiola (UNAM/México)
Abstract
The Northern white shrimp, Litopenaeus setiferus, has been studied as an important resource for fisheries. In the las years research have been done to know the behavior of the species in relation to the characteristics in the coastal lagoons. It is a species that tolerates low salinities and is resistant to different extreme environmental conditions. At present, the development of shrimp farms is based on widely domesticated and normally exotic species for many countries and regions such as Litopenaeus vannamei and Penaeus monodon. But to maintain environmental sustainability, it is necessary to develop programs of domestication of native species, not only for production, but also for conservation itself. From the work done in different parts of the Gulf of México, it is known that growth rates are lower than those of L. vannamei, that commercially available feed are designed for Pacific white shrimp, and food conversions are still inefficient, high survivals in semi-intensive culture. Other researchers have been developing breeding techniques, but there is still a problem of spermatophore deterioration in males. The larval culture does not present basic problems in post-larvae production, meanly if use live food-based scheme including micro-particulate or micro-encapsulated food as a complement. Probably the characteristics of the biofloc system present an environment that can improve the physiological and zootechnical performance and make L. setiferus a good alternative of aquaculture in North Atlantic coast.