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A regional shellfish hatchery for the Wider Caribbean – Assessing its feasibility and sustainability
The feasibility for the culture of several species of echinoderms has been demonstrated, but that for cephalopods and gastropods remain under evaluation. There are currently several governmental institutions including the Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology in the State of Sucre (Fundación para el Desarollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología del Estado Sucre – FUNDACITE Sucre), the Socialist Institute for Fisheries and Aquaculture (Instituto Socialista de Pesca y Acuicultura – INSOPESCA) and mainly the Foundation for Research and Development of Aquaculture in Sucre State (Fundación para la Investigación y Desarrollo de la Acuicultura del Estado Sucre FIDAES) which, along with the Research Group on Mollusc Biology, University of Oriente, are working on the development of small aquaculture projects with local fisher communities, particularly with the mussels, Perna perna and P. viridis and the Atlantic pearl oyster, Pinctada imbricata (Lodeiros, 2010). THE TURPIALITO HYDROBIOLOGICAL STATION - A REGIONAL FACILITY FOR LARGE-SCALE BIVALVE SEED PRODUCTION The Turpialito Hydrobiological Station (THS) is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Cariaco, between the cities of Cumaná and Mariguitar (10° 26,62’ N; 64° 02,0’ W; Figure 1). It was constructed in the late 1970s and since then the station has served as a platform for diverse research activities mainly pertaining to marine aquaculture. Research activities on biology and aquaculture techniques have involved species such as the brown mussel, Perna perna, the mangrove oyster, Crassostrea rhizophorae, the scallops, Euvola ziczac and Nodipecten nodosus and the common pampano, Trachinotus carolinus. The resulting knowledge from such extensive research activities, particularly that on molluscs and their environment, makes it possible to commercially exploit some of these species in a rational manner.
Figure 1
Location of the Turpialito Hydrobiological Station in the Gulf of Cariaco, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
ESTACIÓN HIDROBIOLÓGICA DE TURPIALITO INSTITUTO OCEANOGRÁFICO DE VENEZUELA UNIVERSIDAD DE ORIENTE