An econometric viability model for ongrowing sole (Solea senegalensis) in tanks using pumped well sea water

Abstract

Sole (Solea senegalensis) is of great interest to marine aquaculture in the Mediterranean because of its relatively fast growth and good commercial prospects (high price). However, the wide mean annual variation in the temperature of Mediterranean sea water (14-26 deg C) is a limiting factor for the ongrowing of this species; the optimum for this process is 19-20 deg C. One of the possible mid-term solutions for ensuring a constant year-round temperature is to ongrow these fish in tanks containing pumped well water. The present work describes a mathematical model for estimating the values of economic variables associated with sole production (which to date have not been defined at the commercial level) for an onshore ongrowing plant using pumped well water at 19-20 deg C. The economic variables studied include optimum load, the sale price of the final product, the cost of juveniles and feed (these last two are influenced by mortality which is still highly variable in this species), and finally the cost of electricity and oxygen (of great importance in onshore plants). The model allows different possible situations to be analysed on the basis of still undefined variables for ongrowing (juvenile cost, feeding, survival, etc.), and establishes under which conditions sole ongrowing would be profitable.