Bridging The Gap: A holistic approach to the development of Caribbean spiny lobster aquaculture in The Bahamas: Pueruli collection, feeding strategies and social engagement

The Caribbean spiny lobster is one of the most valuable and heavily fished crustaceans in the Caribbean region. This species offers favourable characteristics for aquaculture production when compared to other species temperate lobster species due to its rapid growth rates. The Caribbean has been labelled as a region in which the species could be grown to relieve pressure placed upon wild fisheries through commercial exploitation of the species. However, challenges associated with its complex larval cycle have resulted in aquaculture efforts having to rely upon collection of early life stage post larval lobster to provide seedstock for subsequent on-growing. This has provided an opportunity for Caribbean spiny lobster fishers to extend their purview into collection-based aquaculture of the species. The aim of this thesis was multifaceted. Chapter Two aims to provide recommendations to potential fishers wanting to engage in post larval lobster collection activities, these recommendations would include what collector type to use, what lunar phase to collect in and what environment is advantageous for collection. Chapter Three and Four aimed to identify viable feed ingredients which can be locally sourced to support Caribbean spiny lobster cultivation in The Bahamas. Whilst Chapter 5 focuses on utilizing interviews to understand the perceptions of fisher and government stakeholders on potential Caribbean spiny lobster aquaculture development, and what barriers exist which limit these developments. This thesis revealed that scenarios exist in which collection of post larval P. argus is viable and collected lobster can be nutritionally supported via locally sourced and produced formulated diets containing ingredients such as fisher and aquaculture processing waste. Furthermore, it is postulated that the development of the sector can be supported by utilizing the chapter-based conclusions derived across this thesis to address knowledge gaps in collection, feeding strategies, nutrition, fisher and government stakeholder engagement.