PROJECTS

INVESTIGATION OF TECHNIQUES FOR CULTURE OF PACIFIC OYSTERS IN HI-FLOW AQUATECH GROW-OUT TRAYS

The Hi-Flow Aquatech oyster grow-out tray is a state of the art oyster grow-out tray for use in deep water culture of Pacific oysters. It was developed by two BC oyster growing companies; Desolation Sound Oysters Ltd. and Odyssey Shellfish Ltd. Hi-Flow Aquatech Ltd. now manufactures this Hi-Flow Aquatech tray and both original companies are currently incorporating these trays into their culture systems.

The goal of these trays is to produce top quality oysters in the size ranges of 3.5 to 5 inches, the fastest growing market for high value single oysters. Increasing demands on quality require oysters of consistent shell shape and appearance in well defined size grades. In addition, meat quality is becoming increasingly more important for the fast growing flash-frozen oyster market. Farmers also require fast turn-around on growth and shortened production cycles in order to justify increased costs of intensification.

During the spring of 1998, Odyssey Shellfish Ltd. established a preliminary monitoring program. The objective of this program was to monitor the initial effectiveness of the trays and to determine whether certain factors in the use of the trays showed enough variability to suggest that optimization was possible. This preliminary investigation showed that growth was rapid in the trays and that very high survival of oysters was experienced. It also demonstrated that there are significant effects from handling, density and initial loading strategies and these could have a significant effect on variability in growth of the population, and market characteristics such as shell and meat quality.

The objective of the current investigation is to investigate factors that affect growth of oysters in Hi-Flow Aquatech oyster culture trays as defined both by rate of growth and market characteristics of the finished product. The goal is to find the most cost-effective method of producing a consistent high quality oyster at greater than 3.5-5 inches shell length in as short a time as possible. This investigation is being conducted at four commercial oyster farms in British Columbia.

The results of this investigation would be to develop a Standard Operating Practice for tray use. This S.O.P. would benefit the companies participating in the proposed project and could be provided to other shellfish aquaculturists using or purchasing Hi-Flow Aquatech trays.

The Hi-Flow Aquatech tray if used properly provides an efficient way to intensify production and addresses market demand for the production of larger high quality oyster products. With proper techniques established, Odyssey Shellfish and the collaborating companies believe that use of these trays will increase efficiency, marketability and profitability of oyster culture in British Columbia.