Evaluation of the Role of Nutrition in Lobster Recruitment

Abstract

Many of the hypotheses and proposals presented here on the role of nutrition in lobster recruitment have been derived from research on other aquatic animals. Little research has focused on the determination of nutritional requirements of lobsters and even that has been primarily with small juveniles (36–1000 mg). Despite the tacit acknowledgement that maternal fecundity and egg viability are a function of quantity and quality of available food, little is known about the nutrition of reproductively mature lobsters. The importance of broodstock nutrition and possible methods for evaluating nutritional status are discussed. Information on protein, essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and lipids is summarized. Additionally, some proposals for field application of nutritional response criteria used in the laboratory are discussed. Though research on larvae adult broodstock nutrition, effects of environmental factors (e.g. temperature, salinity, photoperiod, etc.), as well as many other aspects of nutrition is yet to be done, there is "good opportunity" for nutrition to be a significant part of the current lobster recruitment research program.