ACCELERATED GROWTH OF RED ABALONE HALIOTIS RUFESCENS, THROUGH TRIPLOIDY

INCREASED DEMAND AND OVERFISHED RESOURCES HAVE PROMPTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ABALONE FARMING INDUSTRY IN THE U.S. AND ABROAD. EXPANSION OF THIS FOOD INDUSTRY HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY THE SLOW GROWTH OF THESE MOLLUSKS. IT IS PROPOSED THAT A FASTER GROWING RED ABALONE, HALIOTIS RUFESCENS BE PRODUCEDBY THE INDUCTION OF TRIPLOIDY. RESULTS FROM PUBLISHED REPORTS ON OTHER MOLLUSCAN SPECIES INFER THAT CHROMOSOMAL MANIPULATION IN ABALONE SHOULD CREATE SEXUALLY STERILE ANIMALS WHICH CHANNEL ENERGY AWAY FROM GONAD PRODUCTION INTOENHANCED MEAT AND SHELL GROWTH. TRIPLOIDY MAY ALSO PRODUCE SECONDARY BENEFITS SUCH AS IMPROVED MEAT QUALITY AND ADAPTIBILITY TO A GREATER RANGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SHOCK WILL BE TESTED FOR THEIR ABILITY TO INDUCE TRIPLOIDY IN ABALONE EGGS, AND FOR THEIR EFFECTS ON POST-TREATMENT SURVIVAL. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST EVALUATION OF THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF UTILIZING THESE METHODS IN THE HATCHERY. INCREASED GROWTH RATES WILL INCREASE PROFITABILITY AND STIMULATE FURTHER INDUSTRY EXPANSION. THE TECHNIQUES DEVELOPED IN THIS WORK COULD BE UTILIZED ON TECHNICALLY UNSOPHISTICATED FARMS, USING ONLY SIMPLE EQUIPMENT.