)

I ,...

SHRIMP FARMING l

by Donald M. Allen

CONTENTS

Introduction •••...•••.•.. General life history of shrimp Culture methods ••...•.•.

Page

Pond site and construction ••.•••••.•.•••.•••.•. Preparation for stocking ••..•.•.•.•...•..••...•....•. Acquisition of seed shrimp ••..••.•.... .• .•••.•....•.. Management of the shrimp crop •.•.•...• • •.•.•...•.• • ..

1 2 2 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 6

Harvest •••••••••.•.•••• Recommendations •••••••.••.•....•.•.••••... .•. •.•.• Conclusions. • . • . • . • . • . • • • • • . . • . • ... ••. Bibliography .••.•••••.•.••• .•.•••.•.•• ..• .•....••.

INTRODUCTION

The idea of shrimp farming, or cultiva­tion of shrimp under controlled conditions in salt- or brackish-water ponds, has aroused much interest in the United States in recent years. Shrimp appear particularly desirable for artificial cultivation because of their rapid growth and high market value. The ex-vessel value of shrimp to United States fishermen in 1962 was $73 million for the 191 million pounds landed. In addition to their worth as human food, shrimp are in great demand seasonally as live bait for sport fishing.

Methods used in shrimp farming take advantage of the ability of certain shrimp to survive and grow rapidly in shallow

lContribution No. 166. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory. Galveston. Tex.

Note,--Donald M. Allen. Fishery Biologist, Bureau of Com­mercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory. U.s. Fish and Wild­life Service. Galveston. Texas.

estuarine waters. By constructing ponds, the shrimp farmer alters t he natural en­vironment so t hat the poundage of shrimp normally harvested from the estuarine areas is greatly increased. It is antici­pated that by prope r timing, a shrimp farmer may control the development of his stocks, so that abundant live bait shrimp of appropri a te size can be harvested at the peak of demand.

The culture of shr imp and other marine animals is an important industry in cer­tain maritime countr ies of Southeast Asia . Shrimp farming in t h e Uni ted States is still in its infancy, however, and extensive re­search i s required to determine i ts biologi­c al and economic feas ibility.

This leaflet giyes an account of shrimp culture as it i s practiced in Southeast Asia and suggests possible applic a tlOn of techniques developed t her e to shrimp farm ­ing in the United States.

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GENERAL LIFE HISTORY OF SHRIMP

The majority of shrimp cultivated in salt-water ponds in the Far East are mar in e shrimp which inhabit s hallow, bracki sh estuaries during a large porbon of their lives. They are well adapted to this environment and can tolerate considerable change in salimty and temperature. A generalized account of their life history will suffice for most of the .:;pecies with which we are concerned here .

Female shrimp spawn their eggs freely ln the ocean, each releasing several hundred thousand eggs. After hatching and whlle passing through several larval stages, the tmy shrimp move toward the coast. Upon entenng the shallow and brackish mshore waters, the young shrimp sEttle to the bottom and grow rapldly. As maturation app roac he s, they gradually move offshore toward the spawning grounds m the ocean and the life cycle is repeated. Depending upon the species, the hfe span may range from about 1 to 3 years and the maXlmum size in terms of length, from about 4 to 12 inches.

Along the Gulf and South Atlantic coasts of the Unlted States, there occur four speCles of marine shrimp whlch may be suit a ble for pond culture. These a re the w h 1 t e (Penaeus seliferus), p 1 n k rP. duorarum) , brown (P. aztecus), and Canbbean brown (P.brasiliensis) shrimps, all similar in appearance and habits to their relatives, the cultured shrimp 0_ Southeast Asia. These North Arneric ..... n shrimp live 1 to 2 years and reach a size of about 9 inches.

In addition to marine shrimp, the southern United States has several species of large river shrimp ('rfacTobrachium spp.) that should be considered for pond culture. These shrimp are generally found m fresh or brackish water. The eggs are not released directly into the water but remain attached to the underside of the "tail" of the female unti l they hatch into young shrimp.

CULTURE METHODS

Pond Site and Construction

In Southeast Asia, shrimp farms are constructed in shallow, brackish, estuarine areas where shrimp occur naturally. The ponds are situated in suc h a way that tidal

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action provldes the needed water exchange. Areas where salinity is only slightly less than that of sea water are preferred. The soil is usually clay with a mixture of sand and 0 r g ani c detritus. Experience has demonstrated that ponds constructed in regions of excessive fresh water or with s andy substrate are poor producers.

Salt marshes, shallow lagoons, and man­grove swamps a re converted into shrimp ponds by exc avatlon and dikmg. In Japan, a bandoned solar-salt beds have been con­verted to modern shnmp reanng ponds. A pond system used m the Phihppmes (fig . l) conslsts of £lve main sectlOns, separated by dlkes- -two nursery ponds, two rearing pond s, and a catch pond. The tops ofthe dikes are about 20 .nches above the maXimum ex­pected tlde heights. SlUlce gates connect the catc h pond to a bdal stream and al so to the rearmg ponds and nurseries, so that water may be exchanged. Wate r level and movement are controlled by bdal flow and adjustable drawboards m the sluice gates. The entire pond unlt slopes toward the main sluice gate so that all sectlOns can , 1£ necessary, be drained at low t ide . Drain ­age is fac litated by a system of d itches in the pond bottom which lead to t h e mam sluice gate. ThiS particular pond system covers about 25 acres .

ExtenSive estuanes along the Gulf and South Atlantic coasts of the Umted States may also be sUltable for farmmg shrimp, although the cost of gaming control over such property will be prohibibve in certain areas. Excluding the cost of leasing or purchasing suitable property, the cost of pond construction m the United States may range from $35 to $600 per acre, I depend­ing upon the size of the project and local conditions.

Preparation for Stocking

Before a nursery pond in the Philippine s is stocked with shrimp fry, it i s drained , cleaned, thoroughly sun dried, and then refilled with 1 to 3 inches of tide wate r that has been screened to prevent entry of undesirable organisms. Besides eliminating most predators, this entire process serve s to enc our age the growth of "lab -lab," a Philippine term for a complex mass o f small bottom-dwelling plant and animal

llnformation concerning pond construction costs may be found in an addendum to Lunz, 1958.

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Figure 1.--Layout of Philippine shrimp pond. (After Delmendo and Rabanal. 1956).

life which is a prime source of food for young shrimp . After a good growth of "lab-lab" is established, the water depth is increased to about 12 inches, and the s eed shrimp are introduced.

The shrimp grow from juvenile to adult stage in a large rearing pond. Prior to being stocked with juvenile shrimp from the nursery pond, the rearing pond is drained, cleaned, and dried before refilling to a depth of 3 to 4 feet with s c reened tide­water.

Acquisition of Seed Shrimp

To obtain a successful harvest of shrimp, it is necessary that the pond be adequately stocked. Consequently, much effort is di­re c t ed toward the critic al problem of ob­taining a supply of seed shrimp (fry).

In the Philippines and Formos a, clusters o f mar ine plants are strung across tidal c ree k s and shallow bays. The young shrimp enter in g the estuaries from the sea gat her On t h e plants, from which they are netted at interval s . These f ry a r e transported to nurser ies in earthenware containers.

Nurseries are not used where seed s h rimp a r e obtained by ent rapment from incoming sea wat er. The sluice gate (fig. 2) is opened on a rising tide so that the swarms of

young shrimp entering the estuary from the sea will be swept into the pond. When the tide turns, t he sluic e gate is screened, thus retaining the young shrimp in the pond. This proc ess m a y be repeated on each tide. Of cou rse, many other marine organisms, some obje c tionable, are intro­duc ed into the pond with the shr imp when this met hod is used.

Neither method described above supplies a cons i stently adequ ate supply of seed shrimp. The most highly developed methods of shrimp culture are those now practiced in Japan, where kuruma shrimp (P . japonicu s) are reared from egg to adult stage under closely c ontrolled conditions. Although de­tails are lacbng, the process may be described generally . Eggs obtained from captive spawnin"g shrimp hatch and develop into larvae in a hatching tank. Since spe­cial food is required by certain larval stages of the shrimp, minute marine organisms, including diatoms, are arti­ficially cultured and fed to the tiny shrimp at this time. Upon completion of the last larval stage, the young shrimp are trans­ferred to a nursery tank. Thus, in Japan, the problem of obtaining a reliable supply of seed shrimp has apparently been solved.

In the United States, captive white shrimp have spawned successfully in large tanks

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Figure 2.- - Diagra m of a sluice gate , showlnp. drawboaris and screen.

cont aining shallow salt v,'ater. By dddmg nutrient s to t h e wat er , J. supIJly of smdll marine pl a nkt on organisms .vas maintained as food f o r th e la r val s hrimp, which were succe ss fully r eare d t hrough the JuvenIle sLlge . El sewh ere m thi s c ountry, c apt iv e pInk s h rimp hav e s pawned t heir egg s m glas s a quaria, a ft e r which t he r e s ultant larvae w ere confIned In sm all cont aine r s . He r e, s e p a r ately cultur ed mlC r o s coplc marine algae we r e p r ovided as f o od untIl t he beginning o f the juvenile st age . In neithe r case, however, has t h e method been s uffIc lently developed to p r ovide seed s h r imp on a commercial scale. P r esent t echniques fo r obtalnIng s eed shrimp rely eithe r upon t heir tId( -associated move ­ments int o pond s , 01 , .. pon capt u r e by tr awl and plankton net . T he llmite d pr oduc t ion of a fe w d omestic s h r imp far m s can be a t leas t pa rt i al ly at t r i buted t o madequate stock s o f young s h r imp .

Management of the Shrimp Crop

In Southeast A Si a , pond w at e r i s per iodically rene w ed w it h screened tide w ater during the p er i od shrimp are con­f in e d. Sinc e losses of shrimp occurring t h rough hol e s in dikes and screens a re particular ly common during periods of waterflo w, continued maintenanc e of the pond un i t i s required.

While confined in the nurseries, seed shrimp feed upon bottom plant and animal life that is occasionally supplemented with rice bran. After several weeks, the young shrimp are transferred to the rearing ponds.

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There they consume small living and dead org a nIsms swept through the slUlce gates by the tide and also organIc Inatter pro­duc ed wit hm t h e pond. In addition to natural foods, and de pending upon loc al practices , s u p p lement al fo o d Inay i nclude such diverse or ganic mat erial a s water and lan d p l ants, silkworm pupae, f i s h , a nd s h e llhsh . In the absence of adequat e nat u r al food, artifi Ci al feeding may serve t o promote g rowth and survival.

Even m the ponds whe r e the m t ake w ater IS screened, the Yield of sh r i m p may be reduct'd .,y predators or compet itors. T he se pests may Include fish, birds, reptiles , and mammaJ.s. Some may be r emoved by t r ap ­pIng. In Formosa, saponin, a compound e x­tracted from tea seeds, has been us e d to kill £Jsr , apparently without affecting s hrimp contained In the same pond . Rotenone in

sUitable concentrations may also be u s e ful for thiS purpose. Growth and s u rviv al oj cult Hed shnmp can also be affe c t ed b-y dseases and pdrasltes , f or which nc mett'ods of control are ye t p r ac tic e d.

Harves t The length of tlme t hat s h ri m p a re h elc

belore h a r ve s tin g depends upon l ocal p r act 1 c e s and rat e of s hrimp g r owt h. Shrimp may be held f r om a few mont h s tc a yec.r. TC'lree methods of har v e st used lr Southeast Asia merit de s c r ipt ion:

1. Bamboo screen tr ap (fig . 3) - th i~

t rap consists of a fence o r leader extend­Ing a t r ight angles from t h e dike and l eadinl int o a heart - shaped catch cham b er. M OVInl shrimp meet the fence while Cl r chng thE borde r s of the pond and foll o w t h e fencE int o t he cat ch chambe r . Ligh ts are some· t imes used t o a tt ract s hnmp to the trap.

2 . Bag n e t - t hi S n et IS fastened ove] the downstre a m side o f t h e sluice gate. A: l o w tide t h e water wh ic h h as been coniine( In the pond i s a ll o w e d to flow out, flus h in! the shrimp into the net.

3. Draining - the pond is drained OJ

outgoing tide and the shrimp are collecte( by hand.

None of these methods is completel: efficient because some shrimp avoid th, screen traps and others bury in the mue when the pond is drained.

i----------------------------I I I I I I I I I I I

! 0: I SCALE, ---=I IFEET I I 0 5 10 I L _________ '\ _________________ ~

I

( Figure 3.--Diagram o f bamboo sc reen sh r imp trap, shO\ving leader and catch chambers. (After

Delmendo and Rabanal. 1956.)

The rate of production in shrimp ponds varies markedly, being dependent upon local pr actices and biological conditions. Annual yields of more than 600 pounds of heads­off s h r imp per acre have been reported in South east Asia.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Information derived from shrimp cul­tural practices in the Far East, particularly in Japan, could be useful to prospective s h rimp farmers in the United States. The following basic problems, howeve r, 3hould be resolved before commercial shrimp farming is undert aken in this country.

1. The current method of obtaining seed shrimp is unsatisfactory. If, in cap­tivity, the local marine shrimp will not regularly spawn and the young cannot be reared through their larval stages by t he use of Japanese culture te c hniques, then other shrimp species should be considered. Following preliminary experimentation and observing necessary precautions, it may be feasible to transplant kuruma shrimp, which are successfully cultivated in Japan, or the Australian greentail prawn

(Metapf'nnf'lI S masters1i) , which spawns naturally in estuarlne waters. Finally, the possibility t t river shrimp may be SUlt­able for pon 1 culture should not be over­looked.

2. The maximum production of cul­tured shr imp can be obtained only when optimum conditions are established in shrimp ponds. An understanding of the physical , chemical, and biological factors that control shrimp growth and survival are ne cessary for successful pond manage­ment. The need for research must be emphasized.

3. The present methods of harvesting shrimp from ponds by trapping and drainage are not satisfactory. It may be more effl­cient to drag the ponds with frame trawls. 3

Possibly, the use of artificial light as a shrimp attractant can be more fully de­veloped. In addition , chemical and electri­cal shrimp collecting techniques should be in ve stigated .

4. The expected yield of shrimp per acre per year in the United States cannot

3 Small drag nets with rigid, metal-frame opening and roller.

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even be c onje c tured, but it would be of prime impor t ance to the prospec t ive shrimp farmer. Prior to investment in a large ­scale shrimp farming operation, realistic production rates s hould be determined from pllot experiments.

CONCLUSIONS

In the United St a tes, nat ural populations of shrimp occur in estuaries along the Gulf and South Atlantic c oasts. This region appear s well suited for shrimp farming, but commercial ventures In this f ield have been unsucces sful. If shrimp culture problems relating to seed supply, growth, survival, and harve stmg can be resolved, and proven methods followed closely, Gulf and Scuth Atlantic coa stal marshes may supIJ'">rt a new Industry.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

\nonymous. 1 Q58. Controlled culture of shrimp seen

on horizen on a commercial scale. Frosted Food Field, vol. 26, no. 6, p. 1,9-10.

1962. Prawn farming shows promise. World Fishing, vol. 11, no. 4, p. 59-60.

1963. t>1arme blOlogy, cultured prawns. Time, vol. 81, no. 13 (March 29), p. 43, 45.

Delmendo. M. N., and p. F . Rabanal. 1956. CultivatlOn of 'sugpo' (jumbo tiger

shrimp) I'cn(/c ils lI,o/!od(m Fabricius, In the PhIlIppines. Indo - Pacific Fisheries Council, Proceedings, 6th Session, Sections 2 and 3, p. 424-431.

Dobkm, Sheldon. 1961. Early developmental stages of pink

shrimp,I'('/lal'lls r/t'uoranlm, from Florida waters. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv­Ice, Fishery Bulletin 190, vol. 61, p. 321-349.

Gopmath, K.

6

1956. Prawn culture in the rice field s of Tr avanco re-Cochin, India . Indo ­Paciflc Flshenes Council, Proceed­mgs, 6th SesslOn, Sections 2 an d 3, p.419-424.

H edgpet h , Joel W. 194 9. The North American species of

Macro brachium (river s h rimp). Texas Journal of Science, vol. l, no. 3, p . 28-38.

Hudinaga, M otos aku. 1942. Rep r oduction, development and

rea r i n g of P enaeu s j aponicus Bate. Japanes e Journal of Zoology, vol. 10, no . 2 , p . 305 - 3 93,46 plates .

Hutton, Robe rt F ., Franklin Sogandare s­Bernal, Bonnie E ldred, Robert M . Ingle, and Kennet h D. Woodburn .

1959. In ve stigat ions on t he parasites and disease s o f s alt water shrimps (Penaeidae ) of sports and c omme r­cial import a nce to Florid a . (P re­liminary r eport.) Florida State Board of Conse r vation M arine Laboratory, Technical Se r ie s N o. 26, 3 8 p.

Ingle , Robert M., and B onn i e Eldred. 1960. Notes on the a rtifici al c ultivation

of fresh water shr imp . West Indie s F ish e r i e s Bullet in N o.4, July/ August, p. 1 - 5 .

Johnson, Malcolm C., a nd J. R. Fielding. 1956. Propagation of the whit e shrimp,

I'enaeus seti ferus (Linn.), in captivity. Tulane Studies in Zoology, vol . 4, no. 6, p . 175 - 190 .

Kesteven, G. L., and T. J. Job. 1958. Shrimp culture in Asia and the

Far East : a preliminary review. Gulf and Ca r ibbe an Fisheries Insti­tute, 10t h Annual Ses sion, p. 49- 68.

K r use, D w a yne N athaniel. 1959. Pa r a s i tes of the commercial

s h r i m p s , I' e n a c usa z t e c u s I ve s . I'. duorarum B u rke nroad andP. s eti f erus (L in n a e us). Tulane Studies in Zoology, vol . 7, n o. 4, p. 123-144.

Lewi s , John B. 1962. P r eliminary experiments on the

re a ring of the fresh water shrimp , M aero brachium carcinus (L.). Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, Pro­c eedings, Annual Session, p. 199-201.

Lindner, Milton J., and William W. Ander­son .

1956 . Growth, migrations, spawning and size distribut ion of shrimp, P enaeu8 setiferus. U.S . Fish and Wildlife Serv­ice, Fishery Bulletin 106, vol. 56, p. 555 -645.

Ling, S . W., and A. B. O. Merican. 1962. Not es on the life and h a bit s

of t he ad u 1 t sand 1 a r val stages of Macro brachium rosenbervi (De Man). Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council , Pro­ceedings, 9th Session, Section 2, p. 55 -61.

Lunz, G. Robert. 1958 . Pond c ultivation of shrimp in Sout h

Carolina. Gulf and Caribbean Fish­erie s Institute, 10th Annual Se s s ion , p. 44-48. (Discussion, p. 71.)

Lunz, G. Robert, and Charles M. Bearden. 196 3 . Control of predaceous fishes in

shrimp farming in South Carolina. Contr ibutions from Bears Bluff Lab­oratories, No. 36, 9 p. Wadmalaw Island, South C a rolina.

Manning, S. F. 1963. Problems of sea f a rming aren It

all technical. National Fisherm a n combined with Maine Coast Fis her­man, v ol. 44, no. 1, p. 22-23.

1963. Many factors figure in building of successful shrimp pond. National Fisherman combined with Maine Coast Fisherman, vol. 44, no. 2, p. 38-39.

Menon, M. K. 1955. On the paddy f i e ld prawn fishery

of Tr avancore -Coc hin a n d an exper i ­ment in prawn culture. Indo-Pacifi c Fisheries Counc i l, P roc e eding s, 5t h Meeting, Sections 2 and 3, p. 131-135.

P earson, Joh n C . 1939. The ear ly life his t orIes of am

A m e r ic an Penaeidae, chiefly h c ommercial shrimp, f'rM u. , rlf,' U

(Lmn.). [U .S . ] Bureau of FI!:>nenc • Bulletin 30, vol . 49, p . 1-73.

P i llai , T. Gottfr ied . 19 62 . Fish far min g methods In thE'

Philippines, IndoneSia and Hong Kong . FAO Fisheries BlOlogy T 'ct->­nical Paper No. 18, 6R p.

Power, E . A . 1963 . Advance report on the flsher.es

of t h e Umt ed States, 1962. L .S. Fish a n d Wildllfe Service, Current Fish­e r y Stati s t ics No. 3150, 25 p.

Raban a l , Herminia R. 194 9 . T he culture of lab-lab. the ndhr.ll

food of the mllkflsh fry .md fmgt" r­ling s under cultivation. Department of Agriculture and '\Jdtural He­sourc es, Manila Techmc .d Bulletlr, N o. 18, 9 p.

Schuster, W . H . 19 5 2. Fish-culture

p onds in Java. in bracklsr. water lndo-Pacif c F Ish-

erles Co mcd, SpeCl.d I)ubl.catloll~

No.1, 14) p.

T ang , Yun - An. 1961. The use of sapOI'ln to control

predaceous fishes In shrimp r~onds. U.S . Fish and Wl~dllfe ':,ervlCf', Progressive Fish-C ultUrlst, vu~ 2.~,

no. 1 (January), p. 43-45.

V ill a dolid, D . V., and D. Vdlaluz. 1951. The cultivation of sUgro ""11(/'.

munod(J/I Fabricius) m the t 'll.!p ­

pines. Phihppme Journd: of F S'1-

erie s , vol. 1, no. I. p. 55-bb.

Voss, Gilbert L. 1955 . A key to the commercia. drd

pot entially cornme rc .al snrlT'"1;' of the family Penaeldae of tJ- e weste rr Nor t h Atlantic and t e Gulf of. 1eXI o. Florida State Bo . .lrd of Cons en atlOn. Tee hm cal S e rl e s .. o . 1 4. 2. ~ p .

WeyrrlOuth, F. W., Milton J. Lindner, and W. W. Anderson.

Williams, Austin B . 1955. A contribution to the life histories

of commercial shrimps (Penaeidae ) in North C a rolina. Bulletin of Marine Science of the Gulf and Caribbean, vol 5, no. 2, p . 116 -146.

1933. Preliminary report on the life history of the common shrimp Penaeus s('ti(erus (Linn.). [U.S.] Bure au of Fisheries, Bulletin 14, vol. 4 8 , p. 1- 26. MS # 1293

Cfeated In 1849. the Department of the Tnterlor--Amerlca's Department of Natural Resou rce s--Is concerned with the management . co nservation. and devel opment of the Nati on ' s water . fi sh . wlldlife. mineral . forest. and park and recreati onal resources . It also has major responslhilltips for Indian and T errit orial affairs .

As the Nation' s pri ncipal conservation agency. the Department works to assure that nonrenewable re­sources are developed and used wisely. that park and recreational resou rces are conserved for the futu re. and that renewable resources make th"lr full contribution to the progress. prosperity. and security of the United States--now and In the future.

t:NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. Stewart L. Udall . Secretary

James K. Carr , Under Secre tary

Frank P . Briggs, Assistant Sec retary for Fish and If ildlife

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, Clarence F. Paulzke, Commissionu

BUREAU OF COMME RCIAL FISHERIES , Donald L. McKernan, Dire c tor

Fishery Leaflet 551

Washington, D.C. October 1963

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GPO 861.7 4 7