The Effect of Five Stocking Densities on Growth and Yield of Red Swamp Crawfish <i>Procambarus clarkii</i>

Abstract

Abstract A 34‐day study was conducted to estimate the effect of stocking density on growth, biomass, and yield of harvestable animals in red swamp crawfish, Procambarus clarkii (Girard). Juvenile crawfish were stocked at l, 2, 4, 8, and 16 crawfish per m 2 into plastic‐lined metal pools planted with rice ( Oryza sativa ) with three replicate pools at each density. Crawfish averaged 35 ± 1.5 mm (SE) total length at the time of stocking. Growth in total length and weight was significantly affected by density ( P &lt; 0.01), ranging from 91.5 mm and 20.7 g for crawfish stocked at 1 per m 2 to 62.5 mm and 6.3 g for crawfish stocked at 16 per m 2 . The total crawfish biomass ranged from 20.7 g per m 2 for crawfish stocked at 1 per m 2 to 88.7 g per m 2 at 16 per m 2 . The portion of that biomass made up of harvestable sized animals (&gt;75 mm total length) ranged from 100% at 1 per m 2 to 0.7% at 16 per m 2 . Gross revenues per ha were projected for crawfish yields at each stocking density with and without a graded product.