GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF BOTTOM OYSTER Crassostrea gasar CULTURED IN THE NORTHEAST AND SOUTH OF BRAZIL

This study evaluated the growth, survival, and time to reach the minimum market size (50 mm shell height) of the bottom oyster Crassostrea gasar with seeds produced at hatchery. Culture areas were located in the States of Maranhao [1-Morro do Meio (MM); 2-Torto (TT)] and Santa Catarina [1-Sao Francisco do Sul (SFS); 2-Florianopolis (SB)]. Eight thousand seeds were transferred to each location and cultivated from June 2012 to July 2013. Oyster growth in Santa Catarina was bigger than in Maranhao. The ideal cultivation time was of 8 months, when animals had an average shell height of 71.96(+/- 8.05) mm in SFS; 55.31(+/- 6.05) mm in SB; and 46.92(+/- 9.11) mm in TT. Morro do Meio (MM) was considered unsuitable for C. gasar growth, as the average shell height was 36.20(+/- 12.40) mm after a 13-month cultivation. Survival rates varied throughout the year: 79.82-99.69% in SFS; 80.00-99.81% in SB; 90.59-98.21% in TT; and 64.98-96.54% in MM.