PERFORMANCE OF SHRIMP Litopenaeus vannamei AND SEAWEEDS Gracilaria birdiae AND Ulvafasciata IN AN INTEGRATED MULTI-TROPHIC AQUACULTURE SYSTEM

摘要

The global aquaculture is dominated by high trophic-level species (finfishes and shrimps), representing more than 50% of the production (FAO, 2012). In those intensive practices, where the monoculture is spatially and managerially often the norm, only25% of the nutrients input are used by the fed species. The wastes of fed animals (non-consumed feed and excreta) are available in the water. Those residuals nutrients (mainly, nitrogen e phosphorus), which should be considered economic losses and contribute for the environmental eutrophication, are used and suitable for seaweeds growth (Buschmann et al., 2008; Troell et al., 2003). The bioremediation technology Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA), with an ecosystem approach, combines in the appropriate proportion the cultivation of fed aquaculture species and extractive aquaculture species (e.g. seaweeds), offering mutual benefits for the cultured organisms. The efficiency, productivity and profitability of the farm are improved. This solutionhas been proposed for the mitigation of environmental effects, economic diversification and social acceptability (Chopin et al., 2008). The present study, developed in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), was carried out to evaluate the potentialbenefits of the shrimp/ seaweeds co-culture for the organisms integrated.