Sea Urchin Aquaculture

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Sea Urchin Aquaculture
Devarajen Vaitilingon Marine Ecology Group
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Worlds population

• Worlds population 6 815 451 827 (Tuesday 3rd
  June 2008 at 6pm)

• Prediction 50 increase by 2050 !!

• Challenges
• More mouth to feed
• More land use for global urbanisation
• Less space available for food production
• Situation getting worst with climate change,
  decrease availability of fossil fuels

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Worlds agricultural output

• Ecosystems sustain human life
• Agricultural ecosystems are by far the largest
  managed ecosystems in the world
• Total land area 13 billion hectares
• 5 billion hectares crops and pasture
• 4 billion hectares forests and woodlands
• 4 billion hectares urban/rural areas, coastal
  regions et

• Agricultural production average increase of
  2.3 per year
• Predictions fall to 1.5 in the next decade and
  to 0.9 by 2050

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Solutions

• Better management of land resources

• Increasing agricultural output by using new
  technologies

• - Looking for other sources of food e.g. aquatic
  ecosystems

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Aquatic Ecosystems

• - Fish food supply 107 million tonnes 16.6 kg
  / capita
• - Overall fish provide more than 2.6 billion
  people with at least 20
• of their average per capita animal protein intake
• Fish protein is 16 of total animal protein
• - Aquaculture 34

(FAO 2006) The state of world fisheries and
aquaculture 2006. FAO fisheries and aquaculture
department. FAO organization of UN. Rome
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Some basic concepts
Definition Aquaculture is the production,
processing and marketing of biological organisms
from aquatic systems. This activity is done under
controlled conditions and very often using
sophisticated systems.

• History
• Practice of aquaculture dates back to 1000 BC in
  China. The first thesis on aquaculture was
  published in 475 BC by Fan Li (Wheaton 1977).

• Two landmark events
• 1976 ?FAO Technical Conference in Kyoto, Japan
• 2000 ?Conference on Aquaculture in the Third
  Millennium in Bangkok, Thailand

• 1976 ? 2000 Aquaculture has gone from
  small-scale homestead-level activities to
  large-scale commercial farming. Now considered as
  the fastest-growing food-producing sector in the
  world, contributing to nearly 30 of world
  production from fisheries in 1998.

Wheaton FW (1977) Aquacultural engineering. John
Wiley Sons, NY
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Why such a fast development in aquaculture over
the past three decades?

• Growing world population and thus growing demand
  for aquatic food products.

2) Production from capture fisheries at global
level is levelling off. Most fishing areas have
reached their maximum potential due to the
non-sustainable fishery activities.
3) Agricultural production is not increasing as
fast as population in many segments of the world.
4) Demands for food that create a better life is
increasing in many parts of the world, example
USA.
Aquaculture 34 - not working at its full
potential
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Sea urchin as an emerging source of aquatic
protein
(FAO 2006) The state of world fisheries and
aquaculture 2006. FAO fisheries and aquaculture
department. FAO organization of UN. Rome
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Sea urchin consumption and production
What is consumed?
Marketable product Gonads ? ovaries and testes
are consumed. Middens from Aleutian Is. to
Carribean and Chilean coast dated consumption
since pre-historic times.
Preferred gonadal stage pre-gametogenic stage
i.e full with nutrients.
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Who are the consumers?
Japanese ? the world's largest, consuming 80 of
worlds production (96 000 tons). Eaten as raw
Sashimi, with rice Uni Don or salted Shio
Uni.
France ? the second largest consumers with an
annual consumption of 1000 tons of whole sea
urchins. Eaten as raw or cooked Oursinade
Who are the producers?
Production ? fishery of wild individuals. Peak
landings in 1995 with 120 306 t. Since then,
production is in constant decrease.
Main producer ? Chile, dominates the world
production with almost half worlds total
landings. In 1995, Chiles total landings was 54
609t.
Other important fisheries USA, Canada, Japan,
South Korea, Russia
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World sea urchin production (adapted from Andrew
et al. 2002)
Decrease ? due to over fishing / non-sustainable
fishery
Andrew and 25 others (2002) Status and management
of world sea urchin fisheries. Oceanography and
Marine Biology an Annual Review. 40, 343-425.
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Which species are exploited?
900 extant sea urchin species ? 100 are commonly
eaten (6 Families).
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Why are there few exploited species only?
1) Accessibility ? all are shallow water species
2) Palatability ? not all species are palatable,
e.g. Tetrapygus niger (Chile), Arbacia lixula
(Mediterranean)
3) Historical (Cultural) ? Sea urchin consumption
is high in France but limited on the
north-African coast. Same in the Caribbean,
limited to Barbados.
4) Economic / Political ? Most fisheries are in
industrialized countries. Other part of the
world, fishery is destined for local / domestic
markets.
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Market value of sea urchin gonads
Production is decreasing but consumption (Japan)
is in constant increase 2643 t of fresh roe
(1988) ? 3367 t (1992) ? 5523 t (1999).
Consequently ? rise in price of roe one of the
most valuable seafoods in the world.
Price of sea urchin fresh gonads on Tokyo market
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Sea urchin aquaculture Echiniculture
Status

• Few countries are involved Japan, China and
  Philippines. All aquaculture / mariculture are
  still small-scaled activities.

• Production is ltlt 15 of world production from
  fishery.

What hinders expansion of echiniculture?
1) Type of aquaculture systems used.
2) Life history traits of the targeted species.
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Echiniculture systems adapted from Hagen (1996)
Closed-cycle echiniculture
Partial echiniculture
Hagen NT (1996) Echinoculture from fishery
enhancement to closed cycle cultivation. World
Aquaculture, December 1996.
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Echiniculture facilities
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Echiniculture facilities
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Life-history of the targeted species
Requirements for aquaculture
1) High productivity ? high growth rate (somatic
and gonadal).
2) High reproductive effort ? reproduce early in
life.
3) Low resistance to environmental stress.
4) Short longevity.
5) High palatability.
6) Feed on low value food.
Species investing more energy in growth,
reproduction and consequently less in maintenance
? Ideal species for aquaculture.
Knowledge of the basic biology of a species is
essential to evaluate its potential for
aquaculture.
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Data complied from Lawrence J M., Bazhin A.
(1998) Life-history strategies and potential of
sea urchins for aquaculture. Journal of Shellfish
Research, 17 (5) 1523-1531
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Some members of Toxopneustidae
Toxopneustidae
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Does T. gratilla show life-history traits
suitable for aquaculture?

• Data gathered during the last five years ? PhD
  Thesis.

• Targeted species ? Tripneustes gratilla.

• Targeted population ? South-West coast of
  Madagascar.

Aim ? Describe the life-history traits of T.
gratilla and assess its suitability for
aquaculture.
Targeted organisation ? Belgian Agency for
Cooperation and Development. 400 K (660 K AUS)
for 4 years. ?
NFSR (National Funds for Scientific Research).
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Study site
Madagascar ? Toliara (South West coast)
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Studies focused on the different stages of the
life cycle
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What is the population structure and dynamics of
T. gratilla on the reef? Can demographic
parameters be estimated from size structure?
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Results

• 2000 2001
• 2001 2002
• 2002 2003

• Annual recruitment pulses October to November.
• Increase in density
• 3.78 0.12 (SE) ind./m² (2001)
• 7.33 0.16 ind./m² (2002)
• Same trend in Biomass

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Growth model

• Nonlinear regression analysis fitting was highly
  significant (R2 0.994 df 3,6 F 1034, P lt
  0.001).
• D? 6.223 0.799 cm (95 C.I.), n -3.591
  2.000 and K 0.015 0.005 day -1 (5.475 1.825
  yr 1).

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Mortality rate
Annual mortality rate (q) in the population was
estimated from q 1 e-Z, where Z
instantaneous mortality coefficient (yr-1)
High growth rate and short longevity
Ebert TA (1999) Plant and animal populations
Methods in demography. Academics press, San Diego
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What is the size and age at first
reproduction? Is there any reproductive cycle
within the population? What are the different
gonadal developmental stages?
Size and age at first reproduction
Reproductive cycle
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Size and age at first reproduction
Stage G Unbranched gonads ? No acini Size 1.5
cm Age 2 months
Stage G Branched gonads ? Acini ltlt 55 Size 1.8
cm Age 2.5 months
Stage G Branched gonads ? Acini gtgt 55 Size
2.6 cm Age 3.5 months
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Size and age at first reproduction
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Size and age at first reproduction
k Rate at which 100 maturity is reached d50
Size at which 50 maturity is reached.
Age 6-7 months old
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Reproductive cycle Gonadal Index

• Seasonal variation GI-Winter gt GI-Summer

• GI is not a reliable index ? high variability

Vaïtilingon D., Rasolofonirina R., Jangoux M
(2005). Reproductive cycle of edible echinoderms
from the southern Indian Ocean. I. The echinoid
Tripneustes gratilla (L.). Western Indian Ocean
Journal of Marine Science. 4 (1) 47-60
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Reproductive cycle Histological analysis
6 identified stages (only 4 are represented
here) Mature, Partly spawned, Spent, Recovery,
Growing, Premature
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Reproductive cycle Maturity Index
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Reproductive cycle Influence of abiotic factors
Correlation between abiotic factors, gonadal and
maturity indices

• Gametogenesis could be induced by a decrease in
  T.
• Spawning could be induced by a rise in T and P

• Early investment in reproduction
• High reproductive effort (high GI)
• Seasonality in reproduction influenced by
  abiotic factors
• Good insight of the maturity stages

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Protocol for larval culture
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What is the chronology of larval
development? What are the different morphological
stages observed? Can we optimised the larval
performance?
Chronology Time scale in days
F fertilisation L larva LC Competent
larva J Exotrophic juvenile
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Results

• Larval development last 32 days and passes
  through 5 successive stages.

• Two main phases 1) 18 days, involve in
  elaborating larval arms and specialised
  locomotory structures.
• 2) 14 days, formation of rudiment.

• Identify the substrate which induces
  metamorphosis Coralline alga.

• Postlarval development last 12 days
  Endotrophic phase.

• Reproducing all the steps from fertilisation to
  larval rearing and juvenile stage is feasible in
  a hatchery facility.

• Identify the abiotic and biotic parameters which
  increase larval performance.

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Conclusion
Does T. gratilla show life-history traits
suitable for aquaculture?
YES
Can we use T. gratilla as a model for land-based
aquaculture?
YES
Promising results at MQ sea water facility
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Feeding biology
Vaïtilingon D., Rasolofonirina R., Jangoux M.
(2003). Feeding preferences, seasonal gut
repletion indices, and diel feeding patterns of
the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla (L.)
(Echinodermata, Echinoidea) off Toliara
(Madagascar). Marine Biology 143 451-458.
Parasitism
Vaïtilingon D., Eeckhaut I., Fourgon D. Jangoux
M (2004). Population dynamics, infestation and
host selection of Vexilla vexillum (Gmelin, 1791)
an ectoparasitic muricid of echinoids, in
Madagascar. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 61
241-255.