O’Connor WA, Dove MC, Finn B, O’Connor SJ (2008) Manual for Hatchery Production of Sydney Rock Oysters (Saccostrea glomerata). Final Report to Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Deakin, ACT, Australia. NSW Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries Research Report Series No 20, 55 pp.

Summary

In 2003, a Fisheries Research and Development Corporation funded study commenced to identify problems and improve production techniques for hatchery rearing Sydney rock oysters. Part of this study involved assessing a commercial bivalve food known as ‘M-1’.  The cost to produce live algae to feed oyster larvae and juvenile oysters during the hatchery rearing phase can represent more than 40% of the total operating costs of a hatchery. A commercially available food source can dramatically reduce the volume, effort and costs of algal production required for hatchery runs.

Diets containing M-1 were compared to the live algae diet usually used in the hatchery for juvenile oysters. Survival and growth of juvenile oysters was measured at the end of this experiment to assess each diet. It was found that a diet containing between 30 to 80% M-1 was no different in terms of oyster growth and survival to the usual hatchery diet fed to oysters. Therefore, using M-1 to feed spat can reduce the quantity of algae required leading to a significant cost saving for a hatchery.