Marine aquaculture and stock enhancment in Florida: Research and development FWC grant No. 13029. Second progress report : 20 September 2014 - 19December 2014.

Abstract

Progress made on the deliverables included in the Mote Marine Laboratory (MML) Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) Grant No.13029 titled “Marine Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement in Florida: Research and Development” for the period of 20 September 2014 through 19 December 2014 are presented in this Second Quarterly Report. The purpose of this grant was to conduct research to develop and refine maturation and spawning technology, increase survival during larval rearing, advance juvenile production strategies to further mass-production aquaculture technology for common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, and report grant findings through publications, meetings and presentations. This work was primarily conducted at Mote Aquaculture Research Park (MAP). The following seven deliverables for the “Amendment to the MML Agreement No. 13029” are included for 2014-2015 and are numbered 7-13 as listed in the Agreement: (7) Maintain and condition common snook broodstock at Mote Aquaculture Research Park (MAP) for maturation and spawning research and to produce larvae and juvenile snook for experimental trials; (8) Establish a population of adult common snook to feed train onto manufactured diets; (9) Collect fertilized eggs from wild strip spawned common snook for larval trials; (10) Investigate the use of computer-aided analysis of sperm motility as a measure of sperm quality in male common snook broodstock; (11) Evaluate the effects of live prey feeding strategies and light conditions on survival, growth and enzymatic activity in common snook larvae; (12) Evaluate effects of rearing density and tank type on survival, growth, cannibalism, and vertebral development during post-larval grow-out stages (25- 44 dph); and (13) Increase awareness of research results and assist the Commission and its partners with strategic planning.