The Backbone of the Hatchery: Algae!
The hatchery cultures microalgae to feed the shellfish.
A look at the algae lab inside the hatchery.
One of the hatchery’s Industrial Plankton Bioreactors.
Hatchery technician, Danielle, feeding the larval shellfish.
Algae is often referred to as the “backbone” of a shellfish hatchery. So, what exactly is algae and why is it so important? In short, algae are a diverse group of aquatic organisms that have the ability to conduct photosynthesis. Algae can be classified as macroalgae (seen with the naked eye) or as microalgae (seen under a microscope). Algae is important in a shellfish hatchery setting because without any algae, the shellfish would have nothing to eat! Shellfish are filter feeders, meaning they filter algae out of the water column to consume.
An overview of the 40 bag SeaCAP System.
In a hatchery that produces millions of shellfish, it is important to be able to supply enough food! The hatchery cultures (grows) microalgae to feed the shellfish. There are two different systems inside the hatchery used to culture algae. Algae starts inside the lab and then moves into either the SeaCAP System or the Industrial Plankton Bioreactors. These systems require daily maintenance and cleaning to ensure the algae continues to grow.
Although the colors may look the same, the hatchery grows 5 different species of algae! Shellfish need a well-balanced diet made up of different species of algae in order to ensure they are receiving the all of the necessary nutrients needed to grow. They consume different microalgal species during different stages of their lifecycle.
The hatchery staff is currently very busy maintaining and feeding a full hatchery! The amount of algae fed each day is based off the size of the shellfish along with how much algae they previously consumed. They will continue to be fed cultured algae until the water warms up and they can be moved into outdoor tanks. Then, they are placed on raw water (unfiltered water) and will consume the algae that naturally occurs in our local waters.
Check out this past Marine Minute Monday to learn more about algae as a food source for shellfish!