A Model for Self-Sustaining Litopenaeus vannamei Farm Alternatives

摘要

We investigate a semi-contained, two-tank model for a Litopenaeus vannamei (White Pacific Shrimp) aquaculturefarm. Our model simulates the possibility of a self-sustaining aquaculture system, with an interdependent triad ofshrimp, algae, and bacteria. The two tanks are symmetric: the first containing developing shrimp through thehatchery and nursery phase and the second containing full grown shrimp through the grow-out phase. This systemis modelled by six, first order differential equations. Using analytic and numeric techniques, we examine thedynamics and equilibria of this system as well as each of its individual components. This paper examines the effectsof varying harvesting frequencies and magnitudes, and searches for an optimal harvesting strategy. Our analysisconcluded that in the confines of our model, a technique of harvesting 81.5% of harvestable shrimp every 2 daysprovides a hypothetical optimal strategy. However, upon consideration of practical constraints, a harvesting strategyof 98% of harvestable shrimp every 10 days represents a real-world optimal harvesting strategy.