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Water temperature is of major importance in how well juvenile sea urchins grow, according to new research trials by the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Nofima).
Temperature is the most important environmental factor in regulating growth for all poikilotherms, including sea urchins. In the wild the green sea urchin is found in water temperatures ranging from -1 to +20 °C.
The scientists have studied how quickly juvenile farmed sea urchins grow at different water temperatures and consequently how much feed and water they need to achieve optimal growth.
During the trial period from October 2009 to April 2010, five groups of artifically hatched sea urchins were fed in tanks with different water temperatures (from 4 to 14 °C) .
Taking all results together, a temperature of 10 °C proved to be the optimal temperature when feed conversion and growth are viewed together.
It was the case, for instance, that the sea urchins kept at 14 °C required four times as much feed to achieve the same weight increase.
In the light of this systematic work, the scientists have prepared a growth model showing feed intake for different sizes and temperatures and a water requirment table for green sea urchin
“This project started thanks to the good collaboration between Sea Urchin Farm AS and Nofima. The Regional Council for Western Norway has been one of the funding sources, and contributed to the project being able to be implemented,” said project manager Sten Siikavuopio.
The results from several different sea urchin projects will be presented during the Fishery and Aquaculture Industry Research Fund (FHF) sea urchin seminar “From problem to resource” in Tromsø on March 17.
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