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Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture
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Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture

A Special Issue of Fishes (ISSN 2410-3888) belonging to the section "Sustainable Aquaculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 7166

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-anonymized 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 (6 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

14 pages, 1255 KB  
Article
Effect of Stocking Rate on Growth of Pacific Calico Scallop (Argopecten ventricosus) Spat in Land-Based Downweller and Upweller Nursery Systems
by Yuanzi Huo, Jordan Pritzl and Mark Drawbridge
Fishes 2026, 11(7), 428; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11070428 - 21 Jul 2026
Viewed by 381
Abstract
To optimize spat stocking rates for Pacific calico scallop (PCS, Argopecten ventricosus) during nursery culture, two consecutive 8-week trials were conducted to evaluate growth in land-based downweller and upweller systems. Four stocking rates (60%, 70%, 80%, and 90% of silo bottom coverage) [...] Read more.
To optimize spat stocking rates for Pacific calico scallop (PCS, Argopecten ventricosus) during nursery culture, two consecutive 8-week trials were conducted to evaluate growth in land-based downweller and upweller systems. Four stocking rates (60%, 70%, 80%, and 90% of silo bottom coverage) of spat at 3.83 ± 0.10 mm in shell height were tested in the downweller system, whereas three stocking rates (50%, 70%, and 90% of silo bottom coverage) of spat at 0.56 ± 0.029 mm in shell height were evaluated in the upweller system. In the downweller system, spat stocked at 60% generally exhibited the best growth performance, with significantly higher relative growth rate (RGR, mm/day) in shell height compared with higher stocking rates. In the upweller system, spat stocked at 50% and 70% showed similar growth performance and both outperformed the 90% stocking rate treatment in shell height, dry weight, RGR, specific growth rate (SGR, %/day), and condition index (CI). These results suggest that moderate stocking rates, approximately 60% in downweller systems and 50–70% in upweller systems, provide favorable conditions for PCS spat growth while maintaining practical space-use efficiency under the present culture conditions. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of PCS spat nursery culture in land-based systems and provides practical information for hatchery production and nursery management of this emerging aquaculture species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture)
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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 985
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 3 | Viewed by 1575
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 1353
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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17 pages, 2547 KB  
Review
Status and Development Potential of Bellamya Aquaculture in Asia: Ecology, Integrated Farming Models, and High-Value Utilization
by Wu Jin, Jianwei Liu, Benhe Ma, Xianhui Pan, Xueyan Ma, Xiaojuan Cao and Haibo Wen
Fishes 2026, 11(5), 297; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11050297 - 16 May 2026
Viewed by 629
Abstract
Freshwater snails, specifically those belonging to the genus Bellamya, are increasingly recognized as important components of sustainable aquaculture and aquatic ecosystem management. This review synthesizes current knowledge on their ecological roles, aquaculture practices, utilization, and associated risks to evaluate their potential as [...] Read more.
Freshwater snails, specifically those belonging to the genus Bellamya, are increasingly recognized as important components of sustainable aquaculture and aquatic ecosystem management. This review synthesizes current knowledge on their ecological roles, aquaculture practices, utilization, and associated risks to evaluate their potential as a multifunctional resource. Available evidence shows that Bellamya species function as bioindicators of environmental change and contribute to water purification through grazing, nutrient cycling, and interactions with aquatic plants. In aquaculture, diverse production systems, including rice–snail co-culture and pond-based farming, have been developed, demonstrating high resource-use efficiency and economic value. In addition to their nutritional importance as a protein source, freshwater snails provide opportunities for value-added products in food, biomaterials, and health-related applications. However, challenges remain, including parasite transmission, the bioaccumulation of environmental pollutants, genetic resource degradation, and ecological carrying capacity constraints under intensive farming. Future development depends on advances in breeding, nutrition, and intelligent farming technologies, as well as improved environmental monitoring and regulatory frameworks. Overall, freshwater snail aquaculture represents a promising pathway for integrating food production with ecosystem restoration, but its sustainable expansion requires coordinated efforts in research, management, and industry development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Shellfish Aquaculture)
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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
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1410
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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