Penueus schmitti broodstock was grown from postlarvae in a three‐stage semi‐intensive pond system. Mean weight after 10.5 mo was 51.2 g for females and 33.8 g for mnles. Reproductive response was evaluated in two studies. The first study was conducted with unilaterally ablated or unablated females and males with ejaculated or non‐ejaculated spermntophores. The best response was achieved with ablated females and with non‐ejaculated males (0.87 spawas/maturation tank per d and 22.254 nauplii/maturation tank per d). The second study compared the reproductive response of captive ablated females mated with pond‐reared males or wild males. More nauplii were produced from wild males (78,583 nauplii/maturation tank per d) than from pond‐reared males (57,777 nnuplii/tank per d). The reproductive culture cycle of P. schmitti has been closed for the first time in Cuba on a commercial scale with the collection and stocking of postlarvae of the F1 generation.