EXPERIMENTAL INTENSIVE CULTURE OF PENAEUS-MONODON IN THE COLD-TEMPERATE CLIMATE OF THE NORTHEAST COAST OF ITALY (A FISHERY VALLE OF THE RIVER PO DELTA)

An intensive culture trial was conducted with the black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon Fabricius, on the North-East coast of Italy, character ized by a cold temperate climate. The culture was carried out in two s teps: a pre-growing phase in fibreglass tanks lasting 31 days, and a 7 1-day grow-out phase (stocking density of 9.1 individuals m-2) in an e arthen pond (0.79 ha). Survival rate was 55.4% during the first phase and 73.8% during the second phase, with an overall 40.9% recovery rate at the end of the trial. Average final weight was 17.9 g with a month ly wet weight increase of 7.49 g during the grow-out phase; production in the pond reached 1208 kg.ha-1 in 71 days. Temperature appeared to be the main environmental factor influencing the intensive culture pro cess.