Marie Antonette Juinio-Meñez and Rizza Marline B. Hapitan
Marine Science Institute, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman
doi.org/10.57043/transnastphl.1998.5870
Abstract
The sea urchin, Tripnuestes gratilla, is an important fishery resource. Its roe or gonad is a high value local and export product. Overexploitation has led to the decimation of viable spawning populations. This species has been cultured locally for the first time, through its entire life cycle, at the U.P. Marine Science Institute Bolinao Marine Laboratory. Laboratory experiments to determine optimal rearing and feeding regimes were conducted to improve the production of pre-settlement larvae and juveniles for grow-out culture and reseeding. Preliminary studies on the gonad yield of sea urchins in grow-out culture indicate considerable intra-annual and inter-annual variation in gonad weight to test diameter ratio. Likewise, young adults (6.0-6.4 em) in high stocking density cages had significant lower gonad yield than those in low stocking density cages. Development and further optimization of mass culture techniques provide an opportunity to utilize mariculture as a resource management tool in the form of sea pen/cage grow-out culture which can enhance the recovery of depleted natural populations and at the same time provide a supplemental source of livelihood for fisherfolk.