200
application, there is potential beyond aquaculture for human consumption, development of refined guidelines and best practice methods for cuttlefish culture. For
instance, it is expected that cuttlefish will become the marine laboratory rat, as animals are needed for formation in aquaria or universities and as marine animal models for research. As a matter of fact, cuttlefish is included as one of the model species
available at EMBRC, a platform created by the EU to facilitate research with animal
models, such as specific inbred animals only obtained under culture conditions.
Regarding aquaculture, while commercial retailers are eager to get cultured cuttlefish, with the most appreciated sizes (e.g. cuttlefish under the allowed limit for
being captured), the aquaculture industry sees the development of this technology
as one with a very low potential, such as something that will never be reached.
At present, gaps in the knowledge of cuttlefish biology, the time expended to
develop the culture methods (due to the low number of researchers and research
laboratories involved) and the fact that most of the aquaculture investors who are
quite unadventurous with regard to business planning are still hampering the excellent opportunity for the diversification of marine aquaculture. The worldwide
market prices for the species are high and the short-life cycles will support an easy
and short payback time of the investment made. In fact, the payback can be shortened and profit increased if cuttlefish culture is performed in integrated aquaculture.
The water of the tanks is extremely rich in nitrogenous compounds which may be
used for micro- and macroalgae production. In addition, while performing the experiments in ponds, cuttlefish can be reared at the same time with bivalve species,
which will lower the microalgae content in the water and can be sold at the time of
harvesting, promoting increased income.
It is also important to acknowledge that, if resources are used efficiently, the
whole animal may be sold to be used by different transformation industries. For
instance, cuttlefish mantle and ink not only will be used for human consumption but
also may be enforced for recycling of by-products for feeds (e.g. cuttlefish viscera
is naturally rich in n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and amino acids) and natural products
(e.g. cuttlefish bone is made of aragonite and it could be used in the pharmacological industry). For further details, see Chap. 9 ‘Applications, Uses and By-products
from Cephalopods’ of this volume.
The species potential is there and it needs to be grasped in short-term future.
11.8 Conclusions
Steady progress in the development of cuttlefish culture technology has been
attained since the 1980s, when this species was suggested to have a potential for
aquaculture due to the short life cycle and high market prices which translates into
short payback time of the investment. This chapter of the book includes a very
thorough description of the methods to culture cuttlefish. However, the existing
knowledge is still not sufficient to sustain the culture of the species at the industrial
level for human consumption. This is due to the existing bottlenecks regarding
reproduction, feeding and nutrition that are currently being researched.
A. V. Sykes et al.
application, there is potential beyond aquaculture for human consumption, development of refined guidelines and best practice methods for cuttlefish culture. For
instance, it is expected that cuttlefish will become the marine laboratory rat, as animals are needed for formation in aquaria or universities and as marine animal models for research. As a matter of fact, cuttlefish is included as one of the model species
available at EMBRC, a platform created by the EU to facilitate research with animal
models, such as specific inbred animals only obtained under culture conditions.
Regarding aquaculture, while commercial retailers are eager to get cultured cuttlefish, with the most appreciated sizes (e.g. cuttlefish under the allowed limit for
being captured), the aquaculture industry sees the development of this technology
as one with a very low potential, such as something that will never be reached.
At present, gaps in the knowledge of cuttlefish biology, the time expended to
develop the culture methods (due to the low number of researchers and research
laboratories involved) and the fact that most of the aquaculture investors who are
quite unadventurous with regard to business planning are still hampering the excellent opportunity for the diversification of marine aquaculture. The worldwide
market prices for the species are high and the short-life cycles will support an easy
and short payback time of the investment made. In fact, the payback can be shortened and profit increased if cuttlefish culture is performed in integrated aquaculture.
The water of the tanks is extremely rich in nitrogenous compounds which may be
used for micro- and macroalgae production. In addition, while performing the experiments in ponds, cuttlefish can be reared at the same time with bivalve species,
which will lower the microalgae content in the water and can be sold at the time of
harvesting, promoting increased income.
It is also important to acknowledge that, if resources are used efficiently, the
whole animal may be sold to be used by different transformation industries. For
instance, cuttlefish mantle and ink not only will be used for human consumption but
also may be enforced for recycling of by-products for feeds (e.g. cuttlefish viscera
is naturally rich in n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and amino acids) and natural products
(e.g. cuttlefish bone is made of aragonite and it could be used in the pharmacological industry). For further details, see Chap. 9 ‘Applications, Uses and By-products
from Cephalopods’ of this volume.
The species potential is there and it needs to be grasped in short-term future.
11.8 Conclusions
Steady progress in the development of cuttlefish culture technology has been
attained since the 1980s, when this species was suggested to have a potential for
aquaculture due to the short life cycle and high market prices which translates into
short payback time of the investment. This chapter of the book includes a very
thorough description of the methods to culture cuttlefish. However, the existing
knowledge is still not sufficient to sustain the culture of the species at the industrial
level for human consumption. This is due to the existing bottlenecks regarding
reproduction, feeding and nutrition that are currently being researched.
A. V. Sykes et al.