Long-term experimental in situ farming of Crambe crambe (Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida).

BACKGROUND: The marine sponge Crambe crambe was chosen as an experimental model of sustainable shallow-water mariculture in the Sardinian Sea (Western Mediterranean) to provide biomass with high potential in applied research. METHODS: Explants were cultured in four long-term experiments (19 and 31 months at ca. 2.5 m depth), to determine the suitability of new culture techniques by testing substrata and seeding time (season), and monitoring survival and growth. Explants were excised and grown in an experimental plant close to the wild donor sponge population. Percentage growth rate (GR%) was measured in terms of surface cover area, and explant survival was monitored in situ by means of a digital photo camera. RESULTS: Explant survival was high throughout the trial, ranging from 78.57% to 92.85% on travertine tiles and from 50% to 71.42% on oyster shells. A few instances of sponge regression were observed. Explant cover area correlated positively with season on two substrata, i.e., tiles and shells. The surface cover area and GR% of explants were measured in the starting phase and monitored up to the end of the trial. High GR% values were observed both on tiles (>21%) and on oyster shells (>15%). DISCUSSION: The data on the behaviour and life-style of cultured fragments, together with an increase >2,400% in cover area, demonstrate that in situ aquaculture is a viable and sustainable method for the shallow-water biomass supply of Crambe crambe.