Intensive culture of the common barbel, Barbus barbus (L.) for restocking
Philippart, J.C.; Mélard, CH.; Poncin, P. (1989). Intensive culture of the common barbel, Barbus barbus (L.) for restocking, in: De Pauw, N. et al. (Ed.) Aquaculture: a biotechnology in progress: volume 1. pp. 483-491 In: De Pauw, N. et al. (1989). Aquaculture: a biotechnology in progress: volume 1. European Aquaculture Society: Bredene. ISBN 90-71625-03-6. 1-592 pp., more |
| Available in | Authors | | Document type: Conference paper
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| Authors | | Top | - Philippart, J.C., more
- Mélard, CH.
- Poncin, P., more
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| Abstract | Since 1982 the University of Liège has been studying the mass culture of B. barbus for restocking the many running waters in which this cyprinid is suffering from a strong demographic decline. The culturing technology described in the present paper is entirely new in Europe in that it implies: 1) a total domestication of the brood fishes which are kept in captivity (tank or flowing water ponds) where both males and females reach maturity and spontaneously produce sperm and eggs: in early January 1987, seven broodstocks from three different river systems in the Meuse basin are being managed; 2) the utilization of heated water (effluent of the Tihange nuclear power plants) to accelerate the growth rate: under the rearing conditions realized (20-24°C, feeding with trout feed pellets) the barbels grow four times faster than in a natural river; 3) a high-density tank culture of fingerlings and adults allowing a standing crop as high as 33kg.m-2 (94kg.m-3 and production ranging from 0.2 to 0.4kg.m-3 of tank per day to be achieved. Now, about 60000 cultured barbels with a fork length ranging trom 5 to 40cm have been experimentaly released into the river Meuse and seven of its tributaries. Surveys by electro-fishing carried out in 1985 and 1986 showed a very successful adaptation of the cultured barbels in the wild environment. Based on the culturing technology described above, the intensive production of B. barbus is currently entering a commercial phase by a private company at Tihange, Belgium. |
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