Nutritional requirements for sustainable crayfish aquaculture

Description

Commercial culture of Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) is a new venture for British Columbia. This species is a highly-valued commodity in certain parts of the world and can command a high price. It also has local popularity. The suitability of Signal Crayfish in aquaculture has been well established in Europe. Little is known, however, about their nutritional requirements for optimal growth and there have been few attempts to culture them in their native range, which extends to southern British Columbia. Research is currently underway to investigate the nutritional requirements and digestive physiology of juvenile Signal Crayfish in intensive aquaculture. Crustaceans make excellent candidates for aquaculture because they have high feed-conversion efficiencies; many are omnivorous and respond well to plant-based diets. Understanding nutritional requirements, energetics, and digestive capabilities of Signal Crayfish will provide a framework for assessing the suitability of locally-available, inexpensive, and ecologically-sustainable feed ingredients. The results of this study will provide valuable information for the development of crayfish aquaculture in Canada and serve as a basis for the development of other new species of crustaceans in aquaculture.

Program Name

Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP)

Year(s)

2010 - 2012

Ecoregion(s)

Pacific: Vancouver Island West Coast

Principal Investigator(s)

Chris Pearce
Email: Chris.Pearce@dfo-mpo.gc.ca