Live holding of Nephrops norvegicus (Linnaeus, 1758) in land-based facilities: Health and condition effects

Abstract

Recent advances in the knowledge of the basic requirements to sustain captured lobsters, combined with improved transport links, has seen a dramatic expansion in the sale of live Nephrops norvegicus. In this paper, we describe the effects of storage system type on the health of lobsters held for periods up to three weeks in order to develop an optimal protocol for Icelandic producers for whom logistical challenges have thus far hindered access to the live market. Nephrops were caught by creel and transported to a holding facility in tanks supplied by either a flow-through from a harbour bore or recirculating water via a filtration system, where they were maintained without being fed for a period of three weeks. During this time, lobsters were assessed for haemolymph biochemistry and hepatopancreas composition and health. It was found that lobsters from both systems used storage reserves from the hepatopancreas, showing a progressive decline in hepatopancreatic index, hepatopancreas protein and glycogen. Nephrops from the flow-through system also presented indications of considerable health impacts with chronically elevated levels of circulating haemocytes during storage and granuloma plus melanized hepatopancreas tubules after three weeks.

Key words:

• Disease
• live storage
• Nephrops
• starvation

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the fishing company Vinnlustöðin ehf for their support throughout the research and ƥekkingarsetur Vestmannaeyja for the use of facilities and assistance during the project.

Editorial responsibility: Eric Thompson