Effets de l'epifaune sur la production de moules bleues (Mytilus edulis) en aquaculture (French text)

There has been a steady rise in production and value of the aquaculture industry on Prince Edward Island (PEI). While the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) represents the most important cultured species, the meat yield has decreased at certain sites over the years.; Growers perceive epifauna as a problem because it competes with mussels for food and space. In some years, there are massive colonisations of foulers that can contribute to major losses on mussel farms. For this reason, the industry is trying to find ways to control such fouling. The most commonly used method to limit fouling in PEI consists of letting socks touch the sea bottom anywhere from a few days to several weeks, when they are dragged down due to the increasing weight of the mussels. They are then buoyed up again so that they are suspended in the water column. The approach is based on the belief that rock crabs (Cancer irroratus) consume or dislodge the foulers.; A study was conducted in Tracadie Bay, PEI in 2001 to assess the effectiveness of this method. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...