World Aquacluture Magazine - September 2020

50 SEP TEMBER 2020 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WA S.ORG and environmental factors, the government fisheries authority selected snubnose pompano as a target species for aquaculture development projects. Commercial culture of snubnose pompano has not yet developed in Saudi Arabia, although efforts began in 2018. This article describes the management of broodstock, collection and hatching of fertilized eggs, larviculture and future challenges for snubnose pompano aquaculture. Broodstock Management Strict regulations of Saudi Arabia prohibit wild capture fishing without a license. Therefore, broodstock can only be donated or purchased through fishery companies. Given these difficulties in procuring broodstock, since 2018, we have received only ten pompano ranging from 2.7 to 4.5 kg (Fig. 3). The spawning tank had a total water volume of 20 m 3 and a depth of 2 m. To prevent broodstock from jumping out, the top of the tank was covered with a soft net. Broodstock were fed with feeding commercial feed (6 mm, 45 percent crude protein and 11 percent crude fat) at 5 percent of total fish weight per day. The salinity of the broodstock pond was 42 to 45 ppt, and the water temperature was 20 to 40C. Broodstock spawned intermittently throughout the year, with the highest spawning frequency from July to December. Currently, broodstock spawn naturally without hormone injections. Broodstock greater than 3 kg spawned naturally and their B ecause of an aquaculture development strategy, market demand and environmental factors, Indian prawn Fenneropenaeus indicus and Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei farming have been thriving in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since the 1980s. However, the white spot syndrome virus arose in 2010 and the profitability of the Saudi shrimp farming sector has decreased. For sustainable economic development and food security for Saudi Arabia, fish culture is becoming an essential component of the nation’s aquaculture. Moreover, because of the limitations dictated by government policies and the natural environment, marine fish is more suitable than freshwater fish for aquaculture. Currently, the most popular marine fish species of Saudi aquaculture are marine tilapia Oreochromis spilurus , Asian seabass Lates calcarifer and gilthead seabream Sparus aurata; Figs. 1 and 2). Although fish aquaculture in Saudi Arabia since the 2010s has been remarkable, Saudi mariculture still faces several issues. For example, because of overproduction, the price of Asian seabass declined. Also, the supply of fingerlings of numerous marine fish species depend on imports. Therefore, the Saudi fisheries authority continues to promote marine fish species for aquaculture development. Among the various marine finfish species in the Red Sea region, the snubnose pompano Trachinotus blochii is a species that is well known, with high economic value. Because of market demand Larviculture of Snubnose Pompano Trachinotus blochii in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Benjamin C. Young, Riyadh Hussain Alfaggeh and Ibrahim AlMoutiri FIGURE 1. Gilthead seabream produced in Saudi Arabia for sale in a domestic market. FIGURE 2. Shrimp and finfish produced in Saudi Arabia for sale in a domestic market.