White Shrimp Farming Encouraged in Yucatan Analia Murias - FIS Mexico
go to original April 10, 2012

Farmed white shrimp (Conapesca, Sagarpa)

A team of researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) decided to trade white shrimp larvae among producers from Yucatan in order to foster this species commercial farming.

In this regard, Gabriela Gaxiola Cortés, a coordinator of the Shrimp Programme at the Multidisciplinary Unit of Training and Research (UMDI) of UNAM in Sisal, explains that this variety is more adaptable to fresh water.

Producers of three cooperatives have already expressed their interest in farming white shrimp, alternating this species with tilapia.

Thanks to shrimp farming, up to three crops per year can be obtained, since tilapia takes about nine months to reach the right size for sale.

Furthermore, while the kilogram of white shrimp is worth MXN 70 (USD 5.40), tilapia reaches about MXN 30 (USD 2.30).

Shrimp reproducers must reach a weight of 40 grams, and from each female an average of 100,000 offsprings per spawning process is obtained.

At UNAM facilities in Sisal, scientists control the temperature, the type of food and nutrients needed by the specimen reproducers and they may even accelerate the maturity process of females.

According to Miguel Arévalo López, head of the experimental area, "in the wild spawning takes place every two months; in the research unit it is obtained every 10 days or so."

When the female shrimp is "loaded" with eggs, it is taken to the spawning and hatching section, processes which occur during the night.

Later, the eggs are collected and the larval stage takes place during 14 days. After that, they are moved to the fattening ponds and stay there for the next four months, Sipse reported.

Moreover, the delegation of the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (Conapesca) of Baja California met with representatives of the State Committee of Farmed Shrimp Product System to strengthen the production farming lines of shrimp in the entity.

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