Iraqi Journal of Aquaculture

The article highlighted the global importance and production of
shrimp resources, whether it’s coming from the fisheries or from
the aquaculture sector as well as it’s economy attribute in the
international trade. Furthermore, it’s recognizing the status of the
shrimp fishery in the marine and inland waters of Iraq, and the
main negative factors impacted and reducing the shrimp stocks.
Apparently no practical attempt has already been undertaken to
culture the shrimp in the area, despite the availability of diverse
water bodies. In conclusion, there is a great opportunity to
developing the shrimp resources sector in Iraq by: (1) introduction
and developing shrimp culture, (2) improving better management
system for the shrimp fisheries.

Abstract
In this study, several region and sites were investigated for
the most appropriate site for shrimp culture in Basrah
province/Iraq. An index values based on 8 indicators revealed
that the area located at the East Basrah channel is the best
(excellent) for shrimp culture.

Study on Eastern River shrimp Macrobrachium
nipponense in earthen ponds for raising fish in Garmat Ali
campus ,Basrah , for the period of March to April 2013. Used
four different ways to isolate the fungi of shrimp and
diagnosed 7 species of Aspergillus flavus , A.niger, Aspergillus
sp., A.terreus , Alternaria sp., Penicillium notatum and P.
chrysogenum belong three genus of the fungus Aspergillus
,Alternaria and Penicillium. Statistical analysis showed
significant differences between the number of diagnosed fungi
isolates of each species in different insulation methods , and
differences found in the number of isolates of each species of
fungi among March and April. The study confirmed that the
presence of pathological fungi Aspergillus and Penicillium
have a large impact on shrimp diseases fungal infection,
especially when the culture conditions are not appropriate.

Shrimp Latreutes anoplonyx sample were collected from the
northwest Arabian Gulf that found symbiotic interaction with the
Medusa white Rhizostoma sp.. The diagnostic feature of the species
is the present of one tooth on dorsal region of the carapace. The
rostrum longer than antennular and flagella. The rostrum in the male
is curved to down ward above the eye, while in the female more wider
and curved upward. the teeth found on both sides of the rostrum,
about 9 – 16 on dorsal side and very high and smooth, while in
ventral side they were between 7 – 10 and more distance in the mid
and high density in the top. The largest for female was 4 cm in length
and the average shrimp lengths were between 1.2 – 4.0 cm.

The present study suggested a medium hatchery design for
production of about 8,000,000 larvae / year in Basrah region.
All the requirements, such as, water treatment shrimp culture
ponds and all tools and equipment are given and discussed

This study includes an experimental hatchery design for the
oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense from the
brackish water of Basrah region (Al-Mashab Marsh). This hatchery
consist of five parts: maturation ponds (closed system), hatching
of zoug jars, rearing of ponds to larva (nursery and concrete
ponds), water tanks and food live of pond (fiberglass). The
production capacity was 53,504-190,000 Zoea larvae, 32,355
99,560 Postlarvae. While production of the out ponds (cage two in
mud and fiberglass ponds) were estimated between 4,347-24,098
larvae and 2,527-18,828 Postlarvae. Depending on results the total
area of the earthen pond and the fiberglass tank, the potential
production of Zoea larvae were estimated to be between 36,559
15,300,000 larvae, and between 21,248-11,954,400 Postlarvae.
While the total production in all culture systems were 12,600,188
15,760,462 larvae, and between 9,753,349-12,197,630 Postlarvae.

The present study was designed to investigate the contribution of
shrimp fisheries and the related activities to the economy Iraq. For this
purpose a socioeconomic information and data were collected for one
year (2014) period. Three marine penaeid shrimps were constituted the
majority of shrimp fisheries in Iraqi marine water, these are: Penaeus
semisulcatus,
Metapenaeus affinis and Parapenaopsis styliferus.
University of Basrah institutes basically the Marine Science Center,
apparently is the marine institute implemented researches and studies
on shrimp landing have been recorded at Al Nasser fishing Society of the
Basrah / Faw city. On the other side, the study concluded that any real
and accurate data on shrimp landing can be only obtained from
fisherman on the fishing boat of the field. In fact the marine fishing area
of Iraq is very limited and the investigation shows that there are nearly
150- 250 fishing boats, 450 – 600 fisher man and 70 – 110 fishmonger
contributing in the shrimp sector. However, their economy doesn’t
restricted on shrimp, but, usually cornering other fish resources.
The results revealed that, the increasing of anthropological activities,
overfishing, high by catch, the degradation of natural habitats such as
coastal mudflats and Marshes and pollution are the basic factors
reducing the shrimp stocks. For best monitoring and data collection of
the shrimp resources, a networking information and data collection
system is provided.

The feeding behavior experiment showed that the
juveniles of Macrobrachium nipponense mostly and frequently
occurred on the artificial net covered wall of the experimental
tanks and in all other result feeding of juvenile Macrobrachium
nipponense was pelagic and benthic during 2 and 24 hour, in
three parts of pond (net wall- A, water column- B and bottom-
C) on bottom of ponds smooth and sand-clay, also feeding on
pallet. Also showed near of found ratio was 80%, 9%, 11% and
73%, 12%, 14% during 2 hour in parts of pond of smooth and
sand-clay respectively, but during 24 hour 72%, 12%, 16% and
67%, 12%, 21% in parts of pond of smooth and sand-clay
respectively.

The reproductive periods of Penaeus semisulcatus were
investigated from July 2013 to Jun 2014, the results shows two
reproductive peaks in this species, the first was in May and the
second in December. Five stages were detected for oval
development, these were: Immature, early mature, late mature,
full mature and spent. The females have more weights have
heaver ovaries.

A total of 140 specimens of penaeid shrimps from Metapenaeus affinis and
Penaeus semisulcatus were collected from different parts of Iraqi coastal
waters to detect three species of viruses Infectious Hypodermal and
Hematopoietic Necrosis virus (IHHNV), White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV)
and Monodon Baculovirus (MBV). PCR and nest PCR used to identify the
viruses. The main important results in this study were detection two of more
important viruses, (IHHNV) and (WSSV). So, we thought the studied shrimp
was not suitable for aquaculture stock without screening because which may
play a vertical and horizontal vector role. This study represents the first
attempt to detect viral shrimp diseases in Iraq.

Laboratory experiments were carried out to express the
effects of temperature, salinity and the combined effects of
temperature–salinity on survival, growth and biomass of
Artemia franciscana at 5 temperatures: 10, 20, 25, 30 and 35
ºC and 5 salinities: 35, 55, 75, 95 and 115 ‰. Temperature of
20 ºC and salinity of 55 ‰ showed best survivals (93 %),
biomass (122.87 mg DW/L) and high growth (4.94 mm),
whereas at 30 ºC and salinity of 95 ‰, the least survivals (21
%) was attained. However, the highest average growth was 6.1
mm attained at 30 ºC and 115 ‰, and the lowest growth was
1.49 mm at 10 ºC and 95 ‰, meanwhile, the lowest average
biomass was 3.79 mg DW/L at 10 ºC and 115 ‰. Apparently,
temperature of 20 ºC and salinity of 55 ‰ is the best
combination for the local strain of A. franciscana from Basrah
and is recommended for mass culture of this strain.