The farm proposed (see layout in Figure A3.1) extends over a total area of about 80 ha, and will be able to produce yearly 160 t of market-size fish and shrimp:
| 100 t of sea bass | (about 300 000 individuals) |
| 50 t of sea bream | (about 150 000 individuals) |
| 10 t of shrimp | (about 300 000 individuals) |
According to their specific biological characteristics, these species can be reared under different technologies:
| - sea bass | intensive rearing (high technology, high fish densities, high water renewal, only artificial feed) |
| - sea bream | semi-intensive rearing (medium technology, lower densities and water renewal, mixed natural and artificial feeding) or extensive rearing (low technology, only natural feeding in lagoon areas) |
| - shrimp | semi-intensive rearing (low to medium technology, according to the species reared) |
Basic seed supply is to be obtained from hatchery production (high technology), which will supply yearly 400 000 sea bass and 200 000 sea bream fry of 0.5–1.0 g and 800 000 shrimp post-larvae (Penaeus japonicus). Additional supplies of wild sea bream and mullet fry to be caught by the project staff will provide additional support for the production potentiality of the farm. The potential for wild fry supply is currently very good.
The seawater intake: two dikes protect the communication between sea and inlet channel from filling-up with sand during sea storms (see Figure A3.4)
The seawater inlet channel: conveys the seawater to the pumping station -length 250 m, width 15 m (see Figure A3.5)
The brackishwater intake: a special installation has to be made to collect the brackishwater coming from the nearby spring, after crossing the road (see Figure A3.6)
The brackishwater inlet channel: conveys the spring water to the pumping station - length 950 m, width 10 m (see Figure A3.5)
The pumping station and mixing reservoir: a group of pumps lift both seawater and brackishwater to a mixing reservoir (for salinity control), from which run two distribution channels to intensive tanks and semi-intensive ponds (see Figure A3.7)
The hatchery: for the reproduction and fry production of all species concerned (see layout in Figure A3.2) - the building is 1.140 m2
The intensive rearing tanks, both in concrete and earth: a comparison will be made possible between both well-established technologies. The unit includes (see Figure A3.8):
| - concrete tanks: | sixteen of 54 m3 (small, 1.5 × 30 × H 1.2 m) for sea bass and sea bream (first year) | |
| and | fourteen of 180 m3 (large, 3 × 50 × H 1.2 m) for sea bass (second year) | |
| - earth tanks: (ponds) | twelve of 150 m3 (small, 5 × 30 × H 1 m) for sea bass and sea bream (first year) | |
| and | ten of 500 m3 (large, 10 × 50 × H 1 m) for sea bass (second year) |
Additional circular tanks will be established for alternative ongrowing technology. A concrete channel (2 × 1.5 m) will supply water to the tanks and an earth channel will collect waste water (width 5 m)
The semi-intensive rearing ponds: a series of fourteen ponds of 2-ha each will be used mainly for sea bream, twenty-two ponds of 1-ha each will be used mainly for shrimp culture. Both types of pond can be used for sea bream in monoculture, for sea bream and mullets in polyculture, or for shrimp, P. japonicus, and tropical shrimps such as P. monodon and P. vannamei in monoculture.
Water distribution and discharge to the lagoon will be carried out through earth channels (see Figure A3.9)
The technical service building (560 m2): to support production/harvesting and packaging operations of the farm (feedstore, cool store, workshop, packaging room, garage (see Figure A3.3)
The administrative building: already under construction, for offices and library/conference/seminar room
The social building: to accommodate 22 trainees and a kitchen/restaurant for trainees and personnel
Accommodation: for the farm management and specialist staff
The watchmen buildings: at the entrance of the farm site and at the fish barrier. A 100 m2 pre-fabricated building already exists in the northern part of the site
The new fish barrier at the lagoon mouth: will allow the control of fish migrations and increase fish catches in the lagoon (see Figure A3.10)
The outlet channel of the lagoon (see Figure A3.11): in which the fish barrier and the protecting dikes (Figure A3.12) will be constructed in order to keep a permanent and efficient communication between sea and lagoon.
Maximum flexibility is given to the farm, in order to allow the use of all facilities (hatchery, tanks and ponds) for every species considered. The productive strategy can then be changed yearly with wide flexibility, thus matching quantities of marketable product with market trands.
During the first two years of operation three species will be farmed: sea bass, sea bream and temperate shrimp, P. japonicus. In addition, mullets could be reared in polyculture, together with sea bream, depending on the availability of natural see (in terms of quantities and species) and on a more detailed economic/marketing analysis.
From the third year on, further species could be cultivated and other technologies could be introduced, such as
tropical shrimp species, P. monodon and P. vannamei
shellfish, such as Manila clam, Tapes semidecussatus
sharp-snout white bream, Puntazzo puntazzo
eel, Anguilla anguilla
The design of the farm is also based on the possibility of extending all the units (the hatchery, the intensive rearing tanks, the semi-intensive rearing ponds and the technical service facilities) in order to increase production capacity in the future. All water channels and mixing reservoir are already dimensioned for a future water need increase of 50%.
