Zoe NicholsMarine Aquaculture

Dauphin Island Sea Lab

Abalone

Taxonomy● Kingdom: Animalia● Phylum: Mollusca ● Class: Gastropoda● Family: Haliotidae● Genus: Haliotis● Species:…

Species

● Haliotis asinina “Ass's Ear Abalone” South East Asia● Haliotis rufescens “Red Abalone” California● Haliotis discus “Disk Abalone” Japan● Haliotis discus hannai “Japanese Abalone” Japan, Korea● Haliotis diversicolor supertexta “Variouslly Coloured Abalone” Japan● Haliotis fulgens “Green Abalone” Southern California● Haliotis iris “Blackfoot Paua” New Zealand● Haliotis kamtschatkana “Northern Abalone” California (endangered)● Haliotis laevigata “Smooth Australian Abalone” Australia● Haliotis midae “South African Abalone” South Africa ● Haliotis rubra “Blacklip Abalone”Australia● Haliotis tuberculata “Green Ormer” Europe

● There are about 100 species (150 with hybrids)● Large abalones → temperate zone, small abalone → tropics and the cold

zones.

Species

● Haliotis asinina “Ass's Ear Abalone” South East Asia● Haliotis rufescens “Red Abalone” California● Haliotis discus “Disk Abalone” Japan● Haliotis discus hannai “Japanese Abalone” Japan, Korea● Haliotis diversicolor supertexta “Variouslly Coloured Abalone” Japan● Haliotis fulgens “Green Abalone” Southern California● Haliotis iris “Blackfoot Paua” New Zealand● Haliotis kamtschatkana “Northern Abalone” California (endangered)● Haliotis laevigata “Smooth Australian Abalone” Australia● Haliotis midae “South African Abalone” South Africa ● Haliotis rubra “Blacklip Abalone”Australia● Haliotis tuberculata “Green Ormer” Europe

● There are about 100 species (150 with hybrids)● Large abalones → temperate zone, small abalone → tropics and the cold

zones.

Why Aquaculture Abalone?● In the last 20+ years abalone populations have declined

– Commercial catch worldwide has declined from 18,000mt to a little over 10,000mt

– (predation, loss of habitat, illegal harvesting)● An entree of two 4-inch abalone steaks can cost $50-plus● Purchased raw, smaller abalone (in-shell) costs $20 per pound; the price

increases as the abalone size increases.● Market locations: Korea, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Southern Australia,

New Zealand, United States of America, and China ● Shells are part of the jewelry industry cause they’re pretty

Abalone Life Cycle

Reproduction In Captivity...● Spawning occurs mostly during the

summer months and multiple events during one season are possible

1.Ultraviolet method2. Desiccation method3. Thermal shock method● The eggs & sperm are released →

fertilization– A 1.5 inch abalone may spawn 10,000

eggs or more at a time, while an 8 inch abalone may spawn 11 million or more.

● 24hrs later egg hatches (microscopic) → free living larvae

● A week later, it settles on the bottom = spat– Begins to develop into an adult

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Production methods used:

● Juveniles are in controlled tanks and attached to setting boards● When the juveniles reach 5–6 mm after 80 days → intermediate rearing

tanks● Intermediate culture period the abalones are reared up to 3 cm

– (high density 3–5 kg/m2 and usually with a high survival rate)● > 3cm Land-based rearing tanks or in the sea

Production methods used:● Land-based rearing tanks or in the sea● The land-based method = easier management (artificial feed ,

electrical pumps, blowers)– Raised in concrete tanks with fresh sea water pumped in– Waste should be regularly removed- once a week at high

temperatures, and once a fortnight at low temperatures● IMTA- Israel

– cultured marine fish, seaweeds, and Japanese abalone.● The sea-based method uses rearing cage hung from a floating line or

raft set at sea. – Affected by seasonal limitation of the environment/ density 2–3

kg/m2– Dead organisms beneath the rearing tank should be removed and

a good water flow provided

Feeds and Feeding

● The diatom plates → feed free-swimming stage after spawning– Larvae will settle on the plates and feed on the diatoms

● Abalone eat marine algae in the wild and on some farms– Abalone farming limited by the quality and quantity of the macroalgae

sources worldwide● Cultured abalone, many farms now use high quality manufactured food, which is

healthy, efficient and produces very high quality meat.● Juvenile abalone usually feed on benthic diatoms and small benthic organisms.● At 13 mm long they feed on a great variety of seaweeds

– Large brown algae such as giant kelp, bull kelp, feather boa kelp and elk kelp

● Young barnacles, bivalves and foraminiferans are also found in the stomach of abalones

● Feeding habits affected by temperature (20 °C is optimum)

How big can they get?

How to have happy abalone...

● Water temperature 20°C● Salinity >30 ‰● Do >4 ppm● Light intensity >3000 Lux● NH4OH-N <5 ppb● PH 8.0–8.3

Advantages Disadvantages

● Leave little or no negative environmental effects

● Low maintenance● Can use high quality dried food● Can use ocean water● Sell meat and shells (60%

weight)● Live around 50 years

● Predators/ parasites if using cages in ocean

● 5-8 years to reach maturity● A lot of natural food required-

limiting ● Transfer of disease ● Unwanted species trans located

with abalones