Development of mass production hatchery technology for the redclaw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus

Abstract

Abstract Aquaculture production of redclaw Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens) in Australia, has never reached the high level projections made in the 1990’s (Jones and Ruscoe 1996). This can be attributed to a range of factors, but the most significant is the supply of seedstock. Although redclaw is advantaged by its uncomplicated reproductive biology with no free-living larval stages, reliance on natural reproduction to generate juveniles for growout purposes is inefficient. An alternative approach involves the artificial incubation of fertilized eggs to improve both quality and quantity of juveniles produced. Suitable technology for such incubation was developed in Europe to support the on-going efforts to produce crayfish plague free juveniles for restocking to natural water bodies. This technology has now been adapted to suit redclaw and for the purpose of mass production of seed crayfish for aquaculture. This paper details the development of the AquaVerde hatchery system, and the challenges to see it develop into fully commercial production, that could support expansion of the redclaw farming industry, both in Australia and elsewhere in the world.