Growth and mortality of the king scallop grown in suspended culture in Malaga, Southern Spain

Growth and mortality of the king scallop, Pecten maximus, werecompared when grown in cages and by ear hanging in suspended culturein Fuengirola, Malaga, in southern Spain. Seed (juveniles) used in theexperiment was collected in September 1997 that had settled on collectorsin April-June, of that year. Culture in suspended cages began in January1998 when the seed measured 42.7 (3.3) mm shell height and ended inFebruary 1999. Significantly faster growth was found at a minimum culturedensity (16 scallops/cage) than at two other densities (24 and 36scallops/cage). Depth (1, 5 and 10 m from the bottom) influenced growth,poorest growth occurred closest to the bottom. Under optimum growingconditions, 16 scallops/cage suspended 10 m from the bottom, scallops grewto 10 cm shell length (legal size) by February 1999.In ear hanging culture, ropes were moored in April (51.3 (4.5) mm),June (58.2 (4.5) mm) and November 1998 (64.3 (4.9) mm).Initially, rapid shell growth was observed in all three cultures.Subsequently, the shells became covered with barnacles, Balanus sp.,that possibly caused total mortality of the April culture and led to highmortalities in the two other cultures.