Santos, P.; Pombo, A.; Chainho, P.; Cancela da Fonseca, V.; Gil, J.; Costa, J. (2025). Polychaetes A Valuable Natural Resource and its Production in Aquaculture Systems. [Edited book chapter]. Chapter 9, p. 214-242 in Volume 3: Aquaculture and Living Resource Management, edited Rui Pedro Gonçalves Pereira. CRC Press, eBook ISBN 9781003323129.

515387

10.1201/9781003323129-9 [view]

Santos, P.; Pombo, A.; Chainho, P.; Cancela da Fonseca, V.; Gil, J.; Costa, J.

2025

Chapter 9, p. 214-242 in Volume 3: Aquaculture and Living Resource Management, edited Rui Pedro Gonçalves Pereira. CRC Press, eBook ISBN 9781003323129

Publication

https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9781003323129-9/polychaetes-valuable-natural-resource-production-aquaculture-systems-santos-pombo-chainho-cancela-da-fonseca-gil-costa

Annelidabase

Available for editors  

Polychaetes (Annelida), do not only play an important role in marine ecosystems, but are also a valuable resource as live fishing bait and aquafeed for fish and shrimp aquaculture, especially the families Nereididae, Eunicidae and Onuphidae. Certain species are not only utilised as research tools in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic industries, but also consumed as human food, particularly in Asian countries. China and the USA have become the dominant international market suppliers for these species in recent decades. Polychaete harvesting, mostly carried out in intertidal areas, implies a negative pressure on the ecosystem, which has led to the development of regulation for management purposes. Furthermore, the importation of these organisms is a pathway for the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS), which has promoted the aquaculture production of some native polychaete species in intensive and semi-intensive systems. However, despite the unsustainable pressure on wild fisheries, polychaete aquaculture, mainly developed in Asia, still represents a relatively small share of the origin of commercialized species. The published information on commercial rearing techniques is quite scarce and is limited to a few species, including Alitta virens and other nereidids, despite the industry intention to diversify production. The rearing techniques for Hediste diversicolor (O.F. Müller, 1776) have been developed over the last decades, including breeding protocols, rearing systems, diets to enhance the survival and growth of juveniles, or optimization of the rearing abiotic conditions. Some species have also demonstrated a high potential for Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), particularly in integrated production systems with carnivorous fish species. Filter-feeding polychaete species also show promising results in terms of bioremediation of the bacterial load in aquaculture waste. However, the biosecurity of these organisms must be evaluated, especially for use as live feed.

Biology
Rearing (Aquariology, Aquaculture, Transport of living invertebrates)

Annelida
Polychaeta

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