Research and development of prawn stock enhancement in Taiwan. In：B.R. Howell, E. Moksness and T. Svasand (eds.)

Abstract

The establishment of stock enhancement techniques to increase the production of coastal prawn fisheries has drawn much attention in Taiwan. A series of R D programmes to enhance prawn stock has been carried out since 1982 by Tungkang Marine Laboratory (TML), Taiwan Fisheries Research Institute. Based on the data from ecological studies of penaeid prawns along the coastal waters of south-west Taiwan. the key issues for prawn release include: (1) The target species: (2) An optimal seed size for release: (3) The number of seed to he released: (4) Timing of release: (5) Site selection for release: (6) An effective method of release and (7) A conservation system to protect the released animals. In addition. an effective tag for sub-adult prawns was developed and used for a restocking experiment with Pentzeus monodon (Fabricius) in coastal waters. Prospects for restocking with sub-adults to augment P monodon broodstocks in nature appear promising Evaluation of coded microwire tags for tagging juvenile P monodon indicates that microwire is an effective mean to assess the recapture of juvenile prawn release. Finally, the use of specific pathogen free (SPF) prawns for release and impacts of released prawns on population genetic structure are addressed.