SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEMS

Mixed diet gives better growth rates MSY of kelp bed reached in 2002 Potential over-harvesting Decrease in epiphyte densities Limited suitable coastal areas ‘ HAB’s’ Recirculation I ntegration will improve water quality Why cultivate seaweeds on your farm?

Mixed diet gives better growth rates

MSY of kelp bed reached in 2002

Potential over-harvesting

Decrease in epiphyte densities

Limited suitable coastal areas

‘ HAB’s’

Recirculation

I ntegration will improve water quality

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM EFFLUENT CHANNEL INLET

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM INLET

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM SLUICE GATE

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM INLET

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM PADDLE AND DRIVE

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM POND PROFILE VIEW

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM PADDLE WHEEL

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM MIDDLE DIVIDER WALL

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM OUTLET BARRIER

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM OUTLET

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM EFFLUENT AND HARVESTING CHANNEL

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM HARVESTING AREA

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM PARENT STOCK

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM PADDLE POND DESIGN

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM COST OF A SINGLE POND 3500 Elec cable for supply and D. B. 94165 TOTAL 6840 Civils to level out & compact platform @ R25/m2 350 Sluice gate for incoming water 11700 Channel @ R650/m X 18 450 Cover for elec motor (fibreglass) 9000 Paddle and bearings 10400 Elec motor and gearbox 3 KW & chain & sprockets 225 S/S screws 40 mm X 4.2 mm X 500/pond 1500 Coverstrips 8 mm X 40 mm X 120 m HDPE 8800 HDPE white liner 750 micron 2 X 6 X 38 m 1400 Sand floor (compacted) 40000 Concrete casted

Why is a controlled feed source important? Abalone are herbivores They obtain all of their protein requirement from their diet Their FCR is affected by phenols (an anti-grazer deterrent produced by most seaweeds) Kelps can contain very high proportions of phenols Abalone obtain all their calcium requirement through their gills, but no phosphate The phosphate requirement has to be met by the diet Abalone are sold by weight and there can be up to a 30% water loss during transport

Abalone are herbivores

They obtain all of their protein requirement from their diet

Their FCR is affected by phenols (an anti-grazer deterrent produced by most seaweeds)

Kelps can contain very high proportions of phenols

Abalone obtain all their calcium requirement through their gills, but no phosphate

The phosphate requirement has to be met by the diet

Abalone are sold by weight and there can be up to a 30% water loss during transport

RESULTS Important because: Increases protein from wild harvest (3.7- 24 % wild to 49.8 % cultured) Abalone receive more protein Faster growth rates How do you increase tissue nutrients? Faster flow rates (12 – 20 volume exchanges) Grown in turbot/fish or abalone effluent Add Fertilizer and Kelpak® Tissue Nitrogen

Important because:

Increases protein from wild harvest (3.7- 24 % wild to 49.8 % cultured)

Abalone receive more protein

Faster growth rates

How do you increase tissue nutrients?

Faster flow rates (12 – 20 volume exchanges)

Grown in turbot/fish or abalone effluent

Add Fertilizer and Kelpak®

RESULTS Tissue Nitrogen vs. Thallus Colour Tissue nitrogen vs. thallus colour

RESULTS Tissue Nitrogen vs. Tissue Phosphorus Tissue N vs. Tissue P A S O N D J F M A M J J A

West Coast

Benefits of a closed system Increase in temperature above ambient seawater equates to an increase in growth rates Decrease in pumping costs Additional safety in times of red tide and oil spills

Increase in temperature above ambient seawater equates to an increase in growth rates

Decrease in pumping costs

Additional safety in times of red tide and oil spills

RESULTS Ulva can take up 90 % of ammonium in abalone effluent at 12 volume exchanges per day DO values don’t go below 9 mg.l -1 at night Using stocking density of 3 kg. wwt.m -2 gives best uptake rates but is system specific Toxic ammonia never reaches levels harmful to abalone at above stocking density RECIRCULATION

Ulva can take up 90 % of ammonium in abalone effluent at 12 volume exchanges per day

DO values don’t go below 9 mg.l -1 at night

Using stocking density of 3 kg. wwt.m -2 gives best uptake rates but is system specific

Toxic ammonia never reaches levels harmful to abalone at above stocking density

RESULTS Temperature in a recirculation system Temperature 15 16 20 00 04 08 12 16 20 00 04 08 12 16

RESULTS Temperature in a recirculation system Temperature 15 16 20 00 04 08 12 16 20 00 04 08 12 16

RESULTS ammonium levels in recirculated tanks range between 0.003 - 0.005 u g N.L -1 ammonium levels in abalone flow through tanks = 0.01 u g N.L -1 Ammonium levels

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM SEAWEED MANEGMENT PARENT STOCK Separate management strategy to ponds Hand removal of epiphytes Shading with 20 % shade cloth Fertilize once weekly KELPAK ® and fresh water treatment prior to out stocking Initial stocking density 1 kg.m 2 = 400 kg per pond

Separate management strategy to ponds

Hand removal of epiphytes

Shading with 20 % shade cloth

Fertilize once weekly

KELPAK ® and fresh water treatment prior to out stocking

Initial stocking density 1 kg.m 2 = 400 kg per pond

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM PADDLE POND PRODUCTION FEED STOCK Each pond initially stocked with epiphyte free material Initial stocking density 1 kg.m 2 Harvest stocking density 5 – 7 kg.m 2 Fertilize once weekly: pulse fertilization

Each pond initially stocked with epiphyte free material

Initial stocking density 1 kg.m 2

Harvest stocking density 5 – 7 kg.m 2

Fertilize once weekly: pulse fertilization

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM BENEFITS 1.3 tons of nutrient rich seaweed every second working day Easy to harvest Potential for recirculation Production of controlled food source Better quality diet for abalone

1.3 tons of nutrient rich seaweed every second working day

Easy to harvest

Potential for recirculation

Production of controlled food source

Better quality diet for abalone

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM PRODUCTION FIGURES PRODUCTION = 1.3 tons of nutrient rich seaweed every second working day from paddle ponds AT PRESENT = 12 platforms Each requiring an average of 1.8 tons of kelp per week A four week 50 % rotation diet would require 900 kg cultivated seaweed in a month per platform. Therefore total platform cultivated seaweed demand = 10.8 Tons 16 ponds are capable of producing 13.2 tons of seaweed in a month

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM PRODUCTION FIGURES This means that we have an excess of 2.4 tons which could feed another 2 platforms. 10.8 tons of kelp costs R115 000 now Thus the ponds have a direct saving of R115 000. There is also the benefit of faster growth rates and increased production with the same running costs due to the abalone being fed a protein rich diet

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM ECONOMICS

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM ECONOMICS Abalone growth curves

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM 31.2 % increase in weight using rotation diet vs. kelp only diet over 9 months Cost: $30 per kg X R 8 = R 240 10 (100g) abalone in 1 kg cost per abalone = R 24 less profit and freight = R 15 per abalone ECONOMICS

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM Increase in SGR: Normal Growth to 100g = 5 years accelerated growth = 3.3 – 3.6 years @ R 15 per abalone New cost : R 12.40 – R 13.50 per abalone Savings: 17 – 28 % R 1.50 - R 2.60 per abalone ECONOMICS

SEAWEED PADDLE POND SYSTEM I & J farm (120 tons @ 100 g per abalone) = 1 2000 000 100g abalone X R 1.50 or R 2.60 EQUALS Savings: R 1.8 – R 3.12 million ECONOMICS

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