2.0 METHODOLOGY
Literature concerning methods of control for sea star predation on shellfish
was gathered using the government search engines Aquatic Science and
Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) and WAVES. The internet was also used as a
research tool to access non-government databases, such as ScienceDirect, and
on-line publications. An efficient resource was personal communication with
aquaculturists, biologists and other individuals from the industry. Over 15
communications were made in person, via telephone or e-mail. This gave us
access to not readily available literature, known as “grey literature”, and
undocumented information. When gathering literature, priority was placed on
documents concerning control methods for starfish predation that are in use
today, however, past control methods and general biology of the starfish were
also looked at. Information was gathered from Canada, the United States,
Australia, New Zealand, France, Japan and Norway. Documents written in
English and French were reviewed and summarized by separate individuals.
The compiled literature was entered into a ProCite 5 database where more than
120 documents were given an identification number for future ease of locating
the document when needed. Starfish control methods used on shellfish beds
were reviewed, as well as control methods used for suspended cultures of
molluscs. In this document, star fish size, unless indicated otherwise, refers to
the diameter measurement, which is the distance between the center of disc and
the end of arm, multiplied by two.