Aspects of the blood clam, Anadara granosa (Linnaeus) culture in Kakinada bay

Abstract

A. granosa of mean length 25.2 - 26.9 mm, when grown in boxes for about 4 months did not reveal any disparity in the growth rate at densities of 50 - 1 00 / 0 25m2 but at 126 - 1 6010.25m2 the growth rate is significantly reduced. Growth in weight showed similar reduction. It is shown that in the Kakinada Bay, a stocking density of 100 clamsl0.2S rn2 of about 7 g average weight gives the maximum production of unmarketable size (25 g) A. granosa in about 4b months. In the absence of a pen enclosure, field culture of A. granosa gave a production rate of 21 t / h3'6months with 41.5% retrieval. Although the clams have restricted movements their mobility is large enough to reduce both the retrieval and production rates by about 50% if pen enclosure is dispensed.