481
26 Current Status and Future Challenges in Cephalopod Culture
ers around the world probably helped us to define the present status of cephalopod
culture and to identify the main bottlenecks that need further research. These four
species have a biochemical profile common to most coastal cephalopods: They are
very rich in protein and essential amino acids but have low carbohydrate and lipid
content. Overall, this composition is translated to the status of delicacy in certain
regions of the world, where its consumption is part of a well-balanced diet and of
cultural habits. This is particularly true in countries of the Mediterranean basin,
Gulf of Mexico and Asia, where these four species attain high commercial interest
with market channels historically well established from the fishery industry.
From a biological point of view, it makes more sense to culture these four cephalopod species because they display fast growth, high survival rates under high
stocking densities and food conversion rates similar or higher to those of most cultured finfishes. All of which is translated in obtaining a marketable size and high
biomass in just a few months or less than a year, depending on the size preference
of a given market. All of these species mate and spawn in captivity and lay eggs that
will hatch as large hatchlings, with the exception of O� vulgaris. Eggs and adults
are resistant to handling and able to endure shipping to other facilities if properly
packaged. These are just some of the general qualities that make them excellent
candidates as experimental laboratory animals as well for commercial culture.
Experiments and pilot cultures of these species have identified their main qualities and the problems to solve before the development of their aquaculture (see
Chaps. 11, 17, 20, 23 and 24 for details). At this point, it should be noted that cephalopod culture is still in its infancy in comparison with finfish culture. For that reason, nearly all zootechnical aspects still need improvement and research. However,
the main identified areas that need urgent research in cephalopod culture are related
to the development of sustainable artificial foods and to the control of reproduction.
These main bottlenecks are discussed in the following.
26.2 Future Challenges in Cephalopod Culture
26.2.1 Development of a Sustainable Artificial Diet
Understanding cephalopod physiology and nutrition probably is the main challenge
in developing large-scale culture for this group of molluscs to medium or long term.
Species such as S� officinalis, S� lessoniana and O� maya are already being cultured
for the complete life cycle on consecutive bred generations, and commercial ongrowing for O� vulgaris subadults has been developed. However, all of them still
depend on the use of live or frozen natural food, signalling the development of a
sustainable artificial diet as the main step to solve in the near future. Formulated
feeds are needed for hatchlings, juveniles and adults, as animals at these life phases
will surely have different nutritional requirements. Cephalopods are carnivorous
and, unfortunately, protein is expensive from both an economical and a sustainable point of view. Likewise, as most marine carnivores, coastal cephalopods have
26 Current Status and Future Challenges in Cephalopod Culture
ers around the world probably helped us to define the present status of cephalopod
culture and to identify the main bottlenecks that need further research. These four
species have a biochemical profile common to most coastal cephalopods: They are
very rich in protein and essential amino acids but have low carbohydrate and lipid
content. Overall, this composition is translated to the status of delicacy in certain
regions of the world, where its consumption is part of a well-balanced diet and of
cultural habits. This is particularly true in countries of the Mediterranean basin,
Gulf of Mexico and Asia, where these four species attain high commercial interest
with market channels historically well established from the fishery industry.
From a biological point of view, it makes more sense to culture these four cephalopod species because they display fast growth, high survival rates under high
stocking densities and food conversion rates similar or higher to those of most cultured finfishes. All of which is translated in obtaining a marketable size and high
biomass in just a few months or less than a year, depending on the size preference
of a given market. All of these species mate and spawn in captivity and lay eggs that
will hatch as large hatchlings, with the exception of O� vulgaris. Eggs and adults
are resistant to handling and able to endure shipping to other facilities if properly
packaged. These are just some of the general qualities that make them excellent
candidates as experimental laboratory animals as well for commercial culture.
Experiments and pilot cultures of these species have identified their main qualities and the problems to solve before the development of their aquaculture (see
Chaps. 11, 17, 20, 23 and 24 for details). At this point, it should be noted that cephalopod culture is still in its infancy in comparison with finfish culture. For that reason, nearly all zootechnical aspects still need improvement and research. However,
the main identified areas that need urgent research in cephalopod culture are related
to the development of sustainable artificial foods and to the control of reproduction.
These main bottlenecks are discussed in the following.
26.2 Future Challenges in Cephalopod Culture
26.2.1 Development of a Sustainable Artificial Diet
Understanding cephalopod physiology and nutrition probably is the main challenge
in developing large-scale culture for this group of molluscs to medium or long term.
Species such as S� officinalis, S� lessoniana and O� maya are already being cultured
for the complete life cycle on consecutive bred generations, and commercial ongrowing for O� vulgaris subadults has been developed. However, all of them still
depend on the use of live or frozen natural food, signalling the development of a
sustainable artificial diet as the main step to solve in the near future. Formulated
feeds are needed for hatchlings, juveniles and adults, as animals at these life phases
will surely have different nutritional requirements. Cephalopods are carnivorous
and, unfortunately, protein is expensive from both an economical and a sustainable point of view. Likewise, as most marine carnivores, coastal cephalopods have