Abstract

Aquaculture in Chile is an important economic activity; however, it shows a low level of diversity regarding the number of species being cultured. Increasing the number of cultured species would permit economic and social stability for the aquaculture sector in Chile. The global market for the king crab is covered exclusively by the fisheries, however as the market had increased, new species such as the southern king crab, has being incorporated, reaching an 11% of the global market. This project is a continuation of the project FONDEF D02I1163 (intensive culture of larvae and juveniles of southern king crab, finishing on June 2006). To develop the culture of southern king crab as an opportunity to increase diversity of Chilean aquaculture it is necessary, among other aspects, to develop the growth out technology, since the main product of this species is frozen meet. This project propose to 1) improve technology for intensive culture of juveniles up to the seed stage allowing to increase growth rate and decrease body size variability through management of culture conditions (culture systems, diets, physiologic and genetic markers to predict juvenile growth), and 2) develop the growth out technology for cultivation in both sea and land facilities. This project will innovate in culture systems, management of both animals and diets for southern king crabs of different sizes. The main results will be: improved technology for the juvenile-seed stage and growth out technology, including layout of facilities, diets for the different size ranges involved in the productive processes, and a bioeconomic model. In addition, it will make possible to strength the scientific capacities and the technology of the involved institutions, and the interaction between national and international researchers and with the industry of the X region