Growth of blacklip pearl oyster Pinctada / margaritifera juveniles using different nursery culture techniques

Ž . This study was based on blacklip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera juveniles, that were hatchery-reared and 8 months old. They were held for 5 months in suspended culture using five Ž . culture techniques: in 24-pocket juvenile panel nets PN24 ; enclosed within 5-mm plastic mesh Ž . ‘inserts’ placed in the pockets of eight-pocket adult panel nets PN8 ; in 5-mm plastic mesh inserts Ž . Ž . without being placed into panel nets INSERT ; in plastic mesh trays 55=30=10 cm with lids Ž . Ž . TRAY ; and by ‘ear’ hanging EAR . Survival was high during the experiment and ranged from 100% in PN24 and PN8 to 90.6% for the INSERT treatment. Juveniles held in 24-pocket nets Ž . PN24 and ear-hung juveniles showed the greatest growth during the experiment, and had Ž . Ž . significantly greater dorso-ventral height DVH and wet weight WW than oysters in all other Ž . Ž . treatments P -0.05 . Pearl oysters held in inserts within adult panel nets PN8 and alone Ž . INSERT showed the lowest mean DVH and WW. This probably resulted from heavy fouling by rock oysters associated with mesh inserts. When other factors such as cost, ease of construction and degree of fouling were considered with growth and survival, the five nursery methods were ranked in decreasing order as follows: PN24)EAR)TRAY)PN8) INSERT. q 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.