Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food production sector in the world. With demand for seafood increasing at astonishing rates, the optimization of production methods is vital. One of the primary restrictions to continued growth is the supply of juveniles from hatcheries. Addressing these constraints, Advances in aquaculture hatchery technology provides a comprehensive, systematic guide to the use of current and emerging technologies in enhancing hatchery production.Part one reviews reproduction and larval rearing. Aquaculture hatchery water supply and treatment systems, principles of finfish broodstock management, genome preservation, and varied aspects of nutrition and feeding are discussed in addition to larval health management and microbial management for bacterial pathogen control. Closing the life-cycle and overcoming challenges in hatchery production for selected invertebrate species are the focus of part two, and advances in hatchery technology for spiny lobsters, shrimp, blue mussel, sea cucumbers and cephalopods are all discussed. Part three concentrates on challenges and successes in closing the life-cycle and hatchery production for selected fish species, including tuna, striped catfish, meagre, and yellowtail kingfish. Finally, part four explores aquaculture hatcheries for conservation and education.With its distinguished editors and international team of expert contributors, Advances in aquaculture hatchery technology is an authoritative review of the field for hatchery operators, scientists, marine conservators and educators. - Provides a comprehensive guide to the use of technologies in enhancing hatchery production - Examines reproduction and larval rearing, including genetic improvement and microdiets - Discusses challenges in hatchery production of specific species

Sea cucumber fisheries have existed for centuries, driven primarily by the Chinese markets. In recent decades, overfishing has severely depleted commercial sea cucumber populations worldwide. Consequently, a growing number of countries are becoming interested in developing aquaculture programs. Every year billions of larvae and millions of juveniles are successfully grown in aquaculture facilities and new initiatives are booming. Here we introduce briefly the main species that have so far been successfully cultivated: Apostichopus japonicus, Holothuria scabra and Isostichopus fuscus. We describe common techniques for the culture of larvae and juveniles and outline some of the main challenges of this industry.

Sea urchins and sea cucumbers are highly sought after delicacies growing in popularity globally. The demand for these species is rapidly outpacing natural stocks, and researchers and seafood industry personnel are now looking towards aquaculture as a means of providing a sustainable supply of these organism. Echinoderm Aquaculture is a practical reference on the basic biology and current culture practices for a wide range of geographically diverse echinoderm species. Echinoderm Aquaculture begins by examining the basic ecology and biology of sea urchins and sea cucumbers as well as the breadth of uses of these organisms as a source of food and bioactive compound. Subsequent chapters delineate the specific species of interest invarious geographic regions from around the world. Together, chapters provide a comprehensive coverage of culture practices. Echinoderm Aquaculture is a practical reference for researchers and industry personnel, and will serve as an invaluable resource to this rapidly growing segment of the aquaculture industry.

The manual is a comprehensive guide for sandfish (Holothuria scabra) hatchery operations, introducing innovative methods and strategies to boost financial viability. It provides a detailed, step-by-step explanation of in vitro fertilization (IVF), a proven and validated technique. IVF is proposed as a complementary approach to spawning, utilizing thermal shock treatments commonly seen in sea cucumber hatcheries globally to enhance seed output. In addition, IVF can be applied using gonads harvested from sea cucumber specimens destined for processing into dried trepang. The manual also describes the utilization of greenhouses to enhance ovarian maturation in colder climates, thereby improving overall hatchery productivity. It offers comprehensive advice on optimizing productivity levels of embryos, larvae, and juveniles to attain financial profitability. A brief step-by-step description on the processing of sea cucumbers into beche-de-mer is also provided.

This publication contains current information on the status of world sea cucumber resources and use, focusing on established countries such as China, Ecuador, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as relative newcomers to the sector such as Cuba, Egypt, Madagascar and Tanzania. Issues discussed include technical advances in artificial reproduction and farming of selected commercial species; and the report includes the recommendations of a FAO workshop on cucumber aquaculture and management, held in China, in October 2003.

ACIAR has provided significant, long-term research investment into tropical sea cucumber aquaculture in the Asia Pacific region.