Efficacy of bamboo as an alternative substrate for cage culture of abalone Haliotis asinina Linnaeus, 1758

<jats:p>Abalone is a highly valued marine gastropod with a declining wild population due to increased fishing pressure. To meet market demand, there is growing interest in the cage culture of abalone juveniles. However, the most commonly used substrate in cage culture, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), has been linked to environmental and health risks. This study examined the efficacy of bamboo as an alternative substrate for the bottom and suspended cage culture of tropical abalone Haliotis asinina Linnaeus, 1758. Two culture experiments were conducted using (1) sea bottom cages and (2) suspended sea cages in Binduyan, Puerto Princesa City, and Pamantolon, Taytay, Palawan, respectively. Abalone juveniles grown with bamboo substrate (BS) had significantly higher weight gain, specific growth rate, and shell length growth rate compared to those reared with PVC substrate (PS) (P &lt; 0.05). In addition, after 90 days and 150 days of culture, abalone juveniles on BS exhibited positive allometric growth compared to those on PS, which showed isometric growth. Moreover, the survival rates of abalone juveniles with BS were not significantly different from those with PS at P &lt; 0.05. These findings suggest that BS is a viable alternative to PS for abalone juvenile culture, as it is indigenous, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. The study's results can promote sustainable aquaculture practices for abalone while raising awareness of the potential environmental and health risks associated with PVC for cultured abalone and humans consuming cultured abalone.</jats:p>