TY - JOUR T1 - Farmed bivalve loss due to seabream predation in the French Mediterranean Prevost Lagoon A1 - Richard,Marion A1 - Forget,Fabien A1 - Mignucci,Alexandre A1 - Mortreux,Serge A1 - Le Gall,Patrik A1 - Callier,Myriam A1 - Weise,Am A1 - McKindsey,Cw A1 - Bourjea,Jerome AD - MARBEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, 34200 Sète, France AD - MARBEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, 34250 Palavas, France AD - Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, 850 route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, Quebec G5H 3Z4, Canada AD - MARBEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, 34200 Sète, France UR - https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00663/77515/ DO - 10.3354/aei00383 KW - Shellfish culture KW - Sparus aurata KW - Size KW - Acoustic telemetry KW - Crassostrea gigas KW - Mytilus galloprovincialis KW - Oyster KW - Mussel N2 - Bivalve predation by seabream has been observed worldwide and is a major concern for bivalve farmers. Farmed bivalve-seabream interactions must be better understood to ensure the sustainability of bivalve aquaculture. The objectives of this study were to characterize gilthead seabream Sparus aurata presence in a bivalve farm in Prevost Lagoon (Mediterranean Sea) using acoustic telemetry and to evaluate monthly losses of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis and oysters Crassostrea gigas due to seabream predation over an 18 mo period inside the farm and at an unprotected experimental platform. Large (281 to 499 mm TL) seabream were more commonly detected in the bivalve farm than were small (200 to 280 mm TL) seabream. In contrast to small seabream, 90% of large seabream returned to and spent extended periods in the study area the following year, suggesting inter-annual site fidelity for large fish that used the bivalve farm as a feeding site. Signs of predation were observed on mussels and oysters throughout the year at the unprotected experimental platform. Farmers noted losses in the farm from April to September. Maximal losses (90 to 100%) were observed post-oyster ‘sticking’ and mussel socking. Despite the deployment of nets as mechanical protection to reduce predation, oyster losses represented 28% of the annual value of oysters sold while mussel losses were estimated at ca. 1%. These results suggest that bivalves must be protected by nets throughout the year to avoid predation, particularly post-handling. A collaboration between shellfish farmers and fishermen could be a sustainable solution for bivalve farming, by regularly fishing for seabream in farms, between tables and inside protective nets. Y1 - 2020 PB - Inter-Research Science Center JF - Aquaculture Environment Interactions SN - 1869-215X VL - 12 SP - 529 EP - 540 ID - 77515 ER -