Journal of Aquaculture Research & Development

Hatchery processes for producing yellowfin Tuna with reference to the production of bluefin Tuna

International Conference on Aquaculture & Fisheries

July 20-22, 2015 Brisbane, Australia

Gidon Minkoff

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Aquac Res Development

Abstract:

The yellowfin Tuna,Thunnus albacares (YFT), has very good aquaculture prospects. Research and development work has already been carried out on both the cage farming as well as the hatchery rearing of this species. Notwithstanding, probably the most important attribute of YFT, within the context of current world-wide efforts to achieve regular hatchery production of Bluefin tuna (BFT), is that these species share many important early life history traits. Many parallels can be found over a wide range of morphological, behavioral and physiological development patterns, such that they require very similar husbandry procedures to bring them through metamorphosis. Included are the requirements for keeping the larvae from sticking to the surface at first feeding (days 2-3 post hatch), or from sinking to the bottom of the rearing tanks between days 4-8 post hatch, feeding on newly hatched larvae after day 12 post hatch and providing conditions that will overcome their cannibalistic tendencies once they arrive at metamorphosis. For developing hatchery protocols, YFT has one major advantage over BFT which is that YFT can be readily adapted to spawning in captivity. Furthermore, YFT spawn continuously as long as temperatures remain between the range of 23-29oC. Due to the developmental similarities as well as the repeat spawning pattern, the study of YFT production has the potential to shorten the time required for developing a reliable BFT hatchery technology.