In order to be able to identify (i) possible types of mariculture and (ii) limits on magnitude on production (as imposed by the physical environment), members of the study group visited a number of coastal sites. These visits were not meant to identify the exact locations for physical installations or their exact design. Detailed engineering surveys should be conducted for that purpose. The study group's observations on the sites are reproduced in the remainder of this Annex, as are some general criteria for cage and pen culture sites.
For cage culture:
Protection from heavy winds and waves
Clean sea water with sufficient exchange brought about by tidal currents
Ample depth, with minimum of 3.5 m
Land base adjacent to site with easy access to roads and transport
For pen culture:
Protection from heavy winds and waves
Depth of between 1.0 and 1.5 m at low tide
Clean tidal waters
Mud or fine sand bottom
Land base not far from the site with fresh water, boat access and direct road connection to market centres.
For pond mariculture, (specifically shrimps):
See Annex 9, Section 2
Sites with Possibilities for Cage and Pen Culture
| Site | Brief description | Unit placements and estimated acreage | ||||
| Cages | Pens | |||||
| Location | Area (m2) | Location | Area (ha) | |||
| 1. | Port Morant, St. Thomas | Bay is protected by a hill bluff on the eastern boundary making waters calm over more than half of the area. Deep portions located along this eastern side with soundings of 5 to 8.5 m as indicated in the Admiralty chart. Shallow sections are located towards the apex, including the inner bay (often referred to as Harbour Head where depths range from 0.6 to 3 m). Water clear at the outer bay and at Harbour Head with salinities of 36 ‰ and 34 ‰ respectively. Fresh water from two small tidal creeks influencing salinity of Harbour Head. Crassostrea rhizophorae plentiful on mangrove prop-roots found along the edge of the bay. | Close to land starting from about 100 m south of the oyster culture project and proceeding southward along the eastern shore for about 1 km. Width of the strip recommended at only 50 m although it can go beyond 200 m | 50 000 | Apex of bay including Harbour Head | 20.0 |
| 2. | Castle Cove, Portland | Not indicated in the map but found along the road between Manchioneal and Port Antonio, this small cove lies quite near Castle Mountain and is called after this town in this report purely for identification purposes. About 50 ha wide, the waters were calm, clear and appeared to be deep along the edges. Very little habitation. | Close to and along the road | 15 000 | ||
| 3. | Falmouth Bay, Trelawny | Coral and limestone pebble beach along the south shore near the mouth of the Martha Brae River. From information gathered, the north eastern section is protected from waves by the tongue of mangley land extending westward from the mainland at the north. In the centre of the bay, but towards the east, the bottom is reported to be mud and supporting seagrass (Thalassia testudinum) with depths ranging from 0.6 to 2.0 m. Martha Brae River is a perennial fresh water river flowing into the bay. From the mouth of this river the shallow area described above is about 0.5–1.0 km away. An oyster raft has been set near the tip of the mangrove strip quite near the opening of the bay. Salinity at the point of observation (about 200 m east of the Martha Brae mouth) was 20 ppt. | Eastern quadrant where bottom is muddy | 50.0 | ||
| 4. | Salt Marsh, Trelawny | Partly hidden from the highway between Falmouth and Montego Bay by thick stands of mangrove trees, the cove is narrow and long. A mangley belt connected to land at the western end provides protection. The length of the cove is estimated to be about 1.5 – 1.8 km; its width about 500 – 800 m. There are indications that the cove is shallow from the outward appearance of the mangrove stands which were slowly creeping towards the centres and which already cover a sizeable area along the sides. The bottom is muddy, as gathered from informants. | The entire area where depth is adequate | 75.0 | ||
| 5. | Bogue Island | Seen southwest of Montego Bay, the site is characterized by islands of mangrove scattered inside the area forming natural wind and wave breaks. A reclaimed section of land extending north-eastward on the east side adds further protection. Waters were said to be deep a few metres from the eastern edge. Colour was greenish and salinity 36 ‰ at time of observation. Tilled sugar-cane plantations found along the southern boundary. | Along the eastern section particularly besides the reclaimed area | 25 000 | ||
| 6. | West Harbour, Clarendon | Near the mouth, West Harbour is dotted with islands of mangrove. Depth of water at the mouth unknown. Back of the mangrove islands waters were calm, while on the other hand heavy breakers were seen at Rocky Point on the other side of the small peninsula facing the Caribbean Sea. In the vicinity of the Mitchell Town Fish Farm the sea shows slight swells and information gathered was that waves of up to 1 m can be generated by winds. Bottom said to be muddy, depth about 3 m near the centre. | Perhaps at sheltered sites subject to more observations | |||
| 7. | Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine | The bay is open but thick stands of mangrove offer protection to small open waters behind. Bottom of these interior water bodies said to be muddy. Depths range from 0.4 to 1.0 m. | A small area about 300 m east of the market and fish landing | 7.0 | ||
| 8. | Great Salt Pond, St. Catherine | Located behind Fort Clarence, this “pond” of about 100 ha used to be blocked from the sea by sand bars forming during certain parts of the year. Now there is a permanent 12 metres channel across the bar at the north-eastern end, through which sea water flows to and through the “pond” to the mangrove area beyond and back. Depth of water at the centre is about 1.0 metre. Bottom is muddy. | Centre portion | 50.0 | ||
Sites with Possibilities for Pond Mariculture of Penaeid Shrimps
| Township | Location and brief description | Probable acreage (ha) | |
| 1. | Bowden, St. Thomas | Back of Harbour Head (Inner Bay) on both sides of bordering roads. The areas are covered with mangrove trees that have progressed as far as the road and beyond, and even where tidal waters hardly reach. Dominant species along the fringes of the bay and on the banks of two small perennial creeks that cut across the road is Rhizophora. Some coconuts have been planted in the area quite near to the road along the eastern side of the Bay. Beyond the main national highway, parts of the banana and coconut plantations are influenced by salty waters, even though quite beyond tide water reach, giving rise to halophytic reeds and grasses. Soil is peaty where Rhizophora dominates, loamy elsewhere. Salinity at the effluence of the Ginger River, one of the two creeks mentioned above, was 24 ppt at the time of the visit. The area is privately owned. | 20.0 |
| 2. | Duckenfield Hall, St. Thomas | Seen only from the air, it appears that the areas which hold possibilities are those on both sides of Plantain Garden River, quite close to Holland Bay. Some of these are planted with sugar-cane. Fresh water can be tapped from the river, but presence of agricultural chemical, toxic to shrimps (insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, etc.), should be checked, considering the presence of banana plantations upstream where these chemicals may be used. | 20.0 |
| 3. | Lucea Harbour, Hanover | Land bounded by Lucea Bay waters on the northwest, national highway on the south and west, and Cascade River on the northeast, currently planted with sugar-cane. The stand of the sugar-cane was quite poor, although soil is loamy. Land elevation is about 2 m above low water level; topography flat. Cascade River is perennial, affected by tide up to some point inland, but beyond the above boundaries. Salinity was 8 ppt at the time of the visit, with tide ebbing. | 10.0 |
| 4. | Bluff Point, Savannala-Mar, Westmorland | Pasture lands beside Orange Valley River and below the freshwater fish farm of Jamaica Aqua-Farms. Orange Valley River perennial, emptying into Bluefield Bay. On the other hand, there is a freshwater source being tapped for the Jamaica Aquaculture farm ponds. Part of the water can be used for a mariculture project, as also drain waters from the freshwater fish farm which can be re-used. | 10.0 |
| 5. | Black River, St. Elizabeth | Wetland, extension of the Great Morass along the coast, bracketed by the Black River on the west, Broad River on the north, the coastal road on the south and part of the same wetland on the east. Area is flat, covered by grasses. Elevation calculated at between 0.60–1.0 m above high tide levels. Soil: clayey loam was observed close to the road. Black River area was the subject of an exhaustive studya from which information relevant to shrimp culture has been lifted and is enumerated as follows: Rainfall average: 1 100 mm/year; evaporation: 1 960 mm. Rainy season from May to October with mean of 78.3 rainy days per year. Maximum temperatures average 30.9°C, minimum 20.4°C. Wind calm 55 percent of the time, predominantly southerly to south easterly. The rivers support a wide variety of fish including some marine species that somehow have acclimatized themselves to freshwater conditions (Lutjanus, Centropomus, etc.). Salinity range of Black River between 1–5 ppt; Broad River 0.15–4.0 ppt. The area is right next to Black River town. | 100.0 minimum |
| 6. | Salt River, Clarendon | A strip of wetland back of the mangrove belt along the coast of Portland Bight and bordered on the west by Salt River, besides which also runs the parallel road towards Mitchell Town from Freetown. From the air, the area was seen tranversed by numerous channels leading to the sea but which appeared blocked by sand bars in their mouths. The area is covered with grasses. The width of the strip appeared to be about 500–800 m; length about 1 km. Salt River is about 6–10 m wide with slow flowing water. Salinity was from 2–5 ppt. The water in this river can be used for dilution of sea water to brackish conditions, as may be required for pond culture of penaeid shrimp. | 50.0 |
