Abstract
The success of a hatchery facility is dependent on the quality and quantity of feed provided for the broodstock and larval stages of the target organism. For many desirable aquaculture species, this requires the growth of microalgae as feed. One important species, Isochrysis galbana, is widely used in aquaculture as a supplement for live feeds or as a direct food source for shellfish. Current literature describes the ideal conditions for optimum production of algae species within a laboratory setting, however these exact parameters are not feasible within most commercial settings. Within Two Docks Shellfish, I identified a minor alteration to the current protocol for algae production that can increase productivity. In general, Isochrysis galbana has faster growth rates with higher levels of luminosity. By increasing the light intensity of the growing environment for algae cultures in carboy photobioreactors early in the culturing period, Isochrysis showed faster growth, often doubling the total cell count compared to photobioreactors cultured with the current protocol within the first few days of growth. Combining this with the current protocol of increasing light intensity after the culture becomes denser could lead to more optimized microalgae production. Understanding the growth parameters for target species and designing hatchery resources to provide as close to these parameters as is feasible is crucial to the success of a shellfish hatchery.