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Oyster farming as a business. An oyster farm in Crimea is a very profitable business

Reproduction and development of the oyster

Oysters are dioecious and hermaphroditic molluscs.
ki, in which alternation of sexes is observed: first the individual
functions as a female and then as a male. When changing gender
The initial male phases are more common. Ratio
the sexes of dioecious oysters are almost equal, and the number
significant shifts in natural populations towards self-
males or females are associated with living conditions, nutrition, fitness
the physiological state and age of the mollusks.
Yearlings of giant oysters in Peter the Great Bay have
the quality of males is slightly higher than that of females, but with age the co-
The ratio of females and males is leveled out. In these same molluscs -
cows living in unfavorable growing conditions,
There is a predominance of males over females. In nature-
local settlements of flat oysters in the northwestern part -
In the Black Sea, the number of females is less than that of males.
Oysters reach sexual maturity in the early stages
development, mainly in the first year of life. The giant ones
oysters from Peter the Great Bay mature sexual products
found already among month-old individuals. Oysters are natural
settlements of the Black Sea become sexually mature at
in the second and third years of life. The sex of oysters can be determined
divide histologically or by viewing the gonads at prenatal
commercial period under a microscope.
Among oysters there is an external (in the external environment)
e) and internal (in the mantle cavity of the mollusk) fertilization
creation.
In the reproductive cycle of oysters, a number of
stages: pre-spawning, spawning, post-spawning, ro-
hundred and maturing. Onset time and duration
each depend mainly on the physiological state

standing of mollusks, living conditions, water temperature.
A specific type of oyster has characteristic features -
type of the reproductive cycle and the timing of its stages.
The giant oysters of Peter the Great Bay have peri-
odes: spawning (June-mid-July), post-spawning
howl of perestroika (September-mid-January) and accumulated
niya (March-May).
The timing of oyster spawning can shift and occur
in different seasons. Spawning of European fish in Yegorlytsky Bay
The flat oyster season runs from May to June. Mass spawning
shellfish occurs within 10-20 days. In some years, we
three times, 2-3 spawning peaks were observed lasting 5-
8 days, which was due to high temperature water flooded
va (Fig. 15).

For one simultaneous spawning for several
hours, a dioecious giant oyster is capable of
put up to 100 million eggs into the water, after which they are sealed
completion with sperm. American oyster sperm
The body consists of a head, middle section and tail. Head
The spermatozoon includes an acrosome and a nucleus. To the middle department
The sperm contains four elliptical mitochondria,
located at an angle to each other. The tail (flagellum) is
places a conical thread consisting of nine cylindrical
ical tubes, on which there is a pair of nodules (ligaments).
The length of the sperm is about 40, and the heads, including the middle
the lower part is 2 µm.
Fertilized eggs divide unevenly. Type of shot-
leniya - spiral. Formed during the embryo-
nal development of the larvae is similar to the larvae of bivalves
shellfish Oysters have an incubation period of
orbital larvae in the mantle cavity of the mollusk. Duration
incubation period directly depends on the temperature
water conditions. In European flat oysters living in

Egorlytsky Bay, it lasts 8-10 days. at water temperature
16.2-19.0 C. Percentage of flat European oysters with larvae
mi in the mantle cavity ranges from 14.9 after cold
winters up to 39.8 after warm winters.
Oyster larvae developing in the external environment
smaller than larvae developing from eggs that are fertilized
sperm in the mantle cavity. In larval development
oysters have a number of stages: trochophore, veliger
(sailfish), velikonchhi, spat (attached to the substratum)
that larva). As the larva develops, it forms new
vye organs characteristic of a certain stage. Development
trochophore larvae of oysters occurs in the external environment.
At the veliger and velikonkha stages, development is similar to larvae
cam bivalves, although for each type of device
Ritz is characterized by its own peculiarities of metamor-
Phose.
The larva-veliger of the European flat has a semicircle-
I have an equivalve, slightly unequal-sided shell
with a straight locking edge (Fig. 16).
Average length - 136, height - 119, lock length
edges - 70 microns. The shell is transparent, colorless. Castle
edge with rectangular teeth, two in front and one behind
di, separated by smooth space. External building
the veliger of European flat oysters is typical for two-
valve mollusks.
Velikonchus larvae have an irregularly round, unequal
valve shell with a left, more convex valve and a
twisted crown (see Fig. 16). Average size of a Velikonha
are 270-322 microns. The castle consists of rectangular
teeth (2 in front and 3 behind), separated by a smooth pro-
wandering. The shell is colorless with concentric four-
kimi and wide lines. Located along the edge of the shell
darkened shading.

Duration of the pelagic period (time for
movement of larvae in plankton) depends on many environmental
environmental conditions (temperature, salinity,
food supply, etc.). Annual consistency in terms
oyster larvae are not found in plankton and settle
can be traced, although long-term observations allow
predict these dates. For biotechnical developments it is important
but know the horizons of distribution of larvae in the water column.
Veliger larvae of flat oysters are located mainly
way in top layer water (0-45 cm), where is their quantity
reaches 91%. The giant larvae in the same layer are known
significantly less (20.2-24.2%). Knowing the timing and duration
the presence of oyster larvae in plankton, distribution
By detecting them in the water column, you can correctly determine the time
installation of collectors for collecting young oysters.
Before settling, the giant larvae (Fig. 17) move
to a bottom lifestyle. Their size increases sharply
ry legs. Such a larva is called a pediveliger. Before
to finally gain a foothold, she is actively looking for a suitable
substrate. Pediveliger distinguishes a smooth surface from a rough one
fight, light places - from dark ones, reacts to chemicals
substances included in the substrate. The color of the substrate
placement in the water column affects sedimentation density
larvae. Flat oyster larvae when choosing a substrate
prefer light areas, horizontal location
vertical. They settle better on granular surfaces.
ness and on its own doors.
Larvae of flat oysters in the northwestern part of Cherno-
The seas settle from mid-June to early September. Poppy-
maximum peak of larvae settling (up to 9 thousand specimens per 1 m2 count)
lecturer) is observed in June, the intensity depends on
their numbers in plankton and habitat conditions. Nai-
a larger number of larvae settle on the collectors from the
turnips (up to 2 thousand specimens/m2), oyster valves (0.21-4.5 thousand.
ind./m2) mussels (0.23-4.0 thousand ind./m2). Maximum quantity
quality is attached to the inner surface of the valves
mollusk shells, preferring their edges. Lychee settling
oyster shucking is of a group nature.
The settled larvae are attached to the substrate by
account of the cementing substance secreted by young
shellfish. In the cementing substance the larvae are flat
oysters defined external, internal, peripheral
zones. In the internal and peripheral zones they predominate
vertical, in the outer - horizontally branching in
lock. The fixation of larvae occurs during the first
minutes, and after a few hours the young oysters are capable of
hold strong currents of water.

see also

Humanity has been eating these mollusks for more than two thousand years. Oysters once lived in abundance in wildlife and were considered the food of the poor, but uncontrolled harvesting led to their population plummeting, and by the second half of the 19th century, oysters became a delicacy.

Today they are grown in different countries world on special farms. The richest oyster regions are the Pacific and atlantic coast.

The oyster farming industry is rapidly growing in Maryland. The bivalves are farmed under 300 licenses issued over 1,456 hectares of Chesapeake Bay, both in the water and on the bay floor. Pictured: Timothy Devine, owner of Barren Island Oysters, which began farming oysters in June 2013. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

Selected Choptank oysters are washed in the Choptank River.(Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

Oysters prefer sea water With low content salts, therefore they live only in the tidal zone near the mouth of rivers.

One of the farmed oysters. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

The first stage of oyster farming is the collection of juveniles (spat) into collectors exposed on oyster banks during their breeding season. At first, bundles of rods (fascines) were used as collectors, but then they began to use tile plates curved in the form of a trench, coated with a special composition, from which it is easy to scrape off the juveniles that have settled on them. Nowadays, plastic manifolds with flexible plates are used different forms.

Kevin McClarren, who runs Choptank, has been selling farmed oysters since 2005. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

Collectors with spat are left in place for several months, and then the slightly grown juveniles are transferred to frames covered with mesh, and today into bags made of plastic or metal mesh, called “poches” (from the French poche - pocket), which stand on columns at a height of 25-30 cm above the bottom, or on wooden “tables”. This measure protects the frames from being covered with silt and from predators, especially starfish.

Oysters "grow" on rafts on the Choptank River. Choptank sold its first oysters in 2005. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

In some farms, parks for breeding shells are protected from the breakwater by a cemented shaft and are divided into rows of pools; The inflow and outflow of water during ebb and flow is regulated by gateways.

Kevin McClarren grows oysters on 1.62 hectares on the Choptank River using a technology he invented. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

From left: Hector Medouena and Kevin Covey return oysters to a cage before releasing them into Tar Bay. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

In such industrial parks, oysters are grown for two years, after which they are transferred to nursery tanks. Until the 1960s, some salts and a culture of chlorella algae were added to these pools, which quickly multiply in this nutrient medium and serve as food for oysters.

Timothy Devine takes one of his oysters from the tank. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

Since not everyone who gets into intestinal tract the organisms are digested by mollusks, and an optimal (not excessive) concentration of chlorella cells is maintained in the rearing pools. These days, supplements in natural environment unacceptable.

Oysters in the mesh of the raft in which they grow. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

Hector Medouena and Kevin Covey retrieve a cage of oysters from Tar Bay. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

Regan Gifford with buckets of oysters on the pier. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

Hector Medouena and Kevin Covey return the cage to Tar Bay. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

People living on the banks warm seas, have been harvesting and using oysters for food since time immemorial. They began to artificially grow them back during the Roman Empire. Even the ancient Greeks and Celts grew oysters at home.

Manuel Garcia understands the floating raft. Once the growth stage here is completed, the oysters will be sent to Thar Bay for further development. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

Johnny Shockley, co-owner of Chesapeake Gold Oysters, steers the boat. His company breeds oysters for commercial sale at the market. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

The rule that oysters should only be eaten during months with the letter “P” in their name became obsolete around the same time that it became widespread artificial breeding oysters Now the months when oysters produce caviar can be changed at the discretion of the producer, and in addition, there are also oysters that do not produce caviar. Although, there is another explanation for this rule - oysters on beds actually spoil faster in the summer.

Manuel Garcia with a handful of young oysters. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

Oysters, which, like most other individuals, have two sexes, can change it. This can happen several times during the life of the oyster, under the influence various factors. It’s funny that oysters usually start their lives as “men”, and after being well fed and ready to produce offspring, they become “women”. Therefore, it is even possible for an oyster to fertilize its own eggs.

Manuel Garcia opens an adult oyster. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

The flavor of oysters can be as varied as wine, depending on the region where she lived, and can be salty, sweet, mineral or even melon-like.

Chesapeake Gold Oysters vessel in operation. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)

Recently, a team of American and Italian scientists scientifically proved that oysters contain rare amino acids that increase the content of sexual hormones. Oyster meat contains protein, fat, glycogen carbohydrate, minerals(iron, zinc, copper, calcium, iodine, phosphorus), nicotinic acid, as well as vitamins B1, B2, B12 and PP. Only 6 oysters - and daily requirement the body is provided with iron and copper!

Humanity has been eating these mollusks for more than two thousand years. Once, when oysters were abundant in the wild, they were considered a poor man's dish, but uncontrolled harvesting led to their population plummeting, and by the second half of the 19th century, oysters became a delicacy.

Today they are grown in different countries of the world on special farms. The richest oyster regions are the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. And from this issue you will learn how these delicious shellfish are grown in the American state of Maryland.

Selected Choptank oysters are washed in the Choptank River.

Oysters prefer seawater with a low salt content, so they live only in the tidal zone near river mouths.
Oysterfarming03 How oysters are raised on Chesapeake Bay farms.

One of the farmed oysters.

The first stage of oyster farming is the collection of juveniles (spat) into collectors exposed on oyster banks during their breeding season. At first, bundles of rods (fascines) were used as collectors, but then they began to use tile plates curved in the form of a trench, coated with a special composition, from which it is easy to scrape off the juveniles that have settled on them. Nowadays, plastic collectors with flexible plates of various shapes are used.

Kevin McClarren, who runs Choptank, has been selling farmed oysters since 2005.

Oysters "grow" on rafts on the Choptank River. Choptank sold its first oysters in 2005.

Kevin McClarren grows oysters on 1.62 hectares on the Choptank River using a technology he invented.

From left: Hector Medouena and Kevin Covey return oysters to a cage before releasing them into Tar Bay.

Timothy Devine takes one of his oysters from the tank.

Since not all organisms that enter the intestinal tract are digested by shellfish, an optimal (not excessive) concentration of chlorella cells is maintained in the rearing pools. Additives to the natural environment are not allowed these days.

Oysters in the mesh of the raft in which they grow.

Hector Medouena and Kevin Covey retrieve a cage of oysters from Tar Bay.

Regan Gifford with buckets of oysters on the pier.

Hector Medouena and Kevin Covey return the cage to Tar Bay.

Manuel Garcia understands the floating raft. Once the growth stage here is completed, the oysters will be sent to Thar Bay for further development.
People living on the shores of warm seas have been harvesting and using oysters for food since time immemorial. They began to artificially grow them back during the Roman Empire. Even the ancient Greeks and Celts grew oysters at home.

Johnny Shockley, co-owner of Chesapeake Gold Oysters, steers the boat. His company breeds oysters for commercial sale at the market.

The rule that oysters should only be eaten during months with the letter “P” in their names became obsolete around the same time that artificial oyster farming became widespread. Now the months when oysters produce caviar can be changed at the discretion of the producer, and in addition, there are also oysters that do not produce caviar. Although, there is another explanation for this rule - oysters on beds actually spoil faster in the summer.

Manuel Garcia with a handful of young oysters.

Oysters, which, like most other individuals, have two sexes, can change it. This can happen several times during the life of the oyster, under the influence of various factors. It’s funny that oysters usually start their lives as “men”, and after being well fed and ready to produce offspring, they become “women”. Therefore, it is even possible for an oyster to fertilize its own eggs.

Manuel Garcia opens an adult oyster.

The flavor of oysters can be as varied as wine, depending on the region where she lived, and can be salty, sweet, mineral or even melon-like.

Chesapeake Gold Oysters vessel in operation.

Recently, a team of American and Italian scientists scientifically proved that oysters contain rare amino acids that increase the content of sexual hormones. Oyster meat contains protein, fat, glycogen carbohydrate, minerals (iron, zinc, copper, calcium, iodine, phosphorus), nicotinic acid, as well as vitamins B1, B2, B12 and PP. Just 6 oysters - and the body's daily need for iron and copper is provided!

Demand in the mussel market currently exceeds supply. Farms whose activities are related to the cultivation of this seafood delicacy, as well as the cultivation of oysters, are not able to provide the above products to potential consumers. Everyone knows that the nutritional value contained in meat sea mollusks, significantly higher than in the meat of terrestrial animals.

Despite the fact that the territory is large Russian state continental, it still has a fairly long coastline. In a number of regions directly adjacent to the seas, it is quite easy to breed bivalves, which include oysters and mussels. However, growing mussels in fresh water, just like in the maritime industry, can become quite a profitable activity. Among all aquacultures, home-based mussel farming is considered one of the lowest cost. In addition, it does not require deep special knowledge and the process itself is very simple.

Mussels live in almost all seas to which Russia has access. This is due to the fact that for their spawning it is enough that the water temperature is at least 10-12 degrees Celsius. In order for young mussels to successfully settle, for example, on an artificial collector, they need to be covered with a bacterial film. In other words, they must be set when the water reaches the above temperature. The process itself, when mussel larvae are in plankton and until they settle, can take up to four weeks.

Let's dwell a little on creating an artificial collector for mussel breeding. For this we need delimited strips. You can use old seines as them. Such strips should have knots every 20-25 centimeters. We also need a rope, the diameter of which can be from 0.6 to 1 centimeter. The ideal horizon for mussels to settle is a depth of up to 4 meters from the water surface. For this reason, the length of the collector should be 4 meters. The finished collector is tied with leashes to a horizontal rope. The thickness of the leash should be 0.6 centimeters and the length about 0.5 meters. It is best to use several collectors at the same time. In this case, we place them at a distance of 0.5 meters from each other. This distance is quite enough so that the collectors do not get tangled with each other.

Mussel plantation

To prevent the collector from rising, we attach stones to its lower part, the weight of which can be from 0.3 to 0.4 kilograms. Conventional cargo can be used as a loaded load. plastic bottles, having previously poured sand into them. Don’t forget about additional buoyancy, which we attach as young mussels settle and the weight of the collector itself increases. On winter period time, so that the collectors are not damaged by ice or storms, they are sunk with the help of pickles, the latter are first sheathed with stones, the weight of which is from 25 to 30 kilograms. If the place is well protected from storms, then you can use ordinary synthetic bags with sand poured into them. Pikui must be tied using leashes, the length of which is from 6 to 8 meters, to the ridges.

It is not uncommon for some of the juvenile mussels to fall off the collector due to lack of space as they grow. However, the rest will continue to grow and gain weight. Exists general rule on the selection of buoyancy. Before sinking, at least half the volume of each buoyancy must be above the water surface. If the buoyancy is more than half immersed in water, then tie the missing amount.

The mussels that are sold are those whose shell length is from 4 to 6 centimeters. The opportunity to catch mussels appears next year, in the spring. The easiest to process are mussels that are 2 years old. They are more large size, their boiled meat is denser, and the byssal threads that attach it to the collector break off much faster and easier. However, when harvesting one-year-old mussels, compared to two-year-old mussels, there are advantages. The entrepreneur receives revenue already next year, and not after 2. In addition, if in the place where this delicacy is grown, the water exchange is insufficient, then a one-year-old mussel, weakened by spawning, simply falls off, which entails a loss of harvest. When only a portion of the yearling mussels fall off, the underyear mussels re-settle into the free places on the collector.

Often in the spring, some of the collectors may float up. If we continue to grow mussels next year, then it is imperative to cut off some of the buoyancy so that the collector, with the yearlings on it, will again submerge in the water to the required depth.

From one plantation within two years we can get two harvests of one-year-old mussels, instead of one two-year-old. And this is twice as much in weight.

And finally. In order to prevent mussels from sliding off the collector due to lack of space for everyone, it can be placed in an elastic shell, which must be tied very tightly to the collector itself. We tie every 25-30 centimeters.

Oysters are a popular dish in restaurants, so such a business can bring large profits to an entrepreneur who decides to breed oysters at home.

Features of the oyster breeding process

This activity has a number of features and advantages:

No big investment required;
It will be possible to harvest at any time as soon as the order is received;
In Russia, the business has not yet become widespread, so there will be little competition;
Raising shellfish is easy, because they are grown on a natural food base.

You can breed 10 different types of oysters, which differ in taste characteristics and some accommodation features that will need to be provided. The process of growing a mollusk necessarily includes the following work:

Cleaning cages from algae and dirt;
Regular sorting of oysters and transplanting them into large cages;
Removing the predator – rapana;
Separation of shells that have grown together.

Once the shellfish have reached marketable size, they are immediately collected and delivered for processing. There they are washed, sorted, weighed, and then packed into boxes.

What will you need for a farm?

Oyster farming as a business will require the entrepreneur to comply with the following conditions for the farm:

The ideal depth of the reservoir is 20 meters;
The bottom of the reservoir must be level;
The farm will need to be protected from waves and various kinds pollution;
The mollusks should be provided with sufficient oxygen and food;
Microbiological analyzes of the water in the selected area should be carried out periodically.

The process of breeding oysters at home will require a lot of labor and serious attitude to the point. You will need knowledge on how to provide mollusks with optimal conditions for existence.

It is important to remember that on taste qualities oysters are influenced by a number of factors: the composition of the water, the flow speed and the food. Thus, there are only three breeding options.

The first is wild shellfish, which are simply collected at low tide.
Secondly, oysters are grown in cages that are located in entire “fields”.
The third option is a combination of river and sea water, which contains oysters.

This way they become more meaty, which significantly increases their taste. Growing shellfish in an apartment will not work.

For breeding, plastic collectors are used, which contain metal plates of different shapes. Now you should place shellfish in them and wait, they will filter the water themselves, choosing their food. Metal mesh should be rotated periodically to prevent shellfish from growing into the metal. Otherwise, they simply cannot be removed.

During 6 months of oyster growth, this operation must be performed at least 10 times. In general, their lifespan is 4 years, during which they grow and reach maturity. Moreover, the weight of each varies from 100 to 180 grams in exceptional cases. When it comes to shellfish food, you will need to dilute plankton (tiny crustaceans and other microorganisms).

Not suitable for oysters plain water, so it will be necessary to study hydrochemistry and accurately reproduce sea water in an aquarium. Flow, water filtration and special lamps that will imitate the natural cycle of sunset and sunrise - all this will have to be spent.

Investments and return on business

Breeding oysters will require large investments from a businessman. You need to be prepared for the fact that the enterprise will be unprofitable for the first few years and only after 3-4 years of operation the farm will begin to generate a profit sufficient to cover all expenses.

Expected profit

Oysters are very prolific, and their ripening process lasts at least 2 years. The harvest is taken in spring and autumn; it will be possible to collect about 500 thousand oysters. The price of one shellfish is approximately 2 euros.

An increase in profits is only possible if the business expands, renting a coastal base where oysters are sorted and packaged, etc. It is advisable to expand the number of collectors or lines when stable buyers have been found and demand for the product has been created.

At proper breeding shellfish and solid investments in business development, you can count on making a profit already in the second year of the farm’s operation. If we assume that the price of 1 piece is 2 euros, then from 300 thousand oysters the entrepreneur will earn 600 thousand euros, which more than recoups the costs.

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