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Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture
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Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture

A special issue of Fishes (ISSN 2410-3888). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Aquaculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2026 | Viewed by 2778

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yuanzi Huo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, San Diego, CA 92019, USA
Interests: integrated multi-trophic aquaculture; seaweed; shellfish; echinoderms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Emily Kunselman

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
1. Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, San Diego, CA 92019, USA
2. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
Interests: oysters; disease; probiotics; microbiome

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Shellfish aquaculture plays a vital and expanding role in global food security, providing nutritious protein while offering significant ecosystem services, such as water filtration and habitat enhancement. As the demand for sustainable seafood intensifies amidst growing environmental pressures, the need for innovative research to enhance shellfish production efficiency, resilience, and sustainability is becoming increasingly clear. Challenges including disease outbreaks, climate change impacts (ocean acidification, warming), genetic bottlenecks, nutritional optimization, environmental interactions (harmful algal blooms), and evolving regulatory landscapes require concerted scientific efforts and collaboration.

This Special Issue, "Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture”, will showcase cutting-edge research driving progress across the entire spectrum of shellfish cultivation and management. We aim to compile high-quality contributions addressing key areas such as the following:

  1. Cultivation and Management: Optimizing rearing techniques, feeding strategies, water quality, biosecurity protocols, in-water technology, and stock management.
  2.  Health and Disease: Novel diagnostics, prevention strategies, treatment development, and understanding host–pathogen interactions.
  3.  Genetics and Genomics: Selective breeding, genetic improvement, marker-assisted selection, and enhancing traits such as disease resistance, growth, and survival.
  4.  Nutrition: Feed formulation, automated systems, nutrient requirements, and dietary impacts on performance and health.
  5.  Sustainability and Environmental Impact: Assessing and mitigating ecological footprints, promoting ecosystem-based approaches (such as IMTA), restoration, and evaluating climate resilience.
  6.  Industry and Policy: Market trends, consumer education, economic viability, food security, certification schemes, regulatory frameworks, and strategies for sustainable industry growth.

By highlighting recent advancements and fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, this Special Issue will accelerate innovation, support evidence-based policy, and contribute to the long-term viability and environmental stewardship of the global shellfish aquaculture sector. We invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and short communications addressing these critical themes and redefining the boundaries of knowledge in shellfish aquaculture science and practice.

Dr. Yuanzi Huo
Guest Editor

Dr. Emily Kunselman
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fishes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • shellfish aquaculture
  • disease management
  • shellfish genomics
  • sustainable production
  • nutritional physiology
  • biosecurity
  • environmental impact
  • hatchery technology
  • aquaculture policy
  • integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA)

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3091 KB  
Article
Broodstock Conditioning of the Yellow Clam (Amarilladesma mactroides)
by José Artur Marcelino, Virgínia Fonseca Pedrosa, Luis Alberto Romano and Ronaldo Olivera Cavalli
Fishes 2026, 11(4), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11040199 - 26 Mar 2026
Viewed by 409
Abstract
Broodstock conditioning involves maintaining adult animals in optimal environmental conditions to ensure that the largest number of breeders reach maturity. We evaluated the gonadal development and the occurrence of spawns in the yellow clam (Amarilladesma mactroides) and estimated the duration of [...] Read more.
Broodstock conditioning involves maintaining adult animals in optimal environmental conditions to ensure that the largest number of breeders reach maturity. We evaluated the gonadal development and the occurrence of spawns in the yellow clam (Amarilladesma mactroides) and estimated the duration of conditioning that results in the highest maturity rate. Clams were kept buried in a 10 cm sand bed within Ø = 15 cm containers. A concentrate of Isochrysis galbana and Chaetoceros muelleri was supplied daily. Four conditioning periods (14, 28, 45 and 60 days) with four replicates were used. On the day of collection and at the end of each conditioning period, clams were induced to spawn with thermal shocks (16.7 °C to 26 °C) and sperm. The first spawns were observed on day 28, but only 50% of the males and 33% of the females were mature, and their mean oocyte diameter (36.33 µm) was smaller than the minimum (45–50 µm) considered for ready-to-spawn clams. However, on day 45, all males and females were mature (mean oocyte diameter = 45.14 µm) and 1102 × 103 eggs were released. To ensure a high maturity rate, yellow clams should be conditioned in captivity for 45 days. Monitoring gonadal development in the wild to collect clams at advanced stages of gonadal development may be a less expensive strategy worth considering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture)
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16 pages, 1170 KB  
Article
Effects of Water Flow Velocity on Growth and Nutritional Quality of Pacific Oysters (Crassostrea gigas)
by Yuanhao Liu, Yang Hong, Tiantian Ma, Xiaohui Wang, Jin Ni and Jian Shen
Fishes 2026, 11(2), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11020076 - 24 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 769
Abstract
This study examined the effects of hydrodynamic conditions on the growth performance and nutritional quality of Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) in raceway flumes. Oysters were reared under three flow velocities—low (LV, 5 cm/s), medium (MV, 10 cm/s), and high (HV, 20 [...] Read more.
This study examined the effects of hydrodynamic conditions on the growth performance and nutritional quality of Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) in raceway flumes. Oysters were reared under three flow velocities—low (LV, 5 cm/s), medium (MV, 10 cm/s), and high (HV, 20 cm/s)—using three replicate flumes per treatment, each containing 100 individuals. Results indicated that while shell morphology remained unaffected by flow rate, MV significantly enhanced soft tissue weight and meat yield compared to LV. Physiologically, HV upregulated the activities of trypsin and amylase, with trypsin levels significantly exceeding those in LV. Furthermore, MV exhibited the highest crude protein and glycogen content. Notably, both MV and HV improved the accumulation of total and essential amino acids. Fatty acid profiles showed clear separation among treatments, primarily driven by C16:0, C18:0, C20:5n3, C22:1n9, and C20:2. Collectively, moderate flow velocity (10 cm/s, MV) resulted in a well-balanced enhancement of growth, biochemical composition, and nutritional value compared to low or high velocities, highlighting the potential value of controlled hydrodynamic conditions in oyster farming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture)
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17 pages, 4632 KB  
Article
Unravelling the Chemical Nature of the Spawning-Inducing Pheromone (SIP) in the Pacific Oyster (Magallana gigas)
by Ana Rato, Sandra Joaquim, Domitília Matias and Peter C. Hubbard
Fishes 2026, 11(1), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11010034 - 8 Jan 2026
Viewed by 722
Abstract
In external fertilisation, spawning synchrony is often mediated by pheromones. However, their chemical nature is rarely well-established; this is particularly true for bivalves. This study used an electrophysiological technique—the electro-osphradiogram (EOsG)—to investigate the spawning-inducing pheromone (SIP) in the Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas [...] Read more.
In external fertilisation, spawning synchrony is often mediated by pheromones. However, their chemical nature is rarely well-established; this is particularly true for bivalves. This study used an electrophysiological technique—the electro-osphradiogram (EOsG)—to investigate the spawning-inducing pheromone (SIP) in the Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas), a species of economic and environmental relevance. Recording the electrophysiological response of the osphradium to conspecific sperm milt and its fractions, we show that the SIP is multicomponent, likely proteinaceous—with at least one component linked to the spermatozoa and the other components in free solution—and all resistant to freezing. At least three active components are involved: one of about 35 kDa, one between 3 and 10 kDa and one of less than 3 kDa. All three, alone, evoke responses from the osphradium, but all three must probably be present to evoke the full biological response—gamete release—in the receiver. All three are likely polar; none were retained by a range of solid-phase extraction cartridges. We suggest that the EOsG will be useful to isolate and identify the individual components of the oyster SIP. Successful identification of the SIP will represent an important step towards more sustainable and efficient bivalve hatchery practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture)
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Review

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29 pages, 4131 KB  
Review
Mussel Mortality Events and Changes in the Mediterranean Sea Ecosystem: An Integrated One Health–One Welfare Analysis
by Claudia Carbonara, Maria Antonietta Colonna, Francesco Giannico, Luca Pozzato, Michela Cariglia, Nicola Faccilongo, Simona Tarricone and Marco Ragni
Fishes 2026, 11(3), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11030190 - 21 Mar 2026
Viewed by 376
Abstract
The Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, is currently facing unprecedented mass mortality events (MMEs) that threaten the economic and ecological stability of Mediterranean aquaculture. The present review gathered and analyzed current knowledge on climate change and environmental disorders that may cause MMEs in [...] Read more.
The Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, is currently facing unprecedented mass mortality events (MMEs) that threaten the economic and ecological stability of Mediterranean aquaculture. The present review gathered and analyzed current knowledge on climate change and environmental disorders that may cause MMEs in Mediterranean mussels, compromising mussel physiology and immune competence. Biological agents, which proliferate under stress conditions, can either trigger direct disease or act as co-factors in mortality. The impact of the economic loss following MMEs in mussel production in the Mediterranean Sea is also described. The main key drivers used in the analysis of the literature were “M. galloprovincialis”, “MMEs”, “environmental stressors”, “climate change”, “pathogens”, “pollutants”, “economical losses”. The One Health–One Welfare framework recognizes the inextricable interconnection between the health of human, mussel, and marine ecosystems. This approach is essential for developing holistic monitoring programs, robust risk assessment strategies, and adaptive management policies capable of ensuring the long-term sustainability of Mediterranean mussel production and the ecological stability of coastal systems. In the future, the development of integrated water monitoring systems where mussels are both farmed species and active biological sentinels is possible. The implementation of a digital monitoring system will offer a transformative strategy for mitigating MMEs in Mediterranean mussel populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture)
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