Performance of the Japanese oysterdrill (Ocinebrellus inornatus) in the intertidal off-bottom culture of oysters
In September 2013 the RAAK PRO project ‘Saline production’ has been granted. This project involves a 4 year study in optimizing various near shore shellfish culture in Lake Veere and Oosterschelde. Focus of the project is off bottom (in cages) oyster farming, bottom culture of manila clams and cockles, and rope culture of mussels, all in close cooperation with local producers, companies and research institutes (a.o. IMARES).
Since three years the Japanese oyster drill creates a big threat to oyster cultivation in the Oosterschelde. The oyster drill is an invasive species that drills a hole in the shell of the oyster to feed on the flesh. The snail causes large oyster losses on the on bottom culture plots. They forage especially on smaller oysters thereby directly affecting the starting material for the culture. Some oyster growers have started new initiatives to culture oysters off-bottom in baskets or in bags. The idea behind this type of culture is that feeding conditions are better in the water column and that the constant movement of the oysters caused by waves and currents improves oyster shape. Farmers expect that the oyster drill can also not access oysters that are placed off-bottom. However, until now there is hardly any information on oyster drill performance in off-bottom culture. We want to compare oyster drill performance under on-bottom and off-bottom circumstances.
Research type: desk study, sampling (fieldwork) & experiments (HZ, Vlissingen)
Research level: minor/internship
Perquisite: Technical skills, dedicated, creative, preferably affinity with biology, precise.
Partners: Local shellfish famers, national and international knowledge partners
Researcher involved: research group aquaculture (Eva Hartog)