Pond Production of the Freshwater Prawn in Temperate Climates
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SRAC Publication No. 484 July 2006 VI Revision PR Pond Production of the Freshwater Prawn in Temperate Climates Louis R. D’Abramo1, James H. Tidwell2, Mack Fondren3 and Cortney L. Ohs4 Pond production of freshwater Site selection Pond construction prawns, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, in temperate climates involves The proper design and construction Properly designed and construct- stocking nursed, juvenile prawns of ponds for freshwater prawns are ed ponds can have a tremendous 1 extremely important. When select- effect on harvest efficiency. into ponds, followed by 3 ⁄2 to 6 months of growout until they are ing a site, avoid areas that are Harvesting freshwater prawns is ready for harvest. The exact prone to flooding. The location extremely labor intensive if ponds growout time depends on the tem- must be suitable for pond construc- are poorly designed or construct- perature range within the growing tion and have an adequate water ed. The first decision should be season. Successful pond produc- supply. The soil should have good the placement of the harvest basin tion of prawns begins with site water retention qualities. Both the (internal versus external) and the selection, pond construction, and soil and water must be free of drainage from that basin. The planning for a water source. The chemical residues such as pestici- depth of the harvest basin and the production cycle requires pre- dal organic compounds that could drainage leaving the basin will stocking preparation, stocking, be harmful or lethal to prawns. determine pond configuration. feeding, and managing water quali- Have the soil tested for pesticides A prawn pond is about 3 to 3.5 ty until harvest. A recent examina- known to have been used on the feet deep at the shallow end and tion of the economics of pond pro- site. County Extension offices have slopes to 4.5 to 5.5 feet at the duction of freshwater prawns in instructions and containers for soil deep end. A shallow-end water temperate climates has been pub- samples. To prepare samples, col- depth of 3.5 feet is recommended lished (Dasgupta, 2005). Other lect small soil samples from several to discourage the growth of nui- aspects of prawn culture in ponds, (six to eight) locations in the area sance weeds (aquatic rooted as well as hatchery and nursery where you intend to locate a pond. plants and filamentous algae) dur- culture and general biology, can be Samples from the lowest lying ing the production season and found in Tidwell et al. (2005), New areas must be included because keep the water from cooling too and Valenti (2000), D’Abramo and they generally have the highest lev- rapidly when cooler air tempera- Brunson (1996), and Daniels et al. els of contaminants if any are pre- tures arrive at the end of the (1992). sent. Thoroughly mix the samples growing season. and allow the soil to dry. Then fill the container with a sample of the The inside slopes of levees gener- dried soil for analysis. Most states ally range from 2:1 to 3:1. Slope may vary somewhat with pond 1 operate laboratories that will Professor, Department of Wildlife and size and soil type, but a slope of Fisheries, Mississippi State University. process the samples and send a 2 Professor and Chair, Division of prepared report for a small fee. It 2:1 is recommended for highly Aquaculture, Kentucky State University. is important to inform the laborato- effective control of unwanted 3 Facilities Coordinator, Department of ry about your plans to use this land aquatic vegetation. Levee tops Wildlife and Fisheries, Mississippi State for a pond site so they can conduct that are 20 feet wide should be University. the appropriate tests (generally pH adequate, though some farmers 4 Assistant Professor, Department of and particle size analysis) and offer prefer a wider main levee (work- Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, the proper recommendations. ing levee), usually located at the University of Florida. deep end of the pond. This wider working levee gives equipment prawns that can be sold fresh or draining, a large number of and laborers better access to the on ice, or processed and frozen prawns may be left stranded in harvest basin. Erosion from wind without suffering holding losses, muddy depressions and have to and waves generally has a modest and the potential for losing unhar- be removed manually. If this is effect on prawn ponds, which are vested prawns when temperature not done quickly, their condition usually smaller than 3 acres. falls at the end of the growing sea- may become unacceptable for There should be about 1 foot of son. In a properly designed and processing. extra soil height (levee freeboard) constructed pond, about 75 per- Harvest basins can be external or above the operating water level of cent of the prawns may leave the internal, but should be designed the pond to add structural stabili- pond as the last 20 percent of the so that all pond water drains ty and capture rainwater. water exits (if harvesting to an rapidly into them. Bottom contours and drain harvest external harvest basin). The abili- structures are the most important ty to manually remove all prawns External harvest basin aspects of freshwater prawn pond (including any stranded on the pond bottom) and process them The external (outside the levee) design because they affect efficien- harvest basin design consists of a cy of harvest. The pond bottom on site depends on the availability of a sufficient labor force and/or fan-shaped (wide V from over- should have no obstructions or head), deepened area (6 inches deep depressions to interfere with ice-packing facility. Ponds smaller than an acre may yield more per deep, 20 to 30 feet wide, and the goal of concentrating all approximately 30 feet from the prawns into one area during drain acre than larger ponds if the shape of larger ponds reduces the drain pipe) within the pond where harvest. Slopes of 7 to 9 inches per prawns are initially concentrated. 100 feet of pond length and about ratio of perimeter to total surface area. Under similar management This area is called an internal con- 7 inches per 100 feet from the side centration basin. The fan is levees to the center of the pond are practices, higher ratios are believed to promote higher yields. tapered and slopes to the focal recommended. These measure- point (V-shaped end), which is ments are taken from the toe (bot- If a formulated feed is to be used, located at the opening of the drain tom of the slope) of the inner lev- the pond shape should allow feed harvest pipe (Fig. 1). Shallow ees. During harvest, pond contours to be distributed over the entire trenching within the internal con- should direct the movement of the surface of the pond because fresh- centration basin may help direct prawns as they follow the water water prawns are territorial. the flow of prawns farther and flow into a wide, shallow, V-shaped Feeding with the wind increases concentrate them as they follow channel along the length of the the range of feeding equipment. the water flow to the drain har- pond. The channel flow will then The topography may allow for sit- vest pipe, and then to the harvest be directed toward either an inter- ing a pond to take advantage of basin located outside the pond nal concentration basin or an inter- prevailing winds. If fertilization is levee. Prawns that do not exit will nal harvest basin. An external har- the feeding strategy, distribution remain in the internal harvest vest basin is combined with an across the entire pond surface is basin. The bottom of the drain internal concentration basin, probably not critical. harvest pipe(s) should be about 6 whereas the internal harvest basin inches below the lowest point in design is a singular feature. Design for harvest the pond; this is referred to as “6 Harvesting by seine is not recom- inches below the low.” The pipe Pond size and shape mended. The process is labor should extend slightly past the toe Prawn pond sizes will be site-spe- intensive and may damage prawns of the inner levee and through the cific as determined by land topog- if they become entangled and are outer levee to a point suitable for raphy, desired pond shape, and dragged through the mud of the emptying water into the external the associated feeding, harvesting pond bottom. Prawns naturally harvest basin. The pipe(s) must and processing capacities. Pond follow a flow of water, so drain have an adequate slope to move shape and size should fit manage- harvest is a passive, yet efficient, the water and prawns (Fig. 2). ment practices and capabilities. method of collecting prawns. If The purpose of the external har- However, size typically ranges the pond is poorly designed for vest basin is to collect the prawns from 1 to 5 acres and the pre- ferred shape is rectangular. A plan that allies design and con- struction decisions with harvest intentions (product form and pro- cessing capabilities) is very impor- tant. Chances for success greatly increase when pond design and logistics (harvest plan) are compat- ible. Total pond acreage and rate of harvest should be determined Figure 1. Cross-sectional side view of a pond designed for drain harvest to an by the number of pounds of external harvest basin. and hold them under good water while holding all prawns. Livecars mesh size to prevent prawns from quality conditions until time to staked out in drainage ditches and escaping the pond. Being able to transport them for live holding or expanded metal boxes with mesh exchange screens of increasing processing.