Aquaculture of the Atlantic red porgy

Aquaculture of red porgy Pagrus pagrus (Sparidae) in North America was assessed by the investigation of broodstock conditioning and egg production, larval growth and survivorship, and juvenile grow out. Red porgy broodstock were collected off the coast of North Carolina and held in an outdoor recirculating seawater tank under ambient photoperiod and offshore bottom temperatures. Red porgy broodstock (n = 20) produced up to 300,000 viable eggs/d during their natural spawning period between January and March 2005. Larval survival to 10 d posthatch (dph) was 75.0 +/- 2.2% (mean +/- SE). Survival declined markedly after 13 dph and was 2.4% by 35 dph, when 1,200 postmetamorphic-stage juveniles remained. Larvae reached 11.2 +/- 1. 12 mm and 29.3 +/- 0.55 mg at 35 dph, and juveniles reached 55 mm total length (TL) at 90 dph. Juvenile grow-out trials in recirculating tanks resulted in red porgy reaching 195 0.32 mm TL and 158 +/- 0.14 g at 313 dph and a weight-specific growth rate of 6.8%. The results suggest a lower larval growth rate for western Atlantic red porgy compared with Mediterranean red porgy culture; however, juvenile growth rates were significantly higher than previously reported. Given the high market demand for reef fish species, the red porgy appears to be a good candidate for marine fish culture in North America.