CHAPTER XI
ABALONE CULTURE
11.1 Site selection
Optimum sites for abalone farming are coastal areas surrounded by islands, where seaweeds and algae, the natural food of abalones, grow abundantly. Farm sites should be far from fresh water inflows, have clear waters and a slow current. Stony and rocky seabeds are good for abalone culture. The site should have few predators, and be convenient for transportation.
11.2 Preparation of the culture site
The ecological conditions of the selected sites is important for culturing the abalones to the marketable size.
If the site has the appropriate physical and chemical conditions but lacks rocks and stones, various types of structures including stones should be sunk to meet the habitat requirements of abalones which like to cling to rocks and stones. It is also recommended to grow seaweeds and algae such as Undaria, Laminaria, etc.
11.3 Survival rate of abalone
The survival rate of abalones released in the sea, up to the marketable size, depends on several factors, but mainly on the size of abalones at the time of release. According to experience in Korea (DPR) the survival rate is as follows:
Survival rate of abalones of 20 mm in length was