[ad_1]
In a laboratory where shrimp grow, it is covered and humid, with a heat of about 30 degrees. All four pools are stocked with hundreds of shrimp. They are very carefully maintained, as heat, light flow, water salinity and other parameters are very important.
According to the scientists, shrimp are extremely sensitive organisms, so it was their observation and changes in technology that allowed the successful growth of the third commander. The second was unsuccessful, with many dead shrimp, but scientists say they have gained useful experience from the mistakes.
The first leader was raised by the team from the Klaipėda Science and Technology Park, which was implementing the project at the time, and who had the help of scientists from German universities to take the first steps in this field.
“Shrimp are extremely sensitive to stress. And changes in water temperature or insufficient food can also be a stressor. One way to create a calm environment for them is to constantly feed. The bigger the belly, the happier the shrimp, ”said Jonas Lelys, a future aquaculture specialist and second-year student of marine biology and biotechnology who worked in the laboratory with this marine culture.
The young man chose another area of observation for his course work and research: the effect of stress on shrimp and their mortality.
Head of the KU Marine Research Institute, Fisheries and Aquaculture Laboratory, dr. Nerijus Nika says that the goal of scientists in developing such activities is to learn something new, so with each litter raised, the technologies improve.
“Our second attempt was unsuccessful, we had technological problems, we got many good lessons. Then you will understand what you should pay special attention to. The second was the least successful and this time we shortened the growth time by one month, significantly reducing mortality and stress. Preliminary, we see that the amount of dead shrimp in the basin, compared to previous generations, has changed significantly, “said N. Nika.
According to him, more successful work seems to have been influenced by simple biological changes – feeding regime, maintenance of water parameters, light regime – control of all these parameters is extremely important, because deviations are stressful for animals.
“The objective of the university is not to grow and commercialize the results as much as possible, but to acquire knowledge, skills, advise companies to start these types of activities, cooperate, help bring to the table, but not directly. You will not find shrimp with a beautiful brand “Klaipeda University”, the goal is not that, “said the scientist.
Potential investors are interested in such a business.
According to the Rector of the University of Klaipeda, prof. Dr. The work done by Artūras Razbadauskas and the scientists is like a bridge for companies, which can implement a proven methodology.
KU Photo / The team from the Klaip Klada University Marine Research Institute Fisheries and Aquaculture Laboratory bred the third shrimp commander before Easter.
“We want to show companies that shrimp and other types of aquaculture can also be farmed on a much larger scale in Lithuania. Other fish that live in the sea can be farmed and used for food. Aquaculture is one of the specialties of the Klaipeda region, which has a great future. There is a growing trend towards this, as commercial fishing has fewer and fewer opportunities. Aquaculture is an area that can bring many benefits to the whole world, said the professor. – We are seeing a global decline in marine resources for food. Aquaculture around the world is the area in which all the attention is focused. They are not just shrimp, they are mollusks, fish. “
University researchers research and test themselves by raising fish. According to N.Nika, the main laboratory, which is located in Kopgali, next to the Maritime Museum, grows fish: Nile tilapia, rainbow trout. Lithuanian-made feeds were tested here on a commercial basis and other activities were carried out here.
Created a tower of shrimp
In a closed system, in pools, the farmed shrimp are supervised by an entire team. Creative researchers have also innovated by monitoring the shrimp life cycle. Here, the technologist Gintautas Narvilas and Martynas Spragys invented and manufactured a device: a shrimp tower, which allows to save space and grow a greater amount of production in an area. If the technology works, it will be patented.
Photo by Gintautas Narvilas / Shrimp farming
According to G. Narvilas, the new idea is a different type of pool called a shrimp tower or beehive.
“This is an innovative group for shrimp farming. It is a tower where there are several layers, the prawns in those layers can grow like a fort. Technologies have been introduced to monitor and monitor their behavior ”, explains the technologist, an aquaculture specialist who complemented his colleagues with a story on the sensitivity of shrimp.
“We looked at how the system works and we saw a big drawback: the shrimp are constantly hungry, the metabolic process is fast, they want to eat them all the time. We have automated the feeding system to ensure constant breakdown of the food and that the shrimp find food all over. time, otherwise the stronger shrimp will hunt the weaker ones that do not dive and have a soft shell, the movement is less active, said the expert. – Shrimp are very sensitive animals, whether we catch them or change the intensity of light, they jump, they can suddenly stop their hearts and die. The measurement of length and weight is done every two weeks, you have to catch, throw, measure, and there are losses during that scientific work. These are sensitive animals, it is necessary ensure harmony to grow well, to feel that external interference does not work. “
It is possible that in the future, geothermal water, famous for the Klaipėda region and western Lithuania, will also be used for shrimp farming. According to dr. N.Nika, the great available water resources are both heat and water structure. This geothermal water has a very long, very salty formation.
“The potential of salt would be adequate for the development of saltwater aquaculture. Experiments are being carried out in another laboratory, testing the possibilities of using geothermal water as a sustainable saline resource. What we ourselves did not expect was that salt or artificial seawater treatment would be a major component of the cost of the operation. We need to find a sustainable source of salt that is as cheap as possible, ”said the scientist.
As far as he knows, so far only one company operating near Rumšišk ses is engaged in commercial shrimp farming in Lithuania.
[ad_2]
