Growth, mortality and recruitment rates of giant clams, Tridacna gigas and T. derasa, at Michaelmas Reef, central Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Abstract

Growth, recruitment and mortality rates of a population of giant clams (Tridacna gigas and T. derasa) were monitored between 1978 and 1985 in a 2.7 ha study area on Michaelmas Reef, Great Barrier Reef. The initial 1978 census revealed the presence of 1166 T. gigas and 44 T. derasa.

For T. gigas, the Fabens method provided growth-parameter estimates of L_∞ = 85.7 cm, K = 0.07 and t_o = 0.732 year. The generated von Bertalanffy growth curve was a relatively poor fit to an empirical growth curve. A better description of growth was obtained for younger clams by using a forced value of L_∞, = 80 cm, yielding K = 0.105 and t_o = 0.145 year. There was marked variability in the growth rate of individual clams, which has implications for the aquaculture industry. Average annual mortality rates in two census intervals (1978 to 1980-81 and 1980-81 to 1985) were 3.4 and 10.7% respectively. A comparison of the calculated size structure (assuming constant recruitment) with the observed size structure clearly suggested that recruitment was not constant and had declined drastically from a peak in the 1950s.

For the much smaller population of T. derasa, the Fabens routine yielded estimates of L_∞ = 46.91 cm, K= 0.108 and to = -0.188 year. The average annual mortality rate was 4.4%. Trends in recruitment could not be determined because of the small sample size.

This study has highlighted the need for follow-up studies of this and other populations of giant clams if we are to understand more fully the processes of growth, recruitment and mortality in wild stocks and the implications for stock management and aquaculture.