Influence of environmental factors, season and size at deployment on growth and retrieval of postlarval lion's paw scallop Nodipecten nodosus (Linnaeus, 1758) from a subtropical environment

The effect of seasonal variation of environmental factors on daily shell growth rates (DGR) of postlarval Nodipecten nodosus was studied at the southern distribution limit of the species in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Five deployments of hatchery produced postlarvae (initial shell height 0.5 mm) in the sea-based nursery were carried out from August 2000 to September 2001, and DGR and percent retrievals were recorded. Chlorophyll- a, seston, salinity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity were measured weekly, and temperature was recorded hourly. Additionally, DGR and retrievals were compared for postlarvae maintained simultaneously in the sea- and land-based nurseries (initial shell height 0.5 mm), and also for post-larvae deployed in the sea-based nursery at different initial sizes (0.29–1.1 mm). Mean DGR was significantly lower in late winter–early spring 2000 (0.045 mm day −1), intermediate in late winter–early spring 2001 (0.078 mm day −1) and significantly higher in the other seasons (late spring–early summer, 0.152 mm day −1; late summer–early autumn, 0.149 mm day −1 and late–autumn early winter, 0.130 mm day −1). Temperature was the best predictor of growth, which was least at temperatures below 20 °C. Growth rate was also minimal during a period of low salinity and high turbidity. Mean DGR was significantly higher in postlarvae deployed in the sea-based nursery than in those maintained in the land-based nursery. Loss of postlarvae in the sea-based nursery was initially higher in collectors transferred earlier to the sea (ca. 2–3 weeks post-set; shell height 0.5–0.8 mm), but percent retrievals were similar after postlarvae deployed to the sea ca. 4–5 weeks post-set (shell height 1.1 mm) were retrieved simultaneously with those deployed earlier. At retrieval, postlarvae deployed approximately 2 weeks post-set were larger than those deployed subsequently, but spat deployed 1 week post-set attained a similar size to those deployed 2 weeks post-set. A strategy to deploy postlarvae in the sea-based nursery at a size circa 0.5 mm is proposed as more advantageous than keeping them longer in land-based facilities. In southern Brazil, there is a wide window of opportunity to deploy post-larval scallops in the sea-based nursery in which growth is maximized, except when water temperatures drop below 20 °C.