Growth of abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) in cages using epibiont control measures

In this study, the relationship between the growth of abalone and the presence of epibionts was investigated in abalone cultured in Goheung, Jeollanam-do, where there are severe problems high water temperatures and attachment. The experiment was conducted for eight months (May-December 2020), and 40 abalone were collected every month. Water temperature was at its highest at a range of 13.5°C–26.6°C and dissolved oxygen levels were at their lowest at a range of 4.0–10.2 μg/L in August. The shell height (mm) of abalone grew to 117.7% (81.8 ± 1.9 mm) in cultures where epibionts were removed (ER) and 111% (77.4 ± 3.3 mm) where they were not (non-epibionts, NER). Their total weight (TW) and body weight increased significantly and steadily with ER, whereas the TW increased sharply after August with NER. In the condition index, no significant difference was observed between ER and NER. The monthly proportion of epibionts increased significantly in July, accounting for the value of 69.9% reached in December.