The Potential of Blood Ark Ponderous Ark and Aquaculture in Florida Results of Spawning, Larval Rearing, Nursery and Growout Trials Leslie N. Sturmer, Jose M. Nuñez, R. LeRoy Creswell, and Shirley M. Baker TP-169 SEPTEMBER 2009 Cover illustration: Ann Meyers This research was supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under USDA Special Research Grant No. 2002-3445-11946; and by the National Sea Grant College Program of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) under NOAA Grant No. NA06 OAR-4170014. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations. Additional copies are available by contacting: Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Program Florida Sea Grant University of Florida University of Florida PO Box 89 PO Box 110409 Cedar Key, FL 32625-0089 Gainesville, FL 32622-0409 (352)543-5057 (352) 392-2801 www.flseagrant.org TP 169 September 2009 The Potential of Blood Ark (Anadara ovalis) and Ponderous Ark (Noetia ponderosa) Aquaculture in Florida Results of Spawning, Larval Rearing, Nursery, and Growout Trials Leslie N. Sturmer Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Program Cooperative Extension Service Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences University of Florida Cedar Key Jose M. Nuñez The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience University of Florida St. Augustine R. LeRoy Creswell Florida Sea Grant College Program Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences University of Florida Fort Pierce Shirley M. Baker Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program School of Forest Resources and Conservation Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences University of Florida Gainesville September 2009 TP 169 ii Preface In November 1999, a workshop on New Molluscs for Aquaculture was conducted by the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Florida Sea Grant, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The objective of the workshop was to characterize the culture and market potential of alternative molluscan shellfish species. Participants included aquaculturists, seed suppliers, researchers, biologists, marketers, economists, regulators, and resource managers. Workshop participants concluded that efforts should be undertaken to further determine the production feasibility and market demand for several mollusc species. This document presents the results of research on two alternative species, the blood ark (Anadara ovalis) and the ponderous ark (Noetia ponderosa). The overarching goal of the project was to determine the feasibility of establishing a commercial aquaculture industry for producing blood and ponderous arks in Florida. Specific project aims reported here include: 1) developing spawning, larval rearing, and settlement techniques; and 2) evaluating production performance under nursery and growout conditions. The information presented is not a hatchery or growout manual, but is provided as a reference for shellfish hatchery operators and growers, resource managers, and others who may be considering the culture of blood or ponderous arks as alternative or additional species. The development of seed production techniques is presented in Chapter 2 and the evaluation of growth and survival from seed to market size is presented in Chapter 3. Prior reports, published as journal articles or extension fact sheets, on other aspects of this project are provided in the appendices of this document. The gametogenic cycle and sex ratio for blood ark populations from the northwest coast of Florida (Appendix I) and for ponderous ark populations from Cedar Key (Appendix II) were determined by University of Georgia researchers Alan Power and Randal Walker. In a complementary study, John Baldwin with Florida Atlantic University documented the fertilization and early embryonic development of both ark species (Appendix III). Detailed knowledge of reproduction and development of ark clams is necessary for the advancement of successful hatchery spawning and rearing techniques. Finally, University of Florida extension faculty Robert Degner and Leslie Sturmer summarized research on the shellfish trade industry’s awareness and acceptance of blood and ponderous arks (Appendix IV), as well as the nutritional composition and shelf life of these molluscs under commercial refrigeration (Appendix V). The latter two publications present information necessary for shellfish wholesalers in developing marketing strategies for these non-traditional molluscs. In summary, this document demonstrates that spawning, larval rearing, nursery and growout, harvest, marketing, and distribution of blood and ponderous arks can be achieved. Specific areas that require further research and/or development by commercial interests are identified. Acknowledgments We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of commercial partners Phil Cubbedge, Bill Leeming, Mike Sullivan, and Chris Taiani, who graciously provided their time and facilities. We also thank University of Florida technicians Micah Alo, Adam Trott, Brenda Leary, Martha Londono, and Rebecca Varner for their assistance. iii Contributors Shirley M. Baker Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32653 John D. Baldwin Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431 R. LeRoy Creswell Florida Sea Grant College Program, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, FL 34945 Robert L. Degner Food and Resource Economics Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (retired) Cheryl Lucas Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Savannah State University, Savannah, GA 31404 Justin Manley Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Savannah State University, Savannah, GA 31404 (former graduate student) Marcy Mitchell Shellfish Research Laboratory, Marine Extension Service, University of Georgia, Savannah, GA 31411 Kimberly L. Morgan Food and Resource Economics Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 Jose M. Nuñez The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080 Alan J. Power Shellfish Research Laboratory, Marine Extension Service, University of Georgia, Savannah, GA 31411 Tiffany B. Southwell Food and Resource Economics Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (former graduate student) Leslie N. Sturmer Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Program, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Cedar Key, FL 32625 Randal L. Walker Marine Extension Service, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 iv Contents Preface...................................................................................................... iii List of Figures............................................................................................. vi List of Tables.............................................................................................. vii Chapter 1: Introduction............................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: Ark Clam Seed Production............................................................ 5 Hatchery Description............................................................................... 5 Broodstock Collection and Maintenance...................................................... 6 Spawning............................................................................................... 7 Determination of ripeness................................................................... 7 Spawning induction........................................................................... 7 Spawning behavior............................................................................ 8 Blood ark spawning........................................................................... 8 Ponderous ark spawning..................................................................... 11 Larval Rearing ....................................................................................... 12 Early Larval Development......................................................................... 13 Blood ark larvae................................................................................ 13 Ponderous ark larvae......................................................................... 15 Setting and Post-set Rearing..................................................................... 16 Blood ark setting and post-set rearing.................................................. 17 Ponderous ark setting and post-set rearing........................................... 18 Settlement (Metamorphosis) Experiments................................................... 18 Land-based Nursery................................................................................ 20 Blood ark land-based nursery.............................................................. 21 Ponderous ark land-based nursery....................................................... 22 Comparison with Hard Clam Seed Production.............................................. 23 Summary............................................................................................... 24 Chapter 3. Ark Clam Field Nursery and Growout Production Trials...................... 26 Blood Ark Production Trials....................................................................... 26 Growing area.................................................................................... 26 Water quality conditions..................................................................... 26 Field nursery.................................................................................... 27 Growout .......................................................................................... 28 Comparison with hard clam production................................................. 31 Ponderous Ark Production Trials................................................................ 33 Growing area.................................................................................... 33 Water quality conditions..................................................................... 33 Field nursery.................................................................................... 34 Growout .......................................................................................... 35 Comparison with hard clam production................................................. 40 Summary............................................................................................... 41 References................................................................................................. 44 Appendices ............................................................................................... 47 v Figures 1. Experimental molluscan shellfish hatchery located at the University of Florida Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience. ...................................... 5 2. Seawater filtration unit. ......................................................................... 5 3. Spawning table. .................................................................................... 6 4. Blood ark clams on spawning table with white strips. ................................. 6 5. Ripe male ponderous ark with an arrow pointing to the creamy white gonadal mass covering the gut area. ........................................................ 7 6. Ark clam adults releasing gametes in individual containers during induced spawning: (a) male blood ark, (b) male ponderous ark, (c) female blood ark, (d) female ponderous ark. ............................................................... 9 7. Ark clam zygotes compared to a hard clam zygote, a) blood ark (55 μm), b) ponderous ark (65 μm), c) hard clam (70 μm). Note the gelatinous envelope (d), indicated by arrows, in the hard clam zygote which is not present in ark clam zygotes. ................................................................... 10 8. Sampling ark clam eggs and larvae with a pipette while continuously and evenly suspending them in a bucket using a perforated plunger. .................. 12 9. Larval stages from straight hinge veliger through post-set for the blood ark. ..................................................................................................... 14 10. Larval stages from straight hinge veliger to post-set for the ponderous ark. ..................................................................................................... 15 11. Downwellers in tanks used to rear post-set ark clams. ................................ 17 12. Rearing juvenile blood arks a) photomicrograph of individual, b) post-set in downwellers. ..................................................................................... 17 13. Photomicrograph of juvenile ponderous ark, 650 μm in length. .................... 18 14. Shallow raceways and cylindrical downwellers comprised the land-based nursery at the Whitney Laboratory used to rear ark juveniles. ..................... 20 15. Blood ark juveniles reared in downwellers during land-based nursery stage. ................................................................................................. 21 16. Growth (shell length, millimeters) of blood arks (BA1 and BA2) from post- set through land-based nursery rearing. Shell length at the time of set was 0.27 mm for BA1 and BA2. ............................................................... 21 17. Growth (shell length, millimeters) of ponderous arks (PA1 and PA2) from post-set through land-based nursery rearing. Shell length at the time of set was 0.24 mm (PA1) and 0.21 mm (PA2). Error bars reflect the standard deviation from the averages. ..................................................... 22 18. Comparative growth (shell length, microns) of blood arks (BA1 and BA2), ponderous arks (PA1 and PA2), and hard clams (HC1 and HC2) from day1 straight hinge veliger (day 1) to metamorphosis (set). ............................... 24 19. Monthly averages of bottom water temperature (oF) and salinity (‰) values taken at the UF Whitney Laboratory between September 2003 and September 2004. Error bars reflect the standard deviation of the monthly averages. ............................................................................................. 27 vi 20. Planting blood ark juveniles in a polyethylene (hard) bottom bag for evaluation of the field nursery stage. ....................................................... 27 21. Stocking blood ark juveniles (left) using volumetric measuring techniques (right) for evaluation of the growout stage. ............................................... 28 22. Stocking (left) and planting (right) blood ark juveniles in polyester mesh (soft) bottom bags for evaluation of the growout stage. .............................. 29 23. Growth in shell length (SL) of blood arks in hard bags over a 3-month field nursery period and in hard and soft bottom bags over a 9-month growout period. Error bars reflect the standard deviation from the averages. ............. 30 24. Growth in shell width (SW) of blood arks in hard and soft bottom bags over a 9-month growout period. Error bars reflect the standard deviation from the averages. ................................................................................ 30 25. Survival rates of blood arks in hard bags over a 3-month field nursery period and in hard and soft bottom bags over a 9-month growout period. Error bars reflect the standard deviation from the averages. ........................ 31 26. Monthly averages of bottom water temperature (oF) and salinity (‰) values taken at the Gulf Jackson High-density Lease Area near Cedar Key between July 2004 and June 2006. Error bars reflect the standard deviation of the monthly averages. .......................................................... 34 27. Planting ponderous ark juveniles in a polyethylene (hard) bottom bag for evaluation of the growout stage. ............................................................. 35 28. Harvesting ponderous arks from polyethylene (hard) bottom bags after 18 months in the growout stage. ................................................................. 36 29. Growth in shell length and shell width of ponderous arks in hard bottom bags over a 6-month field nursery period and an 18-month growout period. Error bars reflect the standard deviation from the averages. ............. 37 30. Growth in total weight of ponderous arks in hard bottom bags over a 6- month field nursery period and an 18-month growout period. Error bars reflect the standard deviation from the averages. The number per pound for average total weights of ponderous arks in June 2005, December 2005, and June 2006 is also shown. ......................................................... 37 31. Sampling ponderous arks after 18 months in growout bags. ........................ 38 32. Survival rates of ponderous arks in hard bottom bags over a 6-month field nursery period and an 18-month growout period. Error bars reflect the standard deviation from the averages. ..................................................... 39 33. Regression of shell length on shell width of ponderous arks, blood arks, and hard clams from cultured samples (n = 500). ...................................... 41 Tables 1. Summary of blood ark spawning trials from June 11, 2002 through July 22, 2005 which resulted in spawns. ......................................................... 9 2. Fecundity estimates for blood ark females. ............................................... 10 3. Summary of ponderous ark spawning trials from June 11, 2002 through July 22, 2005 which resulted in spawns. ................................................... 11 vii 4. Fecundity estimates for ponderous ark females. ........................................ 12 5. Larval development from fertilization (day 0) through setting (day 17) for two blood ark spawns. ........................................................................... 14 6. Larval development from fertilization (day 0) to setting (day 21) for two ponderous ark spawns. .......................................................................... 16 7. Results of ponderous ark setting experiment evaluating several algal species after six days. . .......................................................................... 20 8. Larval development from fertilization (day 0) to setting (day 9 to 12) for two hard clam spawns. .......................................................................... 23 Appendices I. Baldwin, J. 2003. Diversification for the Hard Clam Aquaculture Industry Through Investigation of the Blood Ark, Anadara ovalis, and Ponderous Ark, Noetia ponderosa, Reproduction and Development. Final Report R/LR- A-37, Florida Sea Grant College Program, Gainesville, Florida USA. 10 pp. ..... 47 II. Power, A.J., J. Nunez, M. Mitchell, R.L. Walker, and L. Sturmer. 2004. Reproductive pattern of the blood ark, Anadara ovalis, from the northeast coast of Florida. Journal of Shellfish Research 23(1):173-178....................... 58 III. Power, A.J., L. Sturmer, C. Lucas, R.L. Walker, and J. Manly. 2005. Gametogenic cycle of the ponderous ark, Noetia ponderosa (Say, 1822), from Cedar Key, Florida. Journal of Shellfish Research 24(1):69-73............... 65 IV. Degner, R.L. T.B. Southwell, L.N. Sturmer, and K.L. Morgan. 2005. Marketing opportunities for blood ark clams and ponderous ark clams. University of Florida/IFAS EDIS Publication FE478. Gainesville, Florida USA. 3 pp............................................................................................. 71 V. Sturmer, L.N., K.L. Morgan, and R.L. Degner. 2005. Nutritional composition and marketable shelf-life of blood ark clams and ponderous ark clams. University of Florida/IFAS EDIS Publication FE568. Gainesville, Florida USA. 6 pp............................................................................................. 75 viii