How to recognize and treat a shell-boring marine worm pest in oyster aquaculture

UC Davis Aquaculture visits Dr. Julieta Martinelli at the University of Washington, Seattle, to learn about shell-boring marine worm polychaete (s) and the treatments to control them in oyster shellfish aquaculture farms in the US west coast.
Shell-boring marine worms are responsible for economic losses on oyster farms around the world, including in Washington State, where these pests were officially reported for the first time in 2017. After burrowing into their host’s shell, the polychaetes cause oysters to deposit layers of nacre to isolate the parasite from the oyster’s tissues. These oyster parasites create visible unsightly blisters that are packed with mud and feces. Burrows and blisters cannot be reversed, but worms within burrows and blisters can be killed, which may reduce the overall burden of parasite infestation on an oyster farm and prevent future burrows and blisters from developing. While studying the shellfish parasitology of these oysters, we evaluated treatments for these marine worms that have been tested in other world regions, and here we show which treatments would work for infested Pacific oysters raised in Washington State Aquaculture. In the video we demonstrate two treatments we developed with local oyster shellfish growers: air drying, with and without refrigeration. The use of these treatments on affected farms may help to mitigate the potential effects of shell-boring polychaetes on oyster product value, thus avoiding significant economic losses.
For more information, visit the research project website at www.chelsealwood.com/research/invasive-parasites/ or contact the researchers, Dr. Julieta Martinelli ([e-mail]) and Dr. Chelsea Wood ([e-mail]).
Other resources:
- Confirmation of the shell-boring oyster parasite Polydora websteri (Polychaeta: Spionidae) in Washington State, USA: www.nature.com/articles/s4159...
- The risks of shell-boring polychaetes to shellfish aquaculture in Washington, USA: A mini-review to inform mitigation actions: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/f...
This project was funded by the USDA Western Regional Aquaculture Center.
This video was produced by Jackson Gross (University of California Davis), Julieta Martinelli (University of Washington), Teri King (Washington SeaGrant NOAA), and Chelsea Wood (University of Washington).
A special thanks to Dr. Evan Ward from the Department of Marine Science at the University of Connecticut for providing the endoscopy footage of Polydora websteri taking food from its oyster host @1:00 of the video.
aquaculture.ucdavis.edu
#parasite, #worm, #oyster, #aquaculture, #oysters, #Crassostrea, #Polydora, #aquaculture, #seafood, #Washington, #shellfishfarm, #pestcontrol, #pest, #ucdavis, #shellfish, #marine

[@evilmelez]

love it

[@ThisIsAquaculture]

But did you like the music?

[@evilmelez]

@@ThisIsAquaculture yep.suits it well

[@sleepingtuna7344]

才女虫对牡蛎的养殖影响巨大

[@ThisIsAquaculture]

这就是为什么我们正在开发治疗方法以防止蠕虫成为一个更大的问题. 感谢收看

[@baneo.1678]

Are these parasites harmful to humans if consumed while eating oysters?

[@ThisIsAquaculture]

No, it’s pretty much cosmetic if you eat the worm. The problem is the mud and waste products. Also they impact oyster health so the oyster not as nutritious.