Hawaii - Researchers Demonstrate New Shrimp Harvest System

Local researchers have discovered a new way to farm shrimp in record-breaking numbers. At the Oceanic Institute in Waimanalo Friday -- they demonstrated how the system works.

The shrimp are grown in a small holding tank for about 14 weeks. Unlike traditional shrimp farming, researchers say, this method is environmentally friendly. It produces a large amount of shrimp using less water, electricity and space, and it's cost effective.

"That's really exciting to us because it's become so simple which means out production costs have gone way down," said Researcher Clete Otoshi.

"Our previous record was 1-thousand pounds per unit, now it's 9 thousand pounds which is more shrimp than ever produced before," said Shrimp Program Director Shawn Moss.

The super-intensive shrimp growout trial conducted in a 75 m2 biosecure recirculating raceway that is a part of the Oceanic Institute’s Nucleus Breeding Center was completed.

Specific Pathogen Free Litopenaeus vannameifrom the United States Marine Shrimp Farming Program’s
Growth line were stocked into the raceway on December 15th, 2006.

Shrimp performance during this trial was outstanding and the results may be summarized as it follows:

Trial Duration (days): 94
Water Depth (m): 1
Stocking Weight (g): 0.99
Stocking Density (shrimp/m2): 401
Survival (%): 90.6
Harvest Weight (g): 21.0
Growth Rate (g/week): 1.49
Production (kg/m2): 7.6
FCR: 1.67
Water Use (L/kg shrimp): 172

Though shrimp were stocked at a moderate density, the survival was the highest ever achieved, subsequently resulting in one of the highest production levels ever experienced.

In addition, growth rate and FCR were very good and importantly this level of shrimp performance was maintained while dissolved oxygen levels were intentionally set at suboptimal levels to increase selection pressure.

Improved management strategies and genetically improved shrimp likely allowed for the exceptional performance experienced in this trial.

Several grants funded this project.

Of all of the shrimp harvested, some of it went to local charities; the rest, sold to local distributors who in turn donated the revenue to the shrimp program.

Researchers hope this system will become the new way of shrimp farming in the U.S.

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Hawaii - Researchers Demonstrate New Shrimp Harvest System