Recruitment of Oysters by Different Collection Devices at a Longline Shellfish Farm in the Central Adriatic Sea

Abstract

In 2020–2021, a trial to recruit flat oysters was implemented at a longline farm in the central Adriatic, whereby the efficiency recruitment (n. oyster/dm2) of different suspended substrates was evaluated. Two lantern nets (50 cm diameter; 145 cm h) had different substrates composed of 8 mm wide wrinkled ribbon and empty oyster shells positioned in the upper levels of the lanterns. The tumbling evaluation and the presence of mud were also considered. The efficiency recruitment was similar between the wrinkled ribbon and the oyster shell. Recruitment was in the same proportion on the external rough part of the shells as on the internal smooth part of the shells. No significant differences were shown when comparing the different substrates in terms of recruitment efficiency.