Growth, Production and Economic Considerations for Commercial Production of Marketable Sizes of Spotted Babylon, Babylonia areolata, using a Pilot Abandoned Marine Shrimp Hatchery and Recirculating Culture System"

This study was conducted to determine the feasibility for culture of spotted babylon juveniles (Babylonia areolata) to marketable sizes using an abandoned marine shrimp hatchery. It was reconstructed with a large-scale recirculating culture system of 4.0 x 24.5 x 0.4 m concrete rearing ponds. The growth, production and economic analysis for culture of spotted babylon was evaluated. The average growth rates of spotted babylon were 0.94 g / mo. Feed conversion ratio was 1.8 and the average final survival was 90.5%. At the end of the experiment, the average yield was 148 kg / pond. The total production for six rearing ponds was estimated at 884 kg. Based on the farm data, stocking data and harvest data used in this study, total cost per 6 month production cycle was $6,458.40 (USD). In 2007, at farm gate prices of $8.60/kg (USD) resulted in a gross return and net return per production cycle of $7,575.90 (USD) and $1,117.50 (USD), respectively. The benefit cost ratio (BCR) showed a positive profit (1.17) and a payback period of 5.7 production cycles. The present study indicated that the use of an abandoned marine shrimp hatchery reconstructed to include a recirculating culture system was economically attractive for culture of juvenile B. areolata to marketable sizes.