Commercial Culture of Asian Sea Bass (Lates Calcarifer)

Objectives: Phase I research demonstrated the feasibility of rotifer production and enrichment, and day 1-15 larval rearing of Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) at an inland hatchery site in Hawaii. The overall objective of the Phase II research and development effort will be to remove all further technical impediments to the profitable culture of Asian sea bass in Hawaii. The specific technical objectives are: a. To determine the best and/or most economical shipping methodologies for international air shipments of larvae; b. To determine the best and/or most economical saltwater/seawater source for optimum larval survival and growth at an inland hatchery site; c. To determine the best and/or most practical Artemia nauplii HUFA enrichment medium (media) for feeding larval Asian sea bass; d. To determine the best and/or most economical larval feeding methodology by comparing growth, survival, stress resistance, and essential fatty acid profiles of larvae; e. To determine best and/or most economical dry feed and weaning strategy; f. To determine the best and/or most economical management method to control cannibalism; g. To determine the best and/or most economical nursery and grow-out methodologies; h. To determine the best methods of post-harvest handling of live and fresh, chilled fish; i. To determine the production economics of each stage of the production cycle (hatchery, nursery, grow-out) and the profitability of marketing live and/or fresh, chilled fish; j. To determine and compare market acceptance and price sensitivity of live plate- and fillet/cutlet-sized fish and fresh, chilled fish of the same sizes killed and chilled by the best method(s) tested; and k. To determine (if mature fish are obtained during the Phase II time-period) the best and/or most economical maturation diets and spawning methods by comparing fresh and dry feeds, and by comparing environmental manipulation (day length, water temperature, salinity) and hormone-induced maturation and induction of spawning.