Biology and farming of the green mussel Mytilus smaragdinus Item Type article Authors Yap, Wilfredo G.; Orano, Celia; Tabbu, Marlo Download date 02/10/2021 18:57:01 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/33953 Biology and farming of the green mussel Mytilus smaragdinus Yap, Wilfredo G.; Orano, Celia & Tabbu, Marlo Date published: 1977 To cite this document : Yap, W. G., Orano, C., & Tabbu, M. (1977). Biology and farming of the green mussel Mytilus smaragdinus. SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department Quarterly Research Report, 1(2), 5-7. Keywords : Shellfish culture, Seed collection, Mytilus smaragdinus, Philippines To link to this document : http://hdl.handle.net/10862/2285 Share on : PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL TEXT This content was downloaded from SEAFDEC/AQD Institutional Repository (SAIR) - the official digital repository of scholarly and research information of the department Downloaded by: [Anonymous] On: November 9, 2015 at 3:25 PM CST IP Address: 122.55.1.77 Follow us on: Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus | Instagram Library & Data Banking Services Section | Training & Information Division Aquaculture Department | Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) Tigbauan, Iloilo 5021 Philippines | Tel: (63-33) 330 7088, (63-33) 330 7000 loc 1340 | Fax: (63-33) 330 7088 Website: www.seafdec.org.ph | Email: [email protected] Copyright © 2011-2015 SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department. Biologyand farming of the green musselMytilus smaragdinus Wilfredo G. Yap, Celia Orano and Mario Tabbu The farming o f the green musselM ytilus smaragdinus is already well established in Bacoor Bay, Cavite and Sapian Bay, Capiz, tw o areas w ith resident mussel populations. Interest in mussel farming is high but the available areas are limited. In order to develop intensive mussel farming techniques in areas with poor or no natural spat settlement, knowledge on this mollusk's reproductive cycle, larval occurrence and spat settlement is essential. Towards this end biological investigations were carried out in Sapian Bay, Capiz from November 1975 to December 1976 with samplings conducted forthnightly. Histological studies on the gonad reveal a high percentage o f ripe and spent females during the month of April and May, and ripe to near ripe during November to December (Fig. 1), However, larval counts were highest on February 25, 1976 with 253 mytilid larvae per haul compared to 0-79 per haul during all other months (Fig. 2). The high larval count was followed by the highest spat settlement during the next sampling period two weeks later, with the spat collector set in the water during the February 25 sampling. The four materials tested, blue polypropylene fiber rope, black polypropylene fiber (Tortell, on November 9, 2015 at 3:25 PM CST 1975), and coir rope, all had their highest spat counts during this period with an average of 471 spats per standard 10 cm rope piece (Table 1). The range during the other tim e periods is 2-283 spats. Of the 4 materials tested, the black fibrillated polypropylene film had the highest larval counts in 15 out of a total of 25 sampling periods. The blue rope was the poorest spat collector. Coconut husk was tested later on and it proved to have a very high catchability, w ith spats completely enveloping the husk surface. Growth monitored from one cohort in Sapian Bay averaged 10 mm per month (Fig. 3). 50-60 mm is considered marketable size. Trial growth experiments w ith transplanted mussels http://repository.seafdec.org.ph were also conducted at Igang Bay in Guimaras Island, Makato River in Aklan, and a m ilkfish pond in Leganes, Iloilo. Survival in Igang was less than 50% after the second week, and the condition of the surviving mussels can be described only as "w a te ry" w ith the mantle completely transparent. Mortality was minimal in Makato but the growth rate was only 30% that of Sapian Bay. The pond experiments were terminated due to severe crab predation. The mussel farming industry was already well established in Sapian Bay by the time the year-long biological study was completed. A quarter hectare pilot farm for demonstration and experimentation was established in Himamaylan River, Negros Occidental. Current studies are centered on transplantation using local materials fo r binding spats to growing ropes. Downloaded by [122.55.1.77] from Table 1. Spat counts from 10 cm rope pieces during peak and poor settlement months. Spat collector Feb 2 5 – Mar 9, 1976 Apr 7-21, 1976 Black polypropylene film 633 11 Black polypropylene rope 357 2 Coir rope 558 5 Blue polypropylene rope 339 1 5 Fig. 1. Reproductive cycle oM. f smaragdinus from Sapian Bay, Capiz. on November 9, 2015 at 3:25 PM CST http://repository.seafdec.org.ph Fig. 2. M ytilid larval occurence in Sapian Bay, Capiz. Downloaded by [122.55.1.77] from 6 Fig. 3. Growth o f the green musselM. smaragdinus at Sapian Bay, based upon modal size in the size frequency of 50 to 100 mussels collected twice a month. Size is measured as the distance in mm from the umbo to the posterior tip. on November 9, 2015 at 3:25 PM CST http://repository.seafdec.org.ph Downloaded by [122.55.1.77] from Literature Cited Tortell, P. 1976. A new rope for mussel farming. Aquaculture. 8:383-388. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 7.