Freshwater Prawn Farm Culture Techniques and the Development of Prawn Culture in Jamaica

Freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, also known as crayfish or river shrimp, is a large decapod caridean crustacean found throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The life history has been studied by a number of investigators. Generally it is thought that females release larvae in brackish estuarine waters where the larvae mature and metamorphose into benthic postlarvae which migrate upstream (1 , 2 ). Macrobrachium rosenbergii is a fast growing freshwater shrimp which, when cultured, reach a market size of 42-57 grams (1.5 – 2.0 ounces) in 4-6 months from initial stocking , Compared to other species of Macrobrachium, they are relatively nonaggressive, somewhat tolerant to crowding, and feed on a variety of plant and animal material as well as commercially prepared foods. Prawns are adaptable to culture in various temperatures from 18-380C (650F to 1000F). Optimum growth occurs near 310C (880F). The larvae require brackish water (approximately half-strength sea water) for successful rearing, while adults can be reared in fresh to slightly brackish water [1]. The purpose of this paper is to give general information about the basic requirements for the culture of the freshwater prawn and to provide a general review of prawn culture practices in Jamaica