MARICULTURE IN CUBA: RECENT RESULTS  

Barbarito Jaime Ceballos*, Noris Millares Dorado, Lourdes Pérez Jar,  Rafael Tizol Correa, Nelson Fernández,  Raul Flores Gutiérrez, Raquel Silveira Coffigny and Mercedes Isla Molleda
 
Fisheries Research Center (CIP).
246 Street No. 503 e./ 5ta Ave. y mar. Barlovento. Playa.
La Habana. Cuba. CP 19100.
Email: bjaime@cip.alinet.cu

The Mariculture Development Program in Cuba has among its guide lines the selection of fast-growing species, captive breeding, disease resistance, texture and flavor with high market demand. Among fish, Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) was selected to develop for technology transfer in our conditions. It is a native species of the Cuban shelf, but taking into account its biological characteristics, in 2014 it was necessary the introduction of fry from Ecuador to evaluate the fattening in floating cages as a first experimental phase in the project. Also the native Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) and native Snapper (Lutjanus analis) were selected to transfer the culture technology as a research project. Cuba has achieved the domestication of these two species: reproduction, larval rearing and fingerlings. Up until now we have not performed any genetic research with these species, but will be an important future objective in our fish culture program. Culture of Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) in floating and suspended cages began in 2012, through a collaborate project with VietNam. Shrimp culture began since 80 decade with the indigenous species Litopenaeus schmitti. As the production results were not as expected with this species, five batches (two of postlarvaes and three of broodstock) of genetically improved Litopenaeus vannamei were introduced from Shrimp Improvement Center, Florida, USA in 2003 to improve the production activities and to expand the market, with satisfactory results until today with an approximately average production of 4000 tons per year. The Center wants to begin the studies of the inbreeding levels of L. vannamei and to continuo the investigations of L. schmitti wild stock.