An assessment of Holothuria scabra growth in marine micro-farms in southwestern Madagascar
Tsiresy, G.; Pascal, B.; Plotieau, T. (2011). An assessment of Holothuria scabra growth in marine micro-farms in southwestern Madagascar. SPC Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin 31: 17-22
In: SPC Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin. Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Noumea. ISSN 1095-4943, more
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| Abstract |
This article presents and compares the results of some initial Holothuria scabra rearing cycles in three villages on the southwestern coast of Madagascar. Growth and survival rates differ between these three pilot sites. Survival rates are very low in two of the three villages, although very fast growth is recorded for holothurians at these locations. In the third village, the situation is reversed: the survival rate is higher but firstphase growth is very slow. In situ trials and sediment analysis have made it possible to identify a number of parameters that influence production. The main factors are the presence of crabs, which affect juvenile survival, and sediment structure, which has an impact on growth rates. As a result of these observations, some improvements in production techniques were shown to be effective, such as ploughing and crab control systems. The purpose of this article is to review the available knowledge on small-scale farming in the natural environment. |
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