The Semi-Intensive Seed Production method for Marine fishes

Open Access Article                                                  https://doi.org/10.55463/issn.1674-2974.51.8.9

The Semi-Intensive Seed Production method for Marine fishes

Masatoshi Futagawa¹, German Bueno², Renzo Pepe-Victoriano¹

& Juan Pablo Díaz-Vega^1*

¹Universidad Arturo Prat, Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique, Chile

²Corporación para el desarrollo del mar (Cordemar)

*Corresponding author: Juan Pablo Díaz Vega (jpdiaz@unap.cl)

Received: / Revised: / Accepted: / Published:

Abstract: The artificial juveniles are crucial for advancing commercial aquaculture in terms of quality, quantity, and cost. Three key factors for successful aquaculture are eggs, feeds, and water. The eggs need to be healthy and genetically advanced to exhibit fast growth, superior meat yield, disease resistance, and early maturation. Premium traits have been carefully selected and refined through generations (F1 and F2) to stabilize these desirable qualities for commercial applications. As a result, hatcheries should prioritize the production of premium juveniles to meet grower demands. The crucial of this study is to establish a fish seed production method capable of generating premium juveniles at a low cost and with ease. The Semi-Intensive Seed Production (SISP) method is tailored for breeders, small investors, and fishermen who may lack extensive knowledge or access to advanced technology required for intensive microalgae, rotifer, and Artemia cultivation. The SISP select ideal characters by natural selection during seed production period and the method can be applied other species. And more, the method accepted small investment to join aquaculture that solved the one of the bottle necks of the business, and the method can be applied other species. The SISP does not necessitate a significant upfront investment or high operational expenses, instead requiring a sizable tank (20 m³ and 2 m depth), water supply, agricultural fertilizer, an air blower, and artificial feeds. Rather than heavily relying on cultured rotifers and Artemia, SISP leverages wild-bloomed phytoplankton and zooplankton. Research conducted with various fish species in Chile and Cuba from 2010 to 2024 demonstrated that while SISP exhibited a lower survival rate (2%) compared to Intensive Seed Production (ISP) (70%), it offered cost-efficiency and superior quality advantages. Nonetheless, SISP encountered challenges in meeting the demand for mass production culture due to its dependence on live feeds, which hinge on phytoplankto