SHELLFISH FARMING IN ALASKA

By Raymond RaLonde Aquaculture Specialist University of Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program afrlr@uaa.alaska.edu

FARM LOCATIONS

Alaska
Southcentral Alaska 26 farms
Anchorag e Home r Kodiak Ketchika n

Southeastern Alaska 41 farms

Junea u

NUMBER OF PERMITTED FARMS

80 60

40

20

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

20 80 60 40 2 00 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

HISTORICAL FARM INCOME

800,000

600,000

400,000

200,000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

200,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 2 000,000 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

ALUTIIQ PRIDE SHELLFISH HATCHERY SEWARD, ALASKA

WATER TREATMENT

Filtered

Sterilized

Heated

ALGAE CULTURE

BROODSTOCK

LARVA CULTURE

LARVA SETTING

NURSERY CULTURE
ACCELERATING GROWTH OF SHELLFISH SEED

ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES OF OYSTER NURSERY CULTURE FOR ALASKAN

Seed size Seed cost Expected slow growth Excepted survival Gear requirements Out-of-state Small seed seed Less the 20 mm $15-18.00/1000 seed 20% 50-80% Trays for early culture Lantern nets for first year Lantern nets for growout 18-36 months Tray maintenance First year culture Growout for second year In-state Large seed seed Greater than 30 mm $30.00/1000 seed <5% 85-90% Not required Not required Lantern nets for growout 12-18 months Not required Not required Growout for second year

Time to market size Labor requirement

GROWTH OF NURSERY CULTURED PACIFIC OYSTER SEED 2

400 350
2

Fas t

Ovoid area mm

300 250 200 150 100 50 0

2-Jun 12-Jun 22-Jun 2-Jul 12-Jul 22-Jul 1-Aug 11-Aug 21-Aug 31-Aug

Avera ge Slo w
10-Sep 20-Sep 30-Sep 10-Oct

5 22. 5 2 0 1 6 1 0.

S h e ll h e i g h t m m

Date

THE FLOATING UPWELLING SYSTEM (FLUPSY)

Pumping system Central trough Culture chamber

BASIC FLOATING UPWELLING SYSTEM DESIGN

Floa t Water surface

Seed bin Oyster seed Water flow

Pum p
Central Trough

Water flow

FINAL SEED QUALITY

Larger size Deeper cup Harder shell Uniform size

SUMMARY OF EXPENSES AND INCOME

Expense category Facility depreciation Seed cost Labor Miscellaneous Total Expenses Income from Sales 870,000 seed (25-30 mm) for $30,00/1,000 Profit per 1 million initial seed $2,200 $8,000 $2,800 $1,000 $14,000 $26,100 $12,100

SHELLFISH FARMING IN ALASKA

THE OYSTER FARM

Longline or raft suspension Work Boat/raft (Hoist, Washer) Work Platform (Sorting table tumbler, Cool storage)

PACIFIC OYSTER
Not native to Alaska Imported seed in

early 1900s Industry failed in late 1960s

Restarted again in
the 1970s for the halfshell market

ALASKAN OYSTER FARMING

Fouling removal 18-24 MONTHS 3-4 WEEKS

3-4 times

Growou t

Sortin Restockin g g MOVE FROM FARM HARDENING HARVEST FINAL CLEANING CHILLED DRY STORAGE MARINE TOXIN TESTING PASSES

Seed the Farm

FAILS

PACKAGE FOR MARKET

SHELLFISH NURSERY CULTURE

Doubled oyster growth Decreased operational cost by 40% Improved survival from 40-60% to 85+% Improved inventory control

400 350
2

Ovoid area mm

300 250 200 150 100 50 0

2-J un 12-J un 22-J un 2 -J ul 12 -J ul 22 -J ul 1-Aug 1 1-Aug 2 1-Aug 3 1-Aug 10-Sep 20-Sep 30-Sep 10-O ct

GROWOUT

8 stack of wire cages 10 tiered lantern net

Start at 150 oysters per

lantern net chamber or 300 in wire cage first growing season size

Reduce by about half after 12-36 months 3 market Sell for $0.50+ per oyster

LABOR INTENSIVE
Cleaning gear Tumbling

Sorting

Fouling

HARDENING
Suspended oyster culture
causes weak adductor muscles Shellfish gap open during shipping and storage

Hardening conditions the

adductor muscle.
3 weeks @ +5 tidal height

PROCESSING
Weekly shipments Remove all fouling Keep in chilled storage Marine toxin testing Packaged in 50 lb. box

SHIPPING
Live oysters are air freighted to distant markets using 50 lbs. Wetlock boxes.

Locale buyers will often purchase oysters in coolers that are returned to the farmer.

OYSTER QUALITY

Poor quality

Prime quality

OYSTER QUALITY
Spawniness
Lower latitudes become spawny Retarded in Alaska

Marketing opportunity
Retains sweetness Summer months

Site selection is critical

Compromise on growth potential

FARMING NATIVE SHELLFISH

Alaska has a ban on
import of non-native species. Must develop hatchery technology to produce seed. Seen must be hatchery produced within state boudary

Permitting a farm must

be compliant with state common property provisions. No farming on harvestable beaches. Beaches must be depleted of wild clams.

MUSSEL FARMING
Select site for seed collection Monitor for mussel larva abundance & Retrieve & sock seed in mussel socks Growout to market size in one year

size Deploy collector lines for collecting seed

BLUE MUSSEL

+ Fast growing + High quality + High demand and short

supply - PSP can be a problem - Summer mortality problems in southeast Alaska

COLLECTING MUSSEL SEED

Plankton tows twice
each week to capture floating scallop larva

Identify mussel larva Measure larva Deploy gear when

larva are 220 um in length
M M M M

SEED COLLECTION
Rough surface rope Deployed from a raft
or long line

SOCKING MUSSEL SEED

Blue mussel- sea water slurry Open/close sliding valve 3 diameter pipe Mus sel sock Support legs 8 ft . Side View

Eight foot long mussel

socks Tied with overhand knot at each end

MUSSEL GROWOUT
On long lines or rafts Hang at least 6 ft below
surface

Harvest in one year

S he ll le ng th in m m 45 35 25 15 5 M arc h Ju ne A ug ust Oc to be r Month De ce m be r M arc h

MUSSEL PROCESSING
Processing is necessary
to:
Sort to size Separate clumps that are connected by the byssus Wash Possibly Remove the byssus

ALASKAS SCALLOP
Weathervane
Largest scallop Difficult to farm Sold for muscle

Bay scallop
Pink and spiny Small Sold whole and live Short shelf life

Purple hinge rock scallop

Hatchery seed production Attaches to substrate

BAY SCALLOP SEED

M M M M

ROCK SCALLOP GROWOUT

Bay scallop

Ear hanging
Weathervane

October

May

October

October

March

Research now underway

Market size in 3 to 5 years

Date

Gonad (red is female) Adductor muscle Mantle

March

Rock scallop

Shell height in mm

Lantern net growout

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Spiny scallop Pink scallop Rock scallop

NURSERY CULTURE
Survival
5/1/01 10/19/01 Percent 5/30/02 Percent 9/28/02 Percent Count Count Survival Count Survival Count Survival 100 79.5 80% 70 70% 50 50% 200 161 81% 91.5 46% 58 29% 300 234 78% 131.5 44% 52 17%

Starting size 16.2 mm

Growth

5/1/01 10/19/01 9/28/02 Count Height 100 35 52 200 33 51 300 31.5 50

GROWOUT

Nornet with ridged hard perforated plastic flooring for each chamber

GROWTH MODEL von Bertalanffy fit

120 100

L(t) = 131.932[ 1 e-0.340(t+0.497)] R2 = .991

Length in mm

80 60 40 20 0 0 1 2 3 4 5

Age

MUSCLE CHARACTERISTICS
Diameter Two year old Average Confidence Four year old Average Confidence 27.59 1.25 32.34 1.37 Height 11.87 0.93 20.53 1.26 Weight 7.89 0.82 19.09 1.87 % Recovery 10.41% 0.56% 14.23% 0.01%

Comparison for two and four year old

No./ lb 62.66 7.17 26.94 2.9

Fulton fish market price $4.75/per for 20/30 count Definitely need a specialty market

LITTLENECK CLAM FARMING

LARVAL DEVELOPMENT
48 hrs Trochophore Egg D-Veliger 3-5 days

10-15 days Pediveliger Umbo Veliger 12-15 days

THE LITTLENECK CLAM

Often called steamer Native species
Prototheca staminea Abundant wild populations

Market price - 2.25-2.50/lb. Market size in 4-5 years. High quality and save
shellfish.

A LITTLENECK CLAM FARM PRODUCTION PLAN

Determine clam distribution on the beach. Estimate the beach population from at least 11 plots one square foot in area. Measure clams and develop a length frequency distribution. Interpret the length frequency distribution to calculate recruitment and survival Develop the management plan.
Population control, seeding plan, harvest plan.

INVENTORY EXAMPLE The Sampling Design

ROC K

OCEAN

TYPICAL CLAM BEACH INVENTORY PLOT

INVENTORY ANALYSIS
Tenass Pass Total Length Frequency
18 16

frequency

frequency

14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

1 2

Blue Water
25 20 15 10 5 0

Total Length Frequency

4 3

1
1 5 9 13 17

2
21 25

10

13

16

19

22

25

28

31

34

37

40

43

46

49

52

55

29

33

37

41

45

length (mm)

length (mm)

40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 Age in years

Total Length Frequency 25 20

frequency

Length (mm)

1 2 3

15 10 5 0
1 5 9 13

17

21

25

29

33

37

41

45

49

53

length (mm)

57

49

Length class 0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-37 38 & above Total Length class 0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-37 38 & above

PLOT PRODUCTION
Number 16 26 20 29 69 114 191 55 83 603 Percent 2.65% 4.31% 3.32% 4.81% 11.44% 18.91% 31.67% 9.12% 13.76%

Total Number/ sq ft. 3 4 3 5 11 18 31 9 13 97 Weight/acre Pounds 6.1 60.9 192.0 768.9 3,695.8 10,476.9 28,170.1 10,689.8 23,848.6

Number/acre 112,461 182,750 140,577 203,836 484,990 801,287 1,342,508 386,586 583,393 4,238,388 Income at $2.25/lb

Weight/ft Pounds 0.0001 0.0014 0.0044 0.0177 0.0848 0.2405 0.6467 0.2454 0.5475

Percentage Weight 0.008% 0.078% 0.246% 0.987% 4.744% 13.448% 36.158% 13.721% 30.611%

$53,659.35

THE LITTLENECK CLAM AQUACULTURE PROCESS

SITE PREPARATION

PREDATOR NET PLACEMENT

SEEDING THE BEACH

HARVESTING

SITE CHARACTERISTICS
Breakwater
Exposure: Exposed west coast lea of breakwater Substrate: Course sand hard packed little deposition, depth >1 M Planted: 8/1/06 Tidal height: -2.1 ft Sampled: Not yet sampled (Spring 09)

Tamgas Bay
Exposure: SW corner intermittent fetch from storms Substrate: Course sand with <5% gravel, depth >1 M Planted: 9/08/02 Tidal height: -2.0 ft Sampled: 7/06/04 Discontinued

Canoe Cove
Exposure: Highly protected on all sides Substrate: Firm organics and fine sand Planted: 6/6/04 Tidal height: -1.6 Sampled:

SITE SETUP
120 pvc tubes 6 diameter
20 long push in leaving 6 exposed. Planted 5 geoduck seed 9 mm size per tube. Attached predator screen over tube.

CHECKING SURVIVAL
Good survival
Low predation 21 of 43 had at lease one show 8 had 2 shows None had three shows Total 29 of 43 (67%) survival

Show s

No Shows

REMOVE TUBES

HARVESTING
A Dirty Job

Breakag e

CANOE COVE GROWTH

Adequate growth Less variability
140 120

50 40 30 20 10 0 10 50 40 30 20 1 25 49 20 05

Growth in Length

25

49

Whole weight gr.

100 80 60 40 20 0 0 25 49

Months

ALASKAN SHELLFISH FARMING

Shellfish farming has been a hard fit for
Alaska Industry has progressed enormously in the past 20 years to overcome constraints Much progress has been made that started with just a handful of farmers Shellfish farming provides for rural Alaskans: Economic opportunity directly to communities, jobs, and is environmentally compatible.