Guernsey Sea Farms
GUIDED TOUR OF HOW OYSTER SEED IS PRODUCED
|
|
Algae culture starts in autoclaved flasks. Individual species are grown from test-tube 'master' cultures in a temperature and light controlled room. |
|
|
350litre plastic bag cultures in a
greenhouse are run on continuous flow to produce 1000litres of algae per day
as food for the larvae
|
|
The bags are also used to inoculate 12 15m3
fibreglass tanks which are batch cultured and fed to the spat and broodstock. |
|
|
Larvae are grown in fibreglass tubes with a
continuous flow of heated seawater and food. Each tube contains between 5 and
15million larvae for 2-3 weeks before metamorphosis. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The oyster seed in the hatchery are grown
in tubes with an upwelling flow of heated seawater and algae
|
|
|
Finally the seed is transferred to large boxes on a floating pontoon where water is pumped at a rate of 30,000 litres per minute. Here they reach the market size for seed between 6 and 15mm long (0.1 to 1 gram) |
|
|
|
