| King scallop production in Japan enjoys a wonderful evolution one would like to find in other exploited marine species. In the Bay of Mutsu, one of the main exploitation centres, the production went from 430 t in 1963 to 6 000 t in 1969 and to about 40 000 t in 1972. Responsible for this development is an original method of spat collection, supplying the suspended cultures and the seabed seedings: the animal biology is taken into account. During its juvenile stages, it looks for a substrate for its metamorphosis, gets a hold of it thanks to a byssus, and stays for a few months before developing its benthic animal behaviour. The trick is to provide the scallop with a support, isolated in a fine mesh bag through which larvae can go but where the young shell... |
