BUDGET ANALYSIS OF PENAEID SHRIMP HATCHERY FACILITIES

One of the critical factors in commercial penaeid shrimp culture production is the availability of postlarvae to stock grow-out ponds. This study investigates the economic feasibility of rearing penaeid shrimp from nauplii to postlarvae (hatchery phase). The facility design used is based on the hatchery operated by Texas A&M university at Galveston, Texas. The Generalized Budget Simulation Model for Aquaculture developed at Texas A&M University was used for the analysis. A ten-year planning horizon was used for the analysis. Six different systems ranging in size from 5 ten-metric ton tanks to 60 ten-metric ton tanks were examined. Annual cost and return budgets were developed for the six systems assuming they operated 6 and 12 months per year. Investment costs, break-even prices and quantities, and net present value were estimated for each system. Results show that commercial hatcheries, using 10-metric ton tanks, could be profitable above and including 20 tanks for those operating only six months annually and above and including 10 tanks for those operating 12 months annually.     

Characterization by whole-cell hybridization of bacterial populations associated with shrimp hatchery biofilms

The impact of shrimp larvae development, as well as water and food inputs upon the increase of bacterial populations within the bacterial community of hatchery tank biofilms, was studied. For this study, a total of 68 biofilm samples were collected from concrete tanks at three larvae production times in a commercial shrimp hatchery. Seventeen samples were taken at each larval development stage (Zoea I, Mysis I, postlarvae 1 and postlarvae 16), as well as 37 samples from water, shrimp nauplii and food, introduced into the shrimp hatchery tanks. Culturable and direct bacterial counts were performed and 16S‐rRNA‐targeted oligonucleotide probes were used to quantify the presence of specific bacterial groups. An average of 27–70% of DAPI total cell counts were detected with the EUB338 probe, while the GAM42a probe signal ranged from 1% to 11%. Vibrio‐like bacteria (VLB) counts in TCBS agar ranged from <10 to 10¹ VLB/cm⁻², with a tendency to increase at the last postlarvae stage. The most significant external source of bacteria registered with GAM42a probe and TCBS agar were found in live Artemia nauplii, used as food; nevertheless, biofilms remain with low counts of these groups.     

ELECTRICITY AND PROPANE CONSUMPTION OF A SHRIMP HATCHERY IN THE STATE OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR,MEXICO

The consumption of electricity and propane for producing larvae and postlarvae of the whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) was examined in a commercial shrimp hatchery on the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. Between January and August 2005, 6 × 10⁶ postlarvae (average age PL16) were produced from 1.43 × 10⁹ nauplii. During that production period, the hatchery used 2.48 × 10⁹ kcal of fossil fuel energy (30% for electricity, 70% for liquid propane), which was equivalent to 16% of the operating costs. Electricity was used mainly for larval and postlarval rearing (36% and 10%) and microalgae culture (27%). During this production period, 1.47 × 10⁹ kcal of propane were consumed for heating daily more than 600 m³ seawater daily. Of that total, 33% was used for broodstock maintenance, 65% for larvae culturing, and 2% for postlarvae rearing. With increasing costs for shipping postlarvae to the mainland Mexican coastal areas (15% of operating costs) and the need to remain competitive with hatcheries in the coastal areas of Sonora and Sinaloa, alternative energy sources to reduce overall operational costs in hatcheries of Baja California Sur are discussed.     

Operating costs and health management strategies in shrimp hatcheries

Abstract

This paper presents a study of operating costs in shrimp hatcheries. Size effects are presented for fixed, variable, unitary, and marginal costs. Cost structures by functional production department and by cost‐category are discussed for a hypothetical 100‐million postlarvae/month hatchery in an industrialized country, and compared to those of a hatchery in a developing country. Health management issues, mainly measures commonly used to manage bacterial diseases, and their economic impact are discussed, focusing on the trade off between survival rates and sanitation down‐time.

Salaries and benefits represent the largest cost‐component (37%) for hatcheries in industrialized countries, while feeds and operating supplies constitute the most important costs in developing countries (60%). The need to import hatchery feeds and other operating supplies into developing countries works against savings from lower labor costs typical of developing countries.

Total fixed costs depend on the size of a hatchery and are constant for all possible levels of output. Average fixed cost per unit (thousand postlarvae) can be reduced by producing high postlarval outputs. Hatcheries in areas with seasonal shrimp crops face the challenge of covering fixed costs with revenue from a short production season. Hatcheries with large fixed costs can operate in a cost‐efficient manner only by producing high levels of output. Average total cost and average variable cost curves follow a U‐shaped curve, in which costs first decline as output increases, then reach a minimum, and finally increase as output increases above a point of diminishing returns.

In hatcheries total costs are independent of larval survival, but lower output resulting from low survival increases unit costs. This effect is more pronounced at lower levels of output. Bacterial diseases decrease survival rates and increase unit costs.     

Growth and performance of the whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei (Boone) cultured in low‐salinity water with different stocking densities and acclimation times

We evaluated the performance of whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) in response to different stocking densities and acclimation periods. Shrimp postlarvae were acclimated from seawater (30 g L^?1) to low‐salinity well water (<1.0 g L^?1) at a constant hourly reduction rate of 40, 60, 80 and 100 h. After acclimation to low‐salinity well water, postlarvae from each acclimation time treatment were stocked in three replicate tanks at densities of 50, 100, 150 or 200 shrimps m^?2 for 12 weeks of growth. Salinity averaged <1.0 g L^?1 for each growth study. The different treatments resulted in significant differences in both the final body weight and the survival rate (SR). Shrimp acclimated for 100 h showed substantially improved survival (83%) relative to shrimp acclimated for shorter periods. Shrimp yields for all cultured periods ranged from 0.32 kg m^?2 in tanks stocked at 50 m^?2 to 1.14 kg m^?2 in tanks stocked at 200 m^?2. We conclude that whiteleg shrimp can be successfully grown in low‐salinity well water, and that the growth, production output and SRs are significantly higher when shrimp are acclimated for longer periods.     

Sampling Shrimp Populations in Hatcheries

Abstract.– Shrimp populations were estimated with volumetric sampling techniques during different phases of hatchery operations. Factors considered which might effect precision of estimates included stage age, density and temperature. Estimates of nauplii were obtained with coefficient of variation values smaller than 3% when nauplii were concentrated in 20-L buckets and smaller than 8% when released in 13,000 L of water in larval rearing tanks. In both cases estimates were of sufficient precision to make management decisions for routine hatchery work. A technique was developed for estimating shrimp populations in larval rearing tanks with coefficient of variation values smaller than 15%. Volumetric sampling of postlarvae older than PL₄, in larval rearing tanks was highly variable due to the tendency of shrimp to congregate and attach to tank walls and bottoms. A direct relationship was observed between postlarval density and the precision of population estimates in harvest buckets. Water temperature and postlarval age did not affect precision at the densities and ages studied. These findings have important implications for commercial transactions. Industry standards utilizing coefficient of variation are recommended for larvae and postlarvae population estimates.     

Solids removal at a recirculating salmon-smolt farm

The objective of this study was to determine the solids separation efficiency of the four swirl separators and the drum filter within one of the water recirculation systems (RAS) of a salmon-smolt hatchery. Water flowrates and concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS) within the RAS were measured weekly over 5 weeks in 2004 and 4 weeks in 2005. During the study, the hydraulic retention time in the tanks was 2.8 h and the feed rate ranged between 0.16 and 0.84 kg/m³ of make-up water. The system volume replacement rate and the water flow recycle rate were respectively 21%/day and 96% in 2004, and 50%/day and 91% in 2005. A mathematical model was developed to determine the transient concentration of fine particles in the recirculation loop. By fitting the predictions of the model to the measured TSS concentrations, it was determined that about 15% of the waste generated within the RAS (assumed equal to 20% of daily feed rate) was removed by the system overflow water. Using this information and TSS data from the backwash water of the drum filter, it was calculated that the swirl separators and drum filter removed respectively 63% and 22% of the waste solids rejected by the fish.     

Laboratory and on‐farm evaluation of low‐cost salt mixtures for use during salinity acclimation and the nursery phase of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

The current study evaluates the efficacy of a low‐cost salt mixture (LCSM) to replace expensive reconstituted sea salt (RSS) in the salinity acclimation and nursery phase of Pacific white shrimp under laboratory and farm conditions. LCSM was formulated to yield sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium concentrations closely comparable to that of diluted seawater. Laboratory‐based nursery trials were conducted at 2, 6 and 15 g/L salinities, incrementally replacing RSS with LCSM (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) at four replicates per treatment. Thirty postlarvae were reared for 7 days in 24‐L aquaria during the 2 and 6 g/L trials, while the nursery trial for 15 g/L salinity was conducted for 21 days with 400 postlarvae stocked in 150‐L tanks. On‐farm evaluation of LCSM was carried out in two tank‐based systems installed on levees adjacent to shrimp production ponds. RSS was incrementally replaced with LCSM (0%, 50%, 75% and 100%) and 100 postlarvae stocked into each 800‐L tank. Salinity acclimation was done from 30 g/L to 6 or 1.5 g/L within 2–3 days by pumping water from adjacent shrimp production ponds. Following salinity acclimation, the S4 system maintained flow‐through at 1.5 g/L, while N10 system was maintained static at 6 g/L salinity. At the conclusion, no significant differences were observed for either survival or growth of shrimp postlarvae between RSS and LCSM treatments at all salinities examined. Results reflect the potential use of LCSM to replace RSS, which could be an excellent solution to bring down the cost of production in inland shrimp aquaculture.     

Enhancement of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penaeus monodon</Emphasis> shrimp postlarvae growth and survival without water exchange using marine <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus pumilus</Emphasis> and periphytic microalgae

We have investigated the possibility of using a consortium of marine bacterium and periphytic microalgae to improve the water quality and increase the growth and survival of the shrimp Penaeus monodon in a hatchery system. Three treatments were evaluated for their effect on P. monodon postlarvae (PL) when the culture water was not changed: Bacillus pumilus alone (B); periphytic microalgae alone (M); B. pumilus + periphytic microalgae (BM). P. monodon PL raised in a tank of unchanged water without bacterium and periphytic microalgae served as the control. The water in tanks of the M and BM treatments had significantly low levels of total ammonia-nitrogen (TAN) (0.03 and 0.01 mg l⁻¹, respectively) and nitrite-nitrogen (NO₂-N) (0.03, 0.01 mg l⁻¹, respectively) than that in the B (TAN 0.80, NO₂-N 0.68 mg l⁻¹) and control (TAN 1.11, NO₂-N 1.12 mg l⁻¹) tanks. Moreover, PL cultured in tanks M and BM had significantly higher survival and specific growth rates and a significantly higher resistance to the reverse salinity stress test than those in the B and control tanks. Compared to the control PL, the PL cultured in the BM tanks had significantly higher levels of protein, lipid, polyunsaturated fatty acids, ecosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. The culture water in tanks BM also contained significantly less Vibrio than the control water. Our results illustrate the beneficial effects of a B. pumilus and periphytic microalgae consortium on improving the water quality and the growth and survival of shrimp PL grown in a hatchery system.     

DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTENSIVE SHRIMP CULTURE SYSTEM IN KUWAIT1

Development of an intensive culture system is presently being conducted in Kuwait as a means of farming penaeid shrimp in arid lands. Efficiency of commercial-scale hatchery production of Penaeus semisulcatus and P. japonicus showed significant improvement in 1981 over previous years. Three one-month hatchery rearing cycles in three 15 m³ concrete tanks yielded a total of 9.1 million post-larval shrimp with an average density of 160 PL/liter being obtained for one of these trials. Four other trials were discontinued due to low spawning rates and disease. Installation of a heat exchange system made it possible to begin larviculture in February, two months earlier than in previous years. Research in nursery and grow-out phases of intensive shrimp culture is being directed towards raceways, although Shigueno culture systems are also being investigated. Experimental work with six 18 m × 1.5 m raceways demonstrated that low water exchange rates (1 tank volume/day), combined with high aeration (9.5 liter/min) yielded the highest shrimp biomass. Unheated greenhouse structures constructed over the raceways showed that a single layer of 0.25 mm clear plastic sheeting could maintain water temperatures up to 2.7°C above those in unenclosed tanks. Rearing trials in two Shigueno tank systems demonstrated the importance of high water flow rates (3 tank volumes/day minimum) and adequate aeration. Due to sub-optimal conditions, survival was reduced to 7.5%, however, growth rates up to 6 g/month were obtained for P. semisulcatus.     

Stocking density and date decisions in semi‐intensive shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) farming: a bioeconomic approach

This article analyses the optimal selection of stocking density and date in semi‐intensive culture of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931). The empirical evaluation of productive and economic scenarios derived from the specific choice of these management variables is often unfeasible for decision makers. To overcome this limitation, the bioeconomic modelling is widely applicable in aquaculture systems. In the present study, profit maximization for a semi‐intensive shrimp farm is obtained through the development of a bioeconomic model to analyse the combination of stocking density (range: 6–30 postlarvae (PL) m^?2) and date (from March 1st to June 1st) as decision variables for a shrimp farm located in Sinaloa, Mexico. The results show that pond water temperatures prevailing during culture cycle when the stocking date is June 1st (temperature in 19‐weeks culture period: 30.76 ± 0.87°C) and the stocking density is 20–24 PL m^?2 produce a maximized Present Value Profit (PVπ) of  USThis article analyses the optimal selection of stocking density and date in semi‐intensive culture of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931). The empirical evaluation of productive and economic scenarios derived from the specific choice of these management variables is often unfeasible for decision makers. To overcome this limitation, the bioeconomic modelling is widely applicable in aquaculture systems. In the present study, profit maximization for a semi‐intensive shrimp farm is obtained through the development of a bioeconomic model to analyse the combination of stocking density (range: 6–30 postlarvae (PL) m^?2) and date (from March 1st to June 1st) as decision variables for a shrimp farm located in Sinaloa, Mexico. The results show that pond water temperatures prevailing during culture cycle when the stocking date is June 1st (temperature in 19‐weeks culture period: 30.76 ± 0.87°C) and the stocking density is 20–24 PL m^?2 produce a maximized Present Value Profit (PVπ) of  US$^?ha 10 350 and PVπ US$^?ha 2526 for weekly mortality rates at low (2.1%) and medium (5.8%) levels respectively. The marginal change in the cost of feed (±1%) has the greatest effect on PVπ (?0.58% and 0.59% respectively). The discussion focuses on the combined effect of mortality rate, stocking density and especially, on the stocking date decision, for a given production planning framework, taking into account that the stocking date is the main management decision variable to cope with viral diseases outbreaks.     

Comparing clear-water RAS and biofloc systems: Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) production,water quality,and biofloc nutritional contributions estimated using stable isotopes

Indoor shrimp aquaculture systems can be used to produce fresh, never-frozen, quality shrimp near metropolitan seafood markets regardless of season and climate. However, questions still remain regarding what type of production system is best suited to maximize indoor production. In this project, two types of systems were compared: clear-water (CW) RAS and biofloc (BF) systems. Three, 1.36 m³ tanks were assigned to each of the two treatments; CW tanks had external settling chambers, two foam fractionators, and external biofilters, all operated continuously. BF tanks had settling chambers and one foam fractionator which were operated as needed to control solids accumulation. Shrimp weighing 0.42 g were stocked in all tanks at 250 m⁻³ and grown for 55 days. Ammonia and pH levels were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the CW treatment, while nitrite, nitrate, and turbidity were all significantly higher in the BF treatment, although all parameters remained within acceptable ranges for shrimp growth. Shrimp mean harvest weight was significantly higher, biomass (kg m⁻³) was significantly greater, and FCR was significantly lower in the CW treatment; there were no significant differences in survival between treatments. Isotope levels indicated that shrimp in the BF treatment obtained a portion of the C (18-60%) and N (1-18%) in their tissues from biofloc material; however, this effect did not positively influence production in that treatment. By nearly eliminating solids from the water and using an external biofilter, substantially better water quality was maintained in the CW systems, which may have been a major contributor to the improved shrimp production in that treatment.     

Effect of feeding frequency on growth and enzymatic activity of Litopenaeus vannamei during nursery phase in biofloc system

This study evaluated the zootechnical performance and enzymatic activity of Litopenaeus vannamei reared at different feeding frequencies during the nursery phase in biofloc system. The experiment consisted of four treatments, corresponding to the feeding frequencies of one, two, three and four times a day. Twelve‐day postlarvae (PL12) were stocked in 12 circular tanks at a density of 3,000/m² for 35 days. These tanks were connected to a recirculation system supplied by a matrix tank where biofloc management was carried out. Water quality remained within acceptable limits for the species over the experiment. Food frequencies had no influence on survival (88.5–92.7%) and feed conversion ratio (1.5–1.7), but the final mean weight (0.43–0.56 g) was significantly higher in shrimp fed three times a day. This fact is probably associated with amylase (14.58 U/mg) and trypsin (23.84 U/mg) activities, as well as the significant increase of chymotrypsin (11.74 U/mg) and lipase (1.27 U/mg) in shrimp of this treatment at the end of culture period. Feeding three times a day provided the highest enzymatic activity and the best zootechnical performance of L. vannamei during the nursery phase in biofloc system.     

Survey of large circular and octagonal tanks operated at Norwegian commercial smolt and post-smolt sites

A survey was conducted to determine the geometry, operating parameters, and other key features of large circular or octagonal culture tanks used to produce Atlantic salmon smolt and post-smolt at six major Norwegian Atlantic salmon production companies. A total of 55 large tanks were reported at seven land-based hatchery locations, i.e., averaging 7.9 (range of 4–12) large tanks per land-based site. In addition, one 21,000 m³ floating fiberglass tank in sea was reported. Culture volume ranged from 500 to 1300 m³ for each land-based tank. Most tanks were circular, but one site used octagonal tanks. Land-based tank diameters ranged from 14.5 to 20 m diameter, whereas the floating tank was 40 m diameter. Maximum tank depths ranged from 3.5 to 4.5 m at land-based facilities, which produced diameter-to-average-depth ratios of 3.6:1 to 5.5:1 m:m. The floating tank was much deeper at 20 m, with a diameter-to-average-depth ratio of only 2.4:1 m:m. All land-based tanks had floors sloping at 4.0–6.5% toward the tank center and various pipe configurations that penetrated the culture tank water volume at tank center. These pipes and sloping floors were used to reduce labor when removing dead fish and harvesting fish.Maximum flow ranged from 3 to 19 m³/min per land-based tank, with 400 m³/min at the floating tank, but tank flow was adjustable at most facilities. Land-based tanks were flushed at a mean hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 35–170 min. Maximum feed load on each land-based tank ranged from 525 to 850 kg/day, but the floating tank reached 3700 kg/day. Almost half of the large tanks reported in this survey were installed or renovated since 2013, including the three tank systems with the highest flow rate per tank (greater than 17.6 m³/min). These more recent tanks were operated at more rapid tank HRT’s, i.e., from 34.8 to 52.5 min, than the 67–170 min HRT typical of the large tanks built before 2013. In addition, flow per unit of feed load in land-based tanks that began operating before 2010 were lower (19–30 m³ flow/kg feed) than in tanks that began operating later (33–40 m³ flow/kg feed). In comparison, the floating tank operates at a maximum daily tank flow to feed load of 160 m³ flow/kg feed, which is the least intensive of all tanks surveyed. Survey results suggest that the recently built tanks have been designed to operate at a reduced metabolic loading per unit of flow, a tendency that would improve water quality throughout the culture tank, all else equal. This trend is possible due to the ever increasing application of water recirculating systems.     

Performance of Different Types of Commercial Feeds on the Growth of Juvenile Silver Pomfret, Pampus argenteus, under Tank Culture Conditions

The present study was carried out using juveniles of silver pomfret, Pampus argenteus, produced in the hatchery by stripping eggs from spawners collected from the wild during 2004 and 2005 culture period. The experiments carried out during 2004 investigated the efficiency of using salmon feed mixed with cyclopeeze, salmon feed mixed with shrimp meat, salmon feed alone, and shrimp meat alone in the diet using 1 m³ capacity round fiberglass tanks in three replicates for each treatment with flow‐through seawater. The results showed that inclusion of shrimp meat in the diet either with salmon feed or alone give significantly high (P < 0.01) weight gain of up to 1.10 ± 0.06 g/fish/d and significantly lower (P < 0.001) feed conversion ratio compared to that of feeds without shrimp meat. The experiments carried out during 2005 investigated the use of commercially available feeds with feed additives. The results showed that feeding with “Gemma” feed with 54.0% crude protein and 19.0% crude fat or salmon feed with 41.4% crude protein and 23.9% crude fat give significantly high (P < 0.01) growth rates compared to that of pompano feed with 43.0% crude protein and 6.0% crude fat. The results of these investigations although show high growth rate of the fish compared to that of previous observations; there is yet an urgent need to formulate a suitable feed for this fish species for commercial ventures.     

DESIGN AND OPERATION OF A LARGE-SCALE,COMMERCIAL PENAEID SHRIMP HATCHERY

A hatchery for the rearing of penaeid larvae and postlarvae in raceway-type tanks was designed and has begun operation. Details of the designs of tanks, filters, water systems, air system, and hatchery layout are presented. The culture methods employed in the raceway-type hatchery are given along with the hatchery's technical organization and management procedures. The design and operation of the raceway-type hatchery are compared with those of small-tank (Galveston-type) hatcheries and large-tank (Japanese-type) hatcheries, and relative advantages are discussed.     

Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) post-larval survival related to age, temperature, pH and ammonium concentration

Transport of post‐larvae shrimp used in aquaculture is an important element of successful cultivation because of the potential for stress during stocking procedures. To find optimum transport conditions, several bioassays were performed in the laboratory to evaluate survival of whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei 5–30‐day‐old postlarvae under conditions similar to those encountered during transport from the hatchery to nursery and shrimp ponds. Postlarvae were exposed for 4 h to different temperatures and pH levels ammonia concentrations. Survival was significantly reduced after a 4 h exposure to pH 9 and was inversely related to temperature with or without 7 mg L^?1 of ammonia. The 15‐ and 20‐day‐old postlarvae had higher survival rates than other ages. The lowest survival occurred in alkali conditions (pH 9), with 7 mg L^?1ammonia at 30 and 32°C. To assure optimal survival of postlarvae during transfer from the hatchery to the nursery and shrimp ponds, we recommend temperatures below 28°C, pH no higher than 8, no ammonia and post‐larval age at least 15 days.     

The culture of the diatom Chaetoceros gracilis and its use as a food for penaeid protozoeal larvae

The use of the solitary diatom Chaetoceros gracilis as the exclusive food for Penaeus stylirostris and P. vannamei protozoeal larvae produced high survival rates in 40 m³ tanks at a commercial shrimp hatchery. The diatom was maintained in the laboratory at 25–26°C and grew vigorously in the hatchery tanks at 28–30°C.Simple and inexpensive procedures for maintaining stock cultures of C. gracilis and for growth of cultures in the laboratory and hatchery were developed. A problem encountered in the hatchery tanks was the occasional development of a high-density bloom followed by its collapse. This resulted in mass larval mortality. Techniques to maintain the diatoms within desirable concentrations, and to prevent larval mortality if diatom concentrations fell short of or exceeded these limits, are described.     

Detection of V. harveyi in shrimp postlarvae and hatchery tank water by the Most Probable Number technique with PCR

V. harveyi is the cause of serious disease in the shrimp industry in Thailand during cultivation. In this study, the gyrB gene of V. harveyi NICA, isolated from shrimp in Thailand, was sequenced. A pair of specific primers (A2B3) was designed that allowed amplification of a 363 bp gene fragment of V. harveyi. No cross reaction was detected in 17 other Vibrio species tested except for V. carchariae which is a synonym for V. harveyi. The possibility of using A2B3 for confirmation and enumeration of V. harveyi by PCR was demonstrated. Of 40 possible V. harveyi strains isolated from seafood on the basis of their growth on TCBS plates and biochemical reactions, 36 gave a reaction with the specific primers. The primers could detect V. harveyi at a level of as few as 15 cells/ml. The Most Probable Number (MPN) technique was applied to enumerate V. harveyi. We have demonstrated that when PCR was applied directly to the enrichment broth of shrimp artificially inoculated with V. harveyi, the MPN value was no different from the MPN value obtained using the standard technique with selective agar. This technique was employed to enumerate V. harveyi in postlarvae and hatchery tank water. V. harveyi were detected in 18 out of 21 postlarval samples and in 14 out of 21 tank water samples. The numbers of V. harveyi detected in postlarvae and water were 150-1.1 × 10⁸/g postlarvae and 7-4.6 × 10⁴/ml of water samples, respectively. Screening of postlarvae to reduce the high risk of V. harveyi contamination in cultivation ponds is suggested as a measure to prevent the catastrophic losses caused by V. harveyi disease.