Abalone mariculture

The process of culturing gastropod molluscs and other benthic motile marine animals from the larval stage through infancy in a body of seawater in a growing tank having therein settlement surfaces upon which the larvae settle and the animals resulting from larvae metamorphosis live and grow, which comprises:

• (a) circulating through the tank seawater which is free from excess components harmful to the larvae and young animal;
• (b) conditioning the settlement surfaces by developing thereon a microbiological community compatible with the settlement and metamorphosis of the larvae and the growth of the young animal;
• (c) introducing larvae to the tank;
• (d) controlling the biological and chemical balance in the tank to provide food and to limit the build-up of harmful components and conditions in the tank;
• and
• (e) continuing to circulate seawater at least periodically through the tank.

The process of culturing abalone from the larval stage through the infancy in a body of seawater in a growing tank having settlement surfaces therein upon which larvae settle and the animals resulting from larvae metamorphosis live and grow, which comprises:

• (a) circulating through the tank seawater which is free from excess components harmful to the larvae and young abalone;
• (b) conditioning the settlement surfaces by developing thereon a microbiological community compatible with the settlement and metamorphosis of the larvae and the growth of the young animal;
• (c) adding abalone larvae to the tank;
• (d) controlling the biological and chemical balance in the tank to provide food and to limit the build-up of harmful components and conditions in the tank;
• and
• (e) continuing to circulate seawater at least periodically through the tank to transport food across the settlement surfaces and to remove waste products from the tank.

The process of culturing abalone from the larval stage through infancy in a growing tank having therein means forming settlement surfaces upon which larvae settle and the animals resulting from larvae metamorphosis live and grow, which comprises:

• (a) circulating through the tank seawater which is free from excess components harmful to the larvae and young abalone;
• (b) conditioning the settlement surfaces by developing thereon a microbiological community compatible with the settlement and metamorphosis of the larvae and the growth of the young animal;
• (c) adding abalone larvae to the tank while they are still in the swimming phase;
• (d) inducing a high degree of photosynthesis in the tank to effect the growth of food products and to limit the build-up of harmful components and conditions in the tank;
• (e) adding plant nutrients to support photosynthesis;
• and
• (f) continuing to circulate seawater at least periodically to transport food and plant nutrients across the settlement surfaces and to remove waste products from the tank.

The process of culturing abalone from the larval stage through infancy in a body of seawater in a growing tank having therein means forming settlement surfaces upon which larvae settle and the animals resulting from larvae metamorphosis live and grow, which comprises:

• (a) circulating through the tank seawater which is free from excess components harmful to the larvae and young abalone;
• (b) conditioning the settlement surfaces by developing thereon a microbiological community compatible with the settlement and metamorphosis of the larvae and the growth of the young animal;
• (c) adding abalone larvae to the tank;
• (d) adding algae to the seawater to provide food and photosynthesis;
• (e) controlling the biological and chemical balance in the tank to provide food and to limit the build-up of harmful components and conditions in the tank;
• and
• (f) continuing to circulate seawater at least periodically through the tank to transport food across the settlement surfaces and to remove waste products from the tank.

The process of culturing abalone from the larval stage through infancy in a body of seawater in a growing tank having therein means forming settlement surfaces upon which larvae settle and the animals resulting from larvae metamorphosis live and grow, which comprises:

• (a) conditioning seawater to remove substantially all components harmful to the larvae and young abalone and circulating the conditioned seawater through the tank;
• (b) conditioning the settlement surfaces by developing thereon a microbiological community compatible with the settlement and metamorphosis of the larvae and the growth of the young animal;
• (c) adding abalone larvae to the tank;
• (d) controlling the biological and chemical balance in the tank to provide food and to limit the build-up of harmful components and conditions in the tank;
• and
• (e) continuing to circulate seawater at least periodically through the tank to transport nutrients across the settlement surfaces and to remove waste products from the tank.

The process of culturing abalone from the larval stage through infancy in a body of seawater in a growing tank having therein means forming settlement surfaces upon which larvae settle and the animals resulting from metamorphosis live and grow, which comprises:

• (a) conditioning seawater to remove therefrom all components greater than about 30 microns in size and to reduce the bacteria population below about 100 cells per milliliter of water;
• (b) maintaining the water at a predetermined substantially constant temperature;
• (c) circulating the conditioned, constant-temperature water through the tank for a period of days prior to the addition of larvae;
• (d) adding abalone larvae to the tank in successive increments over a period of time;
• (e) periodically adding algae and plant nutrients to the tank;
• (f) injecting light energy into the water bath for at least a portion of each 24-hour period to stimulate photosynthesis therein;
• and
• (g) continuing to circulate seawater in and through the tank for a substantial part of each 24-hour period to transport food and nutrients across the settlement surfaces and to remove waste products from the tank.

The process of culturing abalone from the larval swimming stage through larval settlement in a body of seawater in a growing tank during which period larvae discontinue swimming and settle on submerged settlement surfaces in the growing tank, which comprises:

• (a) circulating in the tank seawater which is free from excess components harmful to the larvae;
• (b) conditioning the settlement surfaces by developing thereon a microbiological community compatible with the settlement of the larvae;
• (c) adding abalone larvae to the tank;
• and
• (d) controlling the biological and chemical balance in the tank to limit the build-up of components detrimental to the settlement of the larvae.

The process of culturing abalone during the first few weeks after larval settlement in a body of seawater in a growing tank having therein settlement surfaces on which larvae have settled, which comprises:

• (a) conditioning seawater to remove substantially all impurities harmful to the young abalone and circulating the conditioned seawater in the tank;
• (b) maintaining on the settlement surfaces a microbiological community compatible with the growth of the young animals;
• (c) controlling the biological and chemical balance in the tank to provide food and to limit the build-up of harmful components and conditions in the tank;
• and
• (d) continuing to circulate seawater at least periodically in the tank.