Growth of Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata) in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems

摘要

Black sea bass (Centropristis striata) compose important sport and commercial fisheries along the United States Atlantic coast. Black sea bass is a temperate reef species, unavailable to bottom trawlers and limiting capture to anglers and pot fisheries. Wild stocks have been declining over the years with landings decreasing in recent decades. The demand for black sea bass exceeds supply, and the high market value has prompted research to evaluate their potential for commercial aquaculture. Spawning and larviculture methods are emerging, and some research has been conducted to establish grow-out methods for black sea bass. One goal of the research conducted at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Laboratory in Milford, Connecticut has been to determine if black sea bass can be grown from larvae to market-size adults (454-680 grams) in two years or less in recirculating aquaculture systems, while feeding them commercial pelleted feeds. We have successfully used photo-thermal manipulation to induce spawning. Black sea bass cultured in our recirculating aquaculture systems weighed an average of 143.2 grams after one year and 244.0 grams after 20 months. In comparison, one year old fish taken from the wild on average weigh 70.8 grams, 132 grams at two years old, and 224 grams at age three. In this study, black sea bass attained weights in under 2 years that take wild stocks 3 years or more to achieve. Aquaculture of black sea bass shows great potential because of its rapid growth in recirculating aquaculture systems.