Pest control in the "sea garden"

While Russians are busy fighting pests at their dachas, a battle against harmful creatures is also raging in the water. As Sergei Trubolis, a professional diver from Primorye, told NeMoskva, mariculture sites (or mariculture farms, as the "sea gardens" where scallops and other shellfish are grown) have to be cleared of predatory starfish. 

They feed on the scallops, either by removing them from the shell or by waiting for them to begin moving. The pests are collected by hand in bags and then released into the sea far from the area.

"Starfish are cleared as needed. It's hard to say how much damage they can cause. But from my observations, I don't think the damage is very significant. At least, I don't get called on to clear starfish often," says Trubolys. A diver captured the entire "weeding" process in the Posyet Bay area on video. 

Besides starfish, certain fish, octopuses, and crabs are also fond of dining on scallops. However, protecting farms from them is somewhat easier: the area containing the structures to which the farmed shellfish are attached is enclosed by an underwater fence. This also prevents the scallops from escaping. 

Video: Sergey Trubolys.