Production of grouper juveniles in high density - GAROUPATEC

• Grant number: 18/15174-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: March 01, 2019
• End date: February 28, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Aquaculture
• Principal Investigator: Claudia Ehlers Kerber
• Grantee: Claudia Ehlers Kerber
• Company: Claudia e Kerber Aquicultura - ME
• CNAE: Aqüicultura em água salgada e salobra
• City: Ilhabela
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/05996-3 - Production of grouper juveniles in IGH density: GAROUPATEC, BP.PIPE

Abstract

The cultivation of marine fish develops rapidly throughout the world, but there is still a repressed world demand of approximately 6.7 million tons until 2020 and in Brazil, a negative fish trade balance in order of 1 billion dollars in 2017. Our country has 8,500 km of tropical coast without Hurricane route and with suitability for aquaculture. Despite this abundance and due to lack of fingerlings of other species, only the cultivation of bijupirá (Rachycentron canadum) in large enterprises in offshore system developed so far. In recent years, Aquaculture Recirculation System-RAS are a global trend. They allow you to produce marine organisms in high density, away from the coast, with minimal release of effluents using only the amount of water lost by evaporation. The Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) is a species native to the South Atlantic and the Mediterranean, where it is endangered (IUCN A2d). Is a noble product that print our 100 real note, sold alive for more than 70 euros/kilo in a restaurant in Lisbon. In Brazil has great market demand and high commercial value, but fishing is prohibited by Ordinance 445/2014 MMA.REDEMAR ALEVINOS company has great experience with the species in question since, over 12 years, developed with own resources technology for breeding and the production of fingerlings in large scale. Currently the company sells fry with 2 grams, but the growth of the species has been very slow in the first year of growing, making the process of cultivation impracticable. This research project aims to elucidate whether it is possible to keep grouper fingerlings in high density until they reach 80 grams in order to offer to the market a new species of marine fish to cultivation to bring more revenue to the company and allowing a rewarding financial return with low risk for fish farmers. We believe that, if we can offer the juvenile with about 80 grams instead of fingerlings of 2 grams that we currently produce, animals will reach on the farm more than 1 kg at the end of a year of grow out. Our challenge is to grow them until the juvenile reaches 80 grams in RAS with high density. This project has the potential to leverage, finally the marine fish farming in Brazil enabling the inclusion of small and medium-sized producers in marine aquaculture chain. The applicant offers its facilities, various equipment, some inputs, energy, water and very qualified labor. The validation of the results of grow out in marine tanks by partners in Ilhabela, SP, is also part of the study. (AU)