Studies for the sustainable management of oyster farms in Pukman Bay, Korea: Estimate of primary production

Abstract

To develop sustainable management strategies for oyster farms in Pukman Bay, Korea, we estimated primary production using a numerical model. Because oysters are filter feeders, estimations of primary production (PP) are essential in developing management strategies. The daily PP ranged from 0.07 to 1.5 gC/m2/d and showed significant spatial variations. The spatial distribution of PP was strongly associated with hydrodynamie features, and distinct patterns were observed in three different regions. In the inner bay, high PP was directly influenced by urban and agricultural sewage. The middle part of the bay had low PP, whereas PP in the outer area was high. PP was relatively low during the main oyster growth season, from late autumn to early winter. These findings represent important information for developing a management model for oyster farms in Pukman Bay.