WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • DECEMBER 2023 61 (CONTINUED ON PAGE 62) 2023 for a total of 67 days of exposure. Two of the collectors were lost during the study, and from the 16 collectors retrieved (89%) a total of 475 molluscs were collected, corresponding to three different species of bivalves (Table 1). The potential aquaculture of the lion’s scallop would need culture units to be set up in deeper waters with lower water temperatures (<28.0o C) required for the scallops’ survival. A second step in determining the feasibility of scallop aquaculture in the USVI was a seed collection pilot study (Indigenous species scientific research collection/retention permit DFW22008U issued by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources). The collectors used for spat settlement were fabricated using onion bags filled with monofilament synthetics (Quayle and Newkirk 1989) (Figure 2a, 2b). Three longlines were deployed with collectors suspended at three different depths, two each at 5 m, 10 m and 15 m, for a total of six collectors per line (Figure 3). In total 18 collectors were placed on the east side of St. Croix. Each longline was suspended by floats, with two concrete blocks used as anchors. Bags were also submerged using a 1 lb weight at each depth. Longlines were placed approximately 330 m apart using a GPS navigation system, at depths of 26 to 27 m (Table 1). The collectors were deployed on December 9, 2022 and retrieved on February 14, FIGURE 2A, 2B. Mollusk seed collectors (photo credit: Dr. Herbert E Quintero) FIGURE 3. Lines of seed collectors (photo credit: Dr. Herbert E Quintero) FIGURE 4. Pinna carnea (Amber pen shell) (photo credit: Mr. Lamani Santiago) FIGURE 5. Pinctada imbricata (Atlantic pearl oyster) (photo credit: Mr. Lamani Santiago)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjExNDY=