According to the Marine Aquaculture Centre of Tongoy, the demand for Northern scallop larvae is on the rise. (Photo:Tongoy/Stock File/FIS)

Aquaculture Centre achieves record scallop larvae harvest

CHILE
Thursday, April 05, 2012, 03:10 (GMT + 9)

The Marine Farming Aquaculture Centre of Tongoy (Cultimar) harvested 260 million eyed Northern scallop larvae.

The R&D team of the Centre finished the largest eyed larvae culture in its history, which allowed the sale of about 200 million larvae in the industry.

"Since last year a new platform has been generated for the revival of the oyster industry, which has encouraged several companies, some of which had closed their oyster farming facilities, to farm again and to initiate aquaculture activities," said Antonio Vélez, Cultimar technical director.

"This has created a demand for scallop larvae and seeds that have made us work faster so as to produce and comply with various orders," he added.

At the same time, researchers were able to maintain a production standard that allowed them to meet the growing demand for eyed oyster larvae and seeds thanks to the implementation of a production technology that is different from that used in the industry, called T3, Fundación Chile reported.

"Thus, an interesting demand for the product is being generated and it instills an expectant productive situation in Cultimar, directly supporting the revival of the industry," the technical director of the Centre went on to explain.

Between January and November 2011, a volume of 7,258 tonnes of Northern scallops were harvested in the country, that is to say, 9.1 per cent less than in the same period in 2010 (7,987 tonnes).

The Report on Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector, issued by the Undersecretariat of Fisheries (Subpesca) also indicates that the resource was harvested mainly in the Regions IV and III, with 4,500 tonnes and 2,800 tonnes, respectively.

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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