aquaculture species in south africa

From:  Jerome Davis <jeromed@iafrica.com>
To:     crustacean group
Sent:   Tuesday, May 22, 2001 7:57 PM

QUESTION:

Could anybody tell me which species of Macrobrachium occur in South African waters? Of these (or other freshwater decapods) are there any which could be considered candidates for aquaculture? This info is mainly needed as an alternative to people wanting to culture Australian freshwater crayfish, yabbies, redclaws here. These animals pose a potential risk to the environment.

Jerome Davis
Dept. Ichthyology & Fisheries Science, Rhodes University
Mudcrab aquaculture project at Mtunzini Prawn Farm
Box 98 Mtunzini 3867
Tel: 27+35-3401960 Fax: 27+35-3402495
Email: jeromed@iafrica.com

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COMMENTS :

Only three species of Macrobrachium are known from South Africa - M. lepidactylus, M. rude and M. petersi. None of these appear to have high aquaculture potential - all are less than 100 mm in total length and most likely have euryhaline life cycles with adults commonly found in fresh water but larvae requiring marine influence for development (this makes them a more difficult proposition than freshwater crayfish which have direct development in fresh water). The widely cultured giant river prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, is also a euryhaline species but the life cycle of the Malaysian form of the species has been well studied and it grows to a very large size.

I am in no way advocating the using of foreign species, such as Australian freshwater crayfish or M. rosenbergii, for aquaculture in South Africa, but you do not have much to pick from in terms of the local fauna.  

Dr John W. Short
Crustacea Section, Queensland Centre for Biodiversity, Queensland Museum
PO Box 3300, South Brisbane  Qld  4101 Australia
Ph: +61 7 3840 7717    Fax: +61 7 3846 1226
e-mail: JohnSh@qm.qld.gov.au  

URL: http://www.qmuseum.qld.gov.au/

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