Red Snapper Aquaculture

Justification

  One of the most popular seafoods on the Gulf Coast, red snapper has market demand nationwide. Thought to be over-harvested, it is highly regulated through controversial regulations, which affect both the recreational/charter boat industry and other valuable commercial fisheries. Improvements in red snapper culture could help meet market demands and enhance management efforts in rebuilding wild stocks.

Commercial harvest of red snapper

Objectives

(1) Refine spawning technique of red snapper to produce a higher quality fertilized egg.
(2) Develop appropriate feeds that promote high survival rates of newly hatched snapper larvae.
(3) Establish protocols for efficient production of juvenile red snapper.

Research

 Natural Spawning: In collaboration with the Marine Resources Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation, Auburn University Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures researchers have developed a series of environmental chambers at the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center. There they are determining the appropriate environmental conditions to obtain natural spawning of red snapper in the hatchery. In addition they are investigating appropriate brood fish diets to promote high egg quality.

1. Larval Production: Auburn University Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures researchers are studying the larval stage of one of the most abundant microscopic crustaceans in the ocean, copepod nauplii, as first food for snapper larvae. They are looking at nutrient quality of copepods, methods of production, and their utilization by snapper larvae.

2. Juvenile Production: Auburn University Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures researchers are determining how and when to train young snapper to consume a formulated feed, which is an essential tool in intensifying fish production. They are also developing appropriate diet formulations.

                                                                   Juvenile red snapper

Recently hatched

red snapper

larve

 

Anticipated Impacts

  Knowledge gained as part of these studies provides a better understanding of the basic biology of red snapper and in turn allows improved management regulations of wild stocks. The development of practical techniques for spawning and culture of red snapper can lead to a reduction of fishing pressure on wild stocks by

providing an alternative source of this fish through aquaculture.

Principal Investigator

Ronald P. Phelps

Associate Professor

Auburn University, Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures
phelprp@auburn.edu

Affiliated Departments or Institutions

Marine Resources Division of the Alabama Conservation Department