Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and abalone (Haliotis midae) are the two most important mollusc species farmed in South Africa.
Temperature increases associated with climate change; and coastal pollution. Understanding more about mollusc responses to such stress is both theoretically interesting and of great practical importance to aquaculturists.
By offering a productive alternative to the exploitation of naturally occurring stocks such as abalone, mariculture can both reduce pressure on declining marine resources, and replace some of the jobs being lost in the crisis currently facing the South Africa fishing industry. There is a real need for research capacity to support the mariculture industry.
