World Aquaculture 2023

May 29 - June 1, 2023

Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

IMPROVING GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF SANDFISH SEA CUCUMBER Holothuria scabra JUVENILES IN HAPA NURSERY SYSTEM – II

Maureen Jano 1 and Dr. Manoj R. Nair 2

 

 

 1Our Lady of Mercy High School, Kolonia, Pohnpei, State, Federated States of

  Micronesia

2 College of Micronesia Land Grant Program (NIFA, USDA), Aquaculture Research, Extension Training and Technology Development PO BOX 1179, Kolonia, Pohnpei FM 96941, Federated States of Micronesia

 



The US Affiliated Pacific Islands of Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau have several commercially important species of sea cucumbers in their waters, including the Sandfish sea cucumber, Holothuria scabra. Due to their commercial importance, they have been widely exploited and are in danger of extinction. The College of Micronesia Land Grant Program has undertaken the development of Hatchery-based Sandfish sea cucumber farming technology for local community-based economic development, future commercialization, and aiming at restocking the depleted stocks in the wild. In this regard, an experiment was conducted to find out the effect of added feeding on the growth and survival of Sandfish sea cucumber, Holothuria scabra juveniles in Ocean Nursery Hapa Net System - II.   Sandfish sea cucumber juveniles were stocked at 50 pieces per floating hapas in duplicates and fed daily a mixture of sea grass, mud, Spirulina sp. powder, and Milk Fish feed meal. Control animals were grazing on algae from the hapa net enclosures. The experiment was run for 45 days, at the end of which growth (length and wet weight) and survival was statistically analyzed for each treatment by measuring all surviving animals. The results showed a significant difference in the growth of Sandfish Sea cucumbers juveniles between the treatments. No significant increase in survival was observed between the treatments