A Way to Decrease the Negative Impact of Aquaculture on other Marine Inhabitants

Abstract

Spat collectors deployed at sea, in addition to the target species, attract also many larvae of accompanying species, which die after transplanting the cultivated one into cages. However, these juveniles often have a higher value than the cultivated species, and their mortality is caused by smaller sizes. These are: red king crab, Japanese sea cucumber, sea urchins, Japanese cucumaria and several species of ascidians and sponges. However, the use of a realized niche, rather than a fundamental one, in selecting the area and depth to install collectors, and also improvement of their design, make it possible to cultivate a target species without reseeding to other constructions. This not only facilitates the cultivation process, but also increases the survival rate of the cultivated and accompanying species, since at the bottom, they reach either marketable or viable size in comfortable conditions.