Certain families have very interesting characteristics such as one family with a growth rate 10% higher than naturally collected oysters and a low mortality rate under 5%. The results of these research efforts showed that some families have a higher growth and survival potential than naturally collected oysters. This selective breeding program has enabled better mastery of the techniques for producing families through interbreeding between individuals and the production of three first-generation F1 cohorts in 2005, 20. There were 108 million oysters in production in 2009 (DAAF/2009 Aquaculture Sector Overview).įor the past five years, the Coastal Zones Research Institute (CZRI) has been conducting an American oyster ( Crassostrea virginica) selective breeding program. The shellfish industry in New Brunswick is made up of 276 bottom culture leases and 233 suspension culture leases. In New Brunswick, American oyster production totalled $9.6 million in 2009 in terms of farm gate value and processing level. Introduction 1Īquaculture production in New Brunswick generates significant economic activity in rural and coastal regions and ranks second in Canada after British Columbia. These processes will result in better quality and higher performance seed and thus promote better commercial productivity. Similarly, spat optimized through genetic selection will benefit commercial hatcheries and growers in their efforts to deal with the increasing needs of the oyster growing industry. Following the project, it has become possible to substantially upgrade the oyster selective breeding program at the CZRI and transfer adapted larvae production techniques from New Zealand to industrial use. In the CZRI's hatchery alone, there is the potential for more than 120 million eyed larvae per year (assuming no accidental mass mortality occurs). Based on observations to date, more than two million larvae can be maintained per high-density pool, and the system in place includes 60 pools. As a result, the system could not be installed and put into operation until December 2012, which is when Phase 2 was to have ended.ĭespite the delays, preliminary results suggest the future is promising for New Brunswick's oyster growing industry and the American Oyster selective breeding program at CZRI.The pools were delivered on November 6 but had been expected during the summer of 2012.The visit to New Zealand planned for April 2012 actually took place in June.As a reminder, here are the main sources of delay since the start of the project: We are currently in Phase 2, Section B Adjustments and Adaptation, which was to have ended in December 2012. The project will continue until late May and produce larvae from our broodstock under the selective breeding program. Production of oyster larvae using high-density pools began at CZRI in January 2013. This project will enable the industry to benefit from improved oyster seed. The proposed oyster spat production project consists in mass production of larvae produced in hatcheries in high-density pools developed in New Zealand and production of spat from improved broodstock from the only American oyster breeding program in Canada, namely, the program at the Coastal Zones Research Institute (CZRI). New Brunswick Shellfish Growers Association (NBSGA) Mass Production of American Oyster Spat ( Crassostrea virginica) and Development of Improved Broodstock through use of High-density Pools for Production of Optimum Quality Larvae Results of Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program.
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