RESEARCH - Research Summary

Animal Production Theme

Research Summary

Concerns over diminishing stocks of northern, or pinto, abalone Haliotis kamtschatkana in British Columbia led Fisheries and Oceans Canada to close the fishery in 1990 to all user groups, including First Nations and commercial and recreational harvesters. Subsequent scientific surveys in the 1990s showed evidence of further population declines, such that the fishery closure remained in effect and northern abalone be declared a “threatened” species. The potential for culturing northern abalone in British Columbia has generated much interest in recent years, fuelled by the continued fishery closure, strong market prices for abalone, and the successful culture of other abalone species in countries around the globe. Aquaculture of northern abalone has piqued the interest of industry (commercial production of a highly valuable product), First nations (cultural significance, food source, commercial opportunity, and wild stock enhancement), and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (rehabilitation of a “threatened” wild resource).

In order for aquaculture of northern abalone to develop successfully into a profitable venture and for enhancement of decimated wild stocks to be achieved, a number of key research issues need to be addressed. This project focuses on three major areas believed to be bottlenecks in the development of aquaculture and wild stock enhancement of northern abalone: 1) broodstock and larval development, 2) early juvenile growth in the hatchery, and 3) survival of outplanted individuals in the field. Experiments will be conducted in the laboratory to examine the effects of different diets, both seaweed and prepared feeds, on the condition of spawning adults and on subsequent quality of larvae and juveniles. Larvae and very young juveniles will be exposed to dissolved organic matter to determine its potential effect on larval/juvenile condition. Larvae will be exposed to a variety of potential settlement inducers to determine what cues induce maximum larval settlement and metamorphosis. A variety of diets will be tested with juveniles of different ages to ascertain which feeds promote the greatest growth and survival. Field experiments will outplant larvae and hatchery-reared juveniles of varying age to determine the effect of developmental stage, juvenile size, and inter-annual variability on reseeding success. The project will determine conditions for optimising larval and juvenile production in a commercial hatchery setting and will establish a suite of parameters that will maximise the chance of successful wild stock enhancement.

Network Investigators

Louis Gosselin, Dept. of Biological Sciences, University College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC
Bruno Cinel, Dept. of Chemistry, University College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC
Louise Page, Dept. of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC
Louis Druehl, Simon Fraser University and Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, BC
Chris Pearce, Dept. of Biological Sciences, University College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC