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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Orono, Maine » National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321597
Research Project: Genetic Improvement Of Marine Fish and Shellfish

Location: National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center

Title: Potential use of the invasive European green crab (Carcinus maenas) as an ingredient in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) diets; a preliminary analysis

Author
item Burr, Gary
item Wolters, William

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/10/2014
Publication Date: 1/14/2015
Publication URL: http://www.northeastaquaculture.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/NACE-Program.pdf
Citation: Burr, G.S., Wolters, W.R. 2015. Potential use of the invasive European green crab (Carcinus maenas) as an ingredient in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) diets; a preliminary analysis. Meeting Abstract. 1:32.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is an important cultured carnivorous species with wide comsumer acceptance. With the finite supply of available fishmeal and fish oil available for aquafeeds, research on and utilization of alternative protein and lipid sources is expandingWe examined the nutritional profile of deshelled green crab, both muscle tissue and gastrointestinal tract. Generally green crabs have high levels of protein (around 83% on a dry basis) and low lipid levels (1.2% on a dry basis) and high moisture levels (~80+%). The major concern is the high ash content in the gastrointestinal tract (21.3%), which could be sand that the crabs have consumed. The amino acid profile is acceptable for use in salmonid feeds and can be combined with other ingredients to provide optimal amino acid levels for growth. Green crab lipids are high in both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3), but this is of limited value due to the low overall lipid content of the crabs. Future studies will be need to optimize the extraction of shell from the soft tissue, removal of the possible sand from the GI tract material and feeding trials to determine the acceptable levels for use in aquafeeds.