Assessment of stocks of Artemia cysts in saline water bodies of the Republic and the possibility of their use to increase aquaculture production and export potential of Kazakhstan

Author: Mira Bertaeva

Abstract

The aquaculture industry in Kazakhstan has not always been considered the main and prevailing one. The absence of large productive reservoirs, water salinity, and a low diversity of animals in the rivers and lakes of Kazakhstan make the maritime industry unclaimed. The purpose of this research is to study the possibilities and main criteria for the survival of the crustacean Artemia franciscana and compare the production characteristics of two populations of a valuable bioresource - Artemia parthenogenetic and Artemia franciscana, in order to increase the productivity of saltwater bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to obtain high-quality competitive products for sale in the domestic and foreign markets. Artemia is primitive representative of the class of crustaceans, they can adapt to the most extreme environmental conditions (high salinity, low oxygen content, significant temperature fluctuations). With an increase in the mineralization of water, drying up or freezing of reservoirs, artemia forms diapausing eggs - cysts, which are indefinitely in a state of temporary physiological dormancy. The ability of cysts to restore vital activity when favorable conditions occur determines the wide prospect of using them as starter live food at any time of the year.

As methods, the characteristics, hatchability, and fertility of Artemia cysts in waters from different reservoirs of Kazakhstan were investigated. Despite hypersalinity and wide temperature fluctuations, Franciscan brine shrimp showed high hatchability, which can later be used to use even such unsuitable resources to increase the export of local industrial products to foreign markets.