7. Aquaculture to Restocking

Restocking of cephalopods originated from the awareness of the depletion of natural resources and a need for conservation from stakeholders, public and private sectors. The concept of cephalopod restocking activities is to produce the cephalopod seeds and then release them back into the habitat where the species occur. The process of seed production comprises the collection of broodstocks from the wild, incubation of egg masses, post-hatching management and releasing the seeds at selected locations. The aquaculture methodology that enhances the hatching rate of the eggs and survival rate of the hatchling must produce high yields for the success of restocking. The neritic species, particularly Sepioteuthis lessoniana, Sepia spp. and Octopus vulgaris have been one key focus for restocking due to its success in previous studies on aquaculture as well as their importance to fisheries. The success of aquaculture restocking, supported by the public sector, has been outstanding in Japan and Thailand with a long historical background. Millions of cephalopod seeds were annually released during the peak activities. Although the biological significance of restocking activities to natural stocks requires further research and evaluation, the activities are considered to have produced a significant social success.