Depth and hydrodynamics as tools to select aquaculture areas in the coastal zone

Abstract

An index was created for the spatial classification of oyster cultivation areas in terms of their potential productivity in Falsa Bay, San Quintín (Baja California, Mexico). The index included two main variables crucial for oyster development: food availability and depth. Food availability was based on the final distribution of particulate organic material; it is a passive variable that is transported by tidal currents. A balance was obtained between the volume incorporated into the bay by tidal inflow and its consumption by the organisms distributed in the cultivated areas, which are characterized by the percentage of cultivated areas within the bay. The distribution area of depth was obtained from a five-interval classification scale that allowed the identification of the highest and least exposure of the cultivation area to the proposed food availability. Both criteria were combined into one value in order to divide the bay region into zones in relative terms and determine which are the best suited for oyster cultivation. Given the characteristics of the area and production volume, food availability did not appear to be a limiting factor, and culture depth was the main factor controlling the zonal quality. A comparison of the index values and cultivated oyster growth rates showed that the higher index values corresponded to faster growth rates and vice versa.