The available literature on abalone nutrition was synthesised and the prospects for developing a complete pelleted dry feed for Haliotis midae evaluated. The similar body compositions, digestive structures, enzyme activity, acceptance of a wide variety of feed ingredients and comparable growth performance on formulated diets of various abalone species suggests that they have similar nutritional requirements. Abalone also appear to be similar to other farmed monogastric animals in that digestion is primarily extracelluar and they possess a large, muscular crop and stomach. Abalone energy metabolism is carbohydrate based. They are capable of digesting high levels of dietary protein but their ability to utilise fat is limited. Abalone have been shown to consume predictable amounts of dry feed which is efficiently converted into body weight. Efficiency indices of utilisation of formulated feeds, such as feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, net protein utilisation and apparent digestibility have been successfully applied to abalone. It was concluded that the prospects for developing complete diets for H. midae using a conventional animal feed science model were good. The ability of H. midae to utilise a range of proteins which had potential for inclusion in practical diets was investigated. Five protein rich ingredients, namely, casein, fishmeal, soya oil cake, Spirulina, and torula yeast, were fed to H. midae in semi-purified diets. Two algal diets, fresh Plocamium corallorhiza and dried Ecklonia maxima were fed as controls. Abalone fed on fishmeal and Spirulina based diets displayed significantly higher growth rates than diets containing soya oil cake, torula yeast, casein and E. maxima. Growth rates of abalone fed with P. corallorhiza were significantly lower than all other diets. All artificial diets yield lower feed conversion ratios (0.7-1.8) and higher protein efficiency ratios (3.3-6.5) ratios than the seaweed control diets (FCR = 2.8-3.4; PER = 2.2-3.0). The results indicated that fishmeal and Spirulina were the most suitable proteins for inclusion in practical diets for H. midae. The effect of protein level on growth rate and nutritional indices was evaluated by feeding starch bound, fishmeal based diets containing 27, 32, 37, 42 and 47% protein to juvenile H. midae. Weight gain was positively related to the level of dietary protein, increasing by 18% between 27% and 47% protein. Protein efficiency ratio declining from 3.2 to 2.3 with an increasing dietary protein content. Feed consumption rate was approximately 1% of body weight per day for all diets. Post-weaning abalone (ca. lOmm shell length, 0.2g) differed from larger juveniles (ca. 35mm, 8g) in their response to varying proportions of dietary protein and energy. The smaller animals appeared to have a lower protein requirement and poorer ability to utilise lipid than the larger juveniles. Proximate analyses revealed that the levels of protein, lipid and carbohydrate in abalone soft tissue increased with increasing dietary levels of these nutrients. Larger juveniles contained significantly higher levels of protein and carbohydrate, but lower levels of lipid, ash and moisture, than the smaller post-weaning abalone. The assimilation efficiency of [U-¹⁴C]-arginine by H. midae fed diets enriched with [U-¹⁴C]-arginine was only 0.45%. Furthennore, supplementation of diets with graded levels of crystalline arginine did not have any effect on growth rates. It was concluded that the prospects for defining the quantitative amino acid requirements of H. midae using crystalline amino acids are not promising. Rates of gastric evacuation and enzyme secretion were monitored in juvenile H. midae fed an extruded, fishmeal based dry feed. Gut fullness peaked 6h after feed was offered and the bulk of feed consumed was digested within 24 h. Enzyme secretion appeared to begin with the onset of feeding and continued for at least 6h after peak gut fullness was attained. Protease activity increased significantly following ingestion but amylase activity was maintained at a more or less constant level. A low level of lipase activity was observed suggesting that the ability of H. midae to digest fat is limited. The growth rate of H. midae fed an extruded, fishmeal based feed increased with increasing temperature between 12°C and 20°C. Between 20°C and 24°C a marked decline in growth rate accompanied by a deterioration in feed conversion and increased mortality was observed. Consumption of a dry pelleted feed was shown to be a function of body size and temperature. Based on these data a model which predicts a daily ration for H. midae was developed. The present study showed that H. midae efficiently utilises extruded dry feeds containing conventional feed ingredients. Although technical difficulties were encountered in measuring apparent digestibility, it was concluded that the prospects for developing practical diets according to established nutritional principles are promising.

A physiological study was carried out to determine the effects of temperature, quantity of food fed, feeding activity and size class on the oxygen consumption and ammonia production of the South African abalone Haliotis midae L.. A set of intermittent flow respirometer chambers were used in a recirculating system to measure the oxygen consumption rates of fed (postprandial) and unfed (postabsorptive) abalone for three different size classes (15, 30, and 50mm) at three different temperatures (16°, 20° and 23°C) over a 24 hour period. Ammonia production rates and food consumption rates were simultaneously determined. Oxygen consumption and Ammonia production rates per gram abalone were linear functions of abalone size, temperature, and mass of food consumed. Oxygen consumption and ammonia production rates were found to increase proportionally to temperature and in inverse proportion to abalone size. These rates were significantly higher for fed as opposed to unfed abalone. Equations were derived to predict oxygen consumption and ammonia production for fed and unfed animals for a range of temperatures and size classes of abalone. A 96h LC50 lethal toxicity test for exposure to ammonia established 1.08mg.1⁻¹ of unionised ammonia as the lethal limit. A test on the long term effects on growth of acute exposure (12h) to various sublethal concentrations of ammonia showed no significant effects on growth for concentrations below 0.88 mg.1⁻¹. A safe chronic exposure level of 0.02 mg.1¹ NH₃-N was used to predict optimal flow rates required per kilogram of abalone in a rearing tank over a range of size classes and temperatures. The physiological and biological requirements of H. midae and the implications of this knowledge for rearing tank management and optimal design are discussed.

Thesis (M. Sc. (Ichthyology))--Rhodes University, 2003.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The species Haliotis midae is the only commercially exploitable abalone species of the six found in the South African coastal waters. This species is under substantial pressure from both legal and illegal harvesters, to such an extent that it could be commercially extinct within four years. Efforts to alleviate the pressures on the natural populations of both illegal and legal harvesting are being made. The genetic management systems for abalone farming and ranching activities should be carefully evaluated. The loss of genetic diversity and the risks of contaminating the gene pools of natural populations in the vicinity of a farm should be minimized. Genetic evaluation studies will be at great importance to acquire the necessary data needed for genetic diversity and differentiation analysis. The aim at this study was to develop species-specific microsatellite DNA markers to assess the genetic diversity and differentiation within and between the brood stock and commercial stock of the Sea Plant Products abalone farm (Hermanus, Republic of South Africa) and natural populations related to the brood stock. The species-specific DNA markers were also used for parentage assignments within the tarm population (first for abalone) and preliminary OTL (quantitative trait loci)-discovery analysis studying growth rate segregation. Samples were taken of the farm's brood stock and commercial stock (Rows 2, 3, 4) as well as from two natural populations (Saldanha Bay and Black Rock) related to the brood stock. Various statistical parameters and software packages were used to assess genetic diversity and differentiation, to infer parentage and to look for OTL's. Eight species-specific microsatellite DNA markers were designed and used for data analysis. Data analysis showed a loss at genetic diversity from the brood stock to the commercial stock caused by the subdivision of the original brood stock into rows and the differential contributions of parents to the offspring. No genetic differentiation (Fst) was detected between the farm and natural populations, except for the offspring of Row2. levels of inbreeding (ns) were high for all loci within the populations. Thirty-eight percent of all studied offspring were confidently assigned to a couple. The preliminary QTldiscovery suggested the segregation of a number of alleles and genotypes with growth rate. The study concluded that the commercial abalone population of the Sea Plant Products abalone farm holds no threat to the disruption of the genetic diversity of the natural populations. It is proposed that the farm implement a rotational breeding program to increase the genetic diversity of the commercial population. Any newly acquired brood stock must be profiled before their introduction into the breeding program to assess the influence of the animals on the current levels of genetic diversity within the farm. The accuracy and reliability of parentage assignments and QTl-discovery need to be optimised by adding more loci and sampling more animals or even by trying and developing new methods. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Van die ses perlemoen spesies wat langs die Suid-Afrikaanse kus gevind word, is die spesie Haliotis midae die enigste een wat van kommersiële belang is. Wettige, sowel as onwettige versameling, plaas hierdie spesie onder sulke geweldige druk dat dit dalk binne vier jaar verlore kan wees vir die kommersiële bedryf. Verskeie strategieë word tans geïmplimenteer om hierdie druk te verlig. Die genetiese bestuurstrategieë binne perlemoen plase moet deeglik ondersoek word. Die verlies aan genetiese diversiteit en die moontlikheid vir die kontaminering van die natuurlike populasies in die omgewing van die plaas se geenpoel, moet uitgeskakel word. Genetiese evaluasies sal van groot belang wees om die nodige data vir genetiese diversiteit- en differensiasie-analises te verkry. Die doel van die studie was om spesies-spesifieke mikrosatelliet DNA merkers te ontwikkel wat gebruik sou word om die genetiese diversiteit en differensiasie binne en tussen die broei diere en die kommersiële diere van Sea Plant Products se perlemoen plaas (Hermanus, Republiek van Suid- Afrika) en die natuurlike populasies wat verwant is aan die broei diere, te bepaal. Die spesies-spesifieke DNA merkers is ook vir ouerskap-bepalings binne die plaas se populasie gebruik, asook vir voorlopige OTL (quantitative trait locI) - ontdekking met betrekking tot groeitempo segregasie. Monsters van die plaas se broei diere en kommersiële diere (Ry 2, 3, 4) asook van twee natuurlike populasies (Saldanha Baai en Black Rock) wat verwant is aan die broei diere, is geneem. 'n Verskeidenheid van statistiese parameters en sagteware pakette is vir die genetiese diversiteit- en differensiasie-analises, vir ouerskap-bepalings en vir die opspoor van OTL's gebruik. Agt spesies-spesifieke mikrosatelliet DNA merkers is ontwerp en toe gebruik vir die data analises. 'n Verlies aan genetiese diversiteit vanaf die broei diere na die kommersiële diere is deur die data analises uitgewys. Dit is veroorsaak deur die verdeling van die oorspronklike broei diere in rye en die differensiële bydraes deur die ouers na die nageslag. Geen genetiese differensiasie (Fst) is tussen die plaas se populasie en die natuurlike populasies gevind nie, maar die nageslag van Ry 2 het wel differensiasie getoon. Die vlakke van inteling (Fis) was hoog oor alle lokusse binne alle populasies. Agt-en-dertig persent van die nageslag wat bestudeer is, was suksesvol met 'n ouerpaartjie geassosieer. Die voorlopige OTL-ontdekking studie toon die potesiële segregasie van 'n aantal allele en genotipes saam met groeitempo. Die bevindinge van die studie is dat die kommersiële populasie op die Sea Plant Products perlemoen plaas, geen bedreiging vir die versteuring van die natuurlike populasies se genetiese diversiteit inhou nie. Daar is voorgestel dat die plaas 'n rotasie-basis broeiprogram moet implimenteer om sodoende die genetiese diversiteit van die kommersiële populasie te verhoog. Enige nuwe broei diere se genetiese profiel moet ook voor die tyd ondersoek word om te sien wat se effek hierdie diere op die huidige genetiese diversiteit van die kommersiële populasie sal hê. Die akkuraatheid en betroubaarheid van die ouerskap-bepalings en OTL-ontdekking moet optimiseer word deur of meer lokusse te bestudeer, of meer diere in analises te gebruik of selfs om nuwe tegnieke te probeer of te ontwikkel.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Ichthyology & Fisheries Science)) - Rhodes University, 2008.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, / Includes bibliography.

Thesis (M.S.)--Rhodes University, 2003. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on June 9, 2006). Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-163).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rhodes University, 1995. / "December 1995." Includes bibliographical references.

An adequate supply of diatoms during the weaning stage (generally 5 - 10 mm shell length (SL)) is one of the primary constraints to the commercial culture of the South African abalone, Haliotis midae. Because of the seriousness of the problem, a project aimed at the development of an artificial weaning diet was initiated. Initially, the chemical composition (proximate composition, amino acid, fatty acid and mineral element profile) of juvenile H. midae was analyzed, as a general lack of such information was identified in a review. Due to the lack of knowledge on the nutritional requirements of H. midae, the formulation of the weaning diet was based on the essential amino acid (EAA) pattern of the shucked tissue, and the known nutrient requirements of haliotids. Subsequently, a water stable gel and pellet form of the diet were developed. The best water stability of a gel was obtained with a 1:3 agar/gelatine mixture which retained 70.7 ± 2.7 % of its dry weight after 24 h. Starch based pellets, however, retained 89.0 ± 0.6 % of their dry weight after 24 h. In a comparative growth trial, pellets produced a significantly better increase in SL and weight than gels after only 15 days. This was probably due to the better water stability of pellets, which resulted in a better nutritional quality than in gels. The feeding behaviour on both forms of the diet did not differ. Activity patterns were exclusively nocturnal and feeding frequency was consistently low. The percentage composition of the pelleted weaning diet, on a dry weight basis, was 5 % casein, 15 % gelatine, 15 % fish meal, 10 % Spirulina spp., 2.5 % fish oil, 2.5 % sunflower oil, 21.0 % dextrin, 23.0 % starch, 4.0 % of a mineral and 2.0 % of a vitamin mixture. The correlation coefficient between the EAA pattern of H. midae and the dietary EAA pattern was r⁷= 0.8989. Pellets were fed to juveniles in a 30 day growth trial to study the effect of photoperiod (12, 16, 20 and 23 hours of darkness) on growth and general nutritional parameters. A comparative experiment feeding diatoms was conducted under a 12hL: 12hD light regime at the same time. The SL and weight of the juveniles did not increase significantly with an increase in hours of darkness. The growth of juveniles fed on pellets did not differ significantly from those fed on diatoms. Percentage feed consumption (PFC), percentage feeding rate (PFR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and percentage protein deposited (PPD) were determined for the animals fed on pellets. None of the parameters were significantly affected by photoperiod. However, there were trends in that PFC increased with longer periods of darkness, while PPD decreased. The FCRs (0.44 ± 0.04 to 0.60 ± 0.19) and PERs (5.06 ± 1.74 to 6.64 ± 0.77) indicated that juveniles used the feed, and in particular the protein, very efficiently. Photoperiod did not have an effect on the specific activity of the digestive enzymes amylase, protease and lipase. The specific activity of amylase in the juveniles fed on diatoms was significantly higher than in the pellet fed groups. This was surprising as the main carbohydrate of diatoms is the ß-(l-3) glucan chrysolaminarin, and not starch, a ß-(l-4) glucan. Protease specific activity, on the other hand, was significantly higher in the pellet fed groups, indicating an ability to adapt to the high protein content in the artificial diet (35.48 %), compared to diatoms which had a protein content of 5 %. The specific activity of lipase did not differ significantly between groups, probably because of a similar lipid concentration (5 - 10 %) in diatoms and pellets. Finally, the effect of stocking density, ranging from 1250 to 10,000 juveniles/m2, on the growth of juveniles was evaluated. A model of hatchery productivity was developed based on this investigation. Hatchery productivity was defined as the number of juveniles per unit space reared through to the grow-out stage per unit time. The model predicted that maximum productivity would be achieved at a stocking density of 10,000 juveniles/m2. The results have shown that H. midae can be successfully weaned on an artificial diet, as the growth on the diet was not significantly different to growth obtained on diatoms. Long-term growth trials are needed to confirm these results. The importance of standardized experiments on the nutritional requirements and digestibility of abalone was emphasized. The importance of improved artificial diets, optimal culture conditions, as well as the application of biotechnological techniques to further abalone aquaculture was highlighted.

This study investigated the feasibility of ranching the abalone Haliotis rubra (Leach) and Haliotis laevigata (Donovan) on concrete artificial reefs at a site chosen by industry investors on silty bottom off Altona Beach, Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia. The study started from the premise that artificial reef deployment combined with abalone stock enhancement may achieve the dual purpose of habitat and stock improvement. It evaluated the hydrodynamics of the site in relation to artificial reef structural stability and drift algal transport, the development and ecology of the artificial reef assemblage, and abalone enhancement by seeding the reefs with hatchery juvenile abalone and transplanting adult broodstock abalone. Despite a scarcity of reports on culturing abalone on artificial reef, a literature review examined broadly the functions of artificial reefs, particularly in the context of abalone enhancement, and the relationship between artificial reefs, hydrodynamics and ecology. The major finding was that the success of artificial reef projects is highly dependent on the environment of the chosen site, and that preliminary studies are essential to predict their likely success. This consideration alone provided strong justification to undertake this study. The topography at the Altona site was generally flat, with natural patches of low basalt boulder reef, offering low habitat complexity, yet supporting a diverse range of flora and fauna, including a low-density wild stock of H. rubra. Water depth was a mean of 3.3 m at low tide and 4.4 m at high tide. A single, uncomplicated, concrete artificial reef of H-shape design, was tested as abalone habitat. The hydrodynamic analysis confirmed previous studies of Port Phillip Bay, with mild current speeds of mean 0.045 m.s-1, and maximum-modelled wave height (H1/3) of 1.21 m and period (T1/3) of 4.51 sec. Water temperature ranged from 9.9ºC during July to 23.8ºC during January, with salinity averaging of 35.5 ppt. The site had a low probability of receiving drift algae, necessary as a food source for abalone, because of its geographic location, potentially affecting ranch productivity. Ecological monitoring of the three-year old artificial reef shows complex changes in the flora and fauna over time, particularly in respect of the sessile fauna. Key differences between the artificial reef and a nearby natural reef community were: lower cover of corallines and late colonisers, such as sponges. High levels of sedimentation were recorded at the Altona site. Hatchery juvenile H. laevigata, with mean survival of 15% after two years and a mean annual growth rate of 39 mm, showed the most promise for outplanting. In comparison, for hatchery juvenile H. rubra, mean survival was 9% after three years and mean annual growth rate was 22 mm. No natural recruitment of H. laevigata was recorded on artificial reef despite transplants of adult broodstock on the reefs. Natural recruitment of H. rubra was also low and insufficient to reliably contribute to abalone ranch stock. Having examined the hydrodynamic, ecological and enhancement attributes of the Altona site, the study concluded that the site was marginally viable for abalone ranching, and that an alternative site near Werribee, 20 km further southwest, had superior attributes for growth and survival of abalone.