Test of cultivation of different macroalgae species and structures in shrimp ponds

Shrimp monoculture suffers drastic productivity reduction due to the white spot syndrome outbreak. Integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) is an alternative to alleviate this problem. Farming autotrophic and filter-feeding organisms with shrimps results in bioremediation of the system, production diversification, and extra income for farmers. We performed a factorial-designed experiment in a commercial shrimp farm, Primar Aquaculture - RN. We tested different species and farming structures of macroalgae for cultivation with shrimps in ponds. The tested macroalgae species were from genera Ulva, Gracilaria, and Hypnea. The structures tested were tubular nets, trays, pillows, and long lines. Macroalgae farming lasted 59 days. We monitored the water parameters temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and salinity. All the treatments presented macroalgae biomass loss. The results indicate no technical feasibility of farming the tested macroalgae species in the shrimp's earthen ponds.