SHRIMP FARMING IN SALINE GROUNDWATER IN ARIZONA, USA

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SHRIMP FARMING IN SALINE GROUNDWATER IN ARIZONA,
USA

• Kevin FitzsimmonsUniversity of Arizona
• Tucson, Arizona

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ABSTRACT

• Environmental restrictions on shrimp aquaculture.
• Inland culture avoids problems.
• Low salinities will support growout.
• Problem areas with aquaculture.
• Reuse of effluent for field crops.
• Sustainable and profitable?

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INTRODUCTIONEnvironmental Constraints

• Loss of mangroves and other coastal vegetation.
• Effluents and nutrient enrichment
• Impacts (real and imagined) on wild shrimp and
  other species (diseases, exotic species, genetic
  contamination).
• Changes in estuarine flow patterns.

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INTRODUCTIONLow salinity inland culture

• Florida, Harbor Branch Oceanographic
• Mexico, Colima Aquagranjas
• Thailand, multiple
• India, Andhra Pradesh
• Texas, Texas AM
• Arizona, Gila Bend and Aztec

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INTRODUCTIONSource water

• Low (1-2 ppt or 1000 -2000 ppm TDS).
• Med (3-5 ppt or 3000 - 5000 ppm TDS)
• Low can be used on conventional crops.
• Medium salinity effluent constitutes a disposal
  problem.
• Medium salinity effluent can be used for algae
  culture or halophyte crops.

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INTRODUCTIONReuse of low salinity (1-2 ppt)
effluent water

• Has been used for olive trees, sorgum, and
  cotton.
• Could be used for sugar beets, asparagus and
  dates.

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INTRODUCTIONReuse of medium salinity (3-5 ppt)
effluent water

• Halophyte agriculture.
• Seaweed culture.
• Bivalve culture.

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INTRODUCTIONHalophytes

• Many families of plants have halophytic
  representatives.
• Grasses, bushes, trees
• Many are from arid regions
• Native species are usually available
• Can be used for forage, biomass, landscaping, and
  dust control

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RESULTSGila Bend, Low salinity

• Stocking Litopenaeus vannamei
• 35 shrimp/m2 _at_ 0.4 g
• Feed - Rangen
• Water exchange 10-15
• Aeration
• Paddlewheels
• Diffusers

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RESULTSGila Bend, Low salinity

• Survival 47
• Harvest after 85 days, _at_ 19 g
• Yield
• 4,000 kg/ha
• 10 ha of ponds

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RESULTSGila Bend, Low salinity

• Algae bloom
• more characteristic of freshwater
• nutritional value for shrimp needs to be studied
• Problems
• Hemocytic enteritis
• Gill fouling

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RESULTS Gila BendTypical algae counts in August
1998

• Cyanophyta (Blue-Green algae)
• Gomphosphaeria (104 cells/ml)
• Lyngbya (104 cells/ml)
• Microcystis (104 - 106 cells/ml)
• Merismopedia (104 - 105 cells/ml)

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RESULTS Gila Bend Typical algae counts in August
1998

• Chlorophyta (Green algae)
• Chlorella (104 - 105 cells/ml)
• Coelastrum (104 cells/ml)
• Pediastrum (103 cells/ml)
• Scenedesmus (104 cells/ml)

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RESULTS Gila Bend Typical algae counts in August
1998

• Diatoma (Diatoms)
• Gomphonema (104 cells/ml)
• Navicula (103 cells/ml)
• Nitzchia (103 -104 cells/ml)
• Synedra (102 cells/ml)

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RESULTS Aztec, Medium salinity

• Stocking L. vannamei, L.. stylirostris
• 5 to 10 shrimp/m2 _at_ PL 20
• Feed - Rangen
• Water exchange limited
• Aerationnone

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RESULTS Aztec, Medium salinity

• Survival L. vannamei, L. stylirostris
• 0 to 30
• 3 grams per week at one point
• Harvest after 120 days, _at_ 10 -20 g
• Yield
• 0 to 1,000 kg/ha
• 40 ha of ponds

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Conclusions

• Shrimp can be produced in low salinity
  groundwater.
• Commercial quantities can be produced.
• Low salinity effluent waters can be used for
  conventional field crops.
• Medium salinity effluent can be used for
  halophyte crops.

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Conclusions

• Sustainability will not be demonstrated until
  salt levels in soils are tested after several
  years of irrigation.
• Need to determine manipulation of algae species.

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Conclusions

• Markets are prepared to pay a premium for fresh,
  locally grown shrimp.
• Profitability will be determined if more crop
  cycles can be completed without significant
  losses due to disease or other environmental
  conditions.

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Additional information

• Websites
• http//ag.arizona.edu/azaqua
• http//www.desertsweetshrimp.com
• http//www.shrimp.ga.com
• http//www.sciam.com/1998/0898issue