Relationship between feed input and sediment quality of the fish cage farms

ABSTRACT: A study was conducted to examine the variation in fish farm sediment quality with varying organic carbon input in the form of feed. In order to elucidate the seasonal variation in farm sediment quality, relation between seasonal organic carbon input, temperature and sediment quality was studied. The sediment ignition loss, redox potential and acid volatile sulfide sulfur (AVS-S) content showed a correlation with annual organic carbon input. The seasonal AVS-S content showed a significant correlation with the seasonal organic carbon input as well as temperature. Multiple regression analysis revealed that both of these factors explicated 80% of the seasonal variation in AVS-S content. Although redox conditions of the sediment could also be correlated with both the organic carbon input and temperature, the latter seemed to have a greater control. Thus, the farm sediment quality could be directly related to the annual organic carbon input to the fish farm under similar hydrographic conditions. Acid volatile sulfide sulfur content exhibited a significant correlation with both the annual as well as the seasonal organic carbon input. Therefore, AVS-S content proved to be a fairly simple and better indicator for monitoring the fish farm environment for effective farm management and sustainable aquaculture. Importance of size of pellets as a factor affecting the feed input-sediment quality relation is also demonstrated in the present study.     

Seasonal variations in phytoplankton productivity in a shallow cove in the eastern Seto Inland Sea,Japan

Fisheries Science - We examined phytoplankton productivity in Shido Bay, an active oyster farming area in the eastern Seto Inland Sea, Japan, by an in situ 13C method from March 2016 to January...     

大鹏澳网箱养殖海域水质评价及因子分析

根据2001年6月至2002年6月对大鹏澳网箱养殖海域6个航次的水质监测数据,采用有机污染评价指数法对养殖区水质状况进行了评价,同时应用因子分析方法对T(水温)、DO、SS(悬浮物)、CoDMn、BOD5、NO2-N、NO3-N、NH3-N、TIN(总无机氮)、PO4-P等10个水质成分的监测数据进行了分析。结果表明,(1)2001年9月和2002年3月海水出现轻度污染,前者主要是由NO3-N、CoDMn和BoD5所引起,后者是由NH3-N、PO4-P引起的。(2)水质监测数据的总体方差主要来源于T、Do、SS、NO3-N及TIN等5个成分,其次是NO2-N、NH3-N、PO4-P,再次是CODMn和BOD5。(3)因子分析结果表明,各水质成分之间存在一定的相关关系。其中,T、Do、SS、NO3-N及TIN同时载荷于第1主因子上,说明此5个水质成分之间具有较好的相关性;NO2-N、NH3-N、PO4-P同时载荷于第2主因子上,则此3个水质成分之间的相关程性较好;CODMn和BOD5同时载荷于第3主因子上,二者之间具有较好的相关性。     

固定化微生物修复养殖池塘污染底泥的围隔试验

摘要：通过测定上覆水的多项水质指标、底泥总有机碳(TOC)、底泥生物降解能力(G值)、底泥异养细菌数和反硫化细菌数等指标值,在野外实验围隔条件下比较了固定化微生物和游离微生物（FR-M）对污染底质的生物修复能力。微生物固定所用载体包括：纤维网状活性炭,生物活性炭,沸石和硅藻土(相应的固定化微生物分别标记为FC-M、 BC-M、ZE-M和DI-M组)。结果显示：固定化微生物对围隔内水质有间接影响,试验后期固定化微生物组（ZE-M、DI-M和FC-M组）的上覆水硝氮浓度显著高于对照组;BC-M组和ZE-M组上覆水中的COD值显著低于游离微生物组(FR-M)和对照组,说明固定化微生物有效削减了水底界面还原性物质的污染程度;与游离微生物或对照组相比,固定化微生物组（FC-M组、DI-M 组和ZE-M组）能更有效地降解底泥有机质。固定化微生物对底泥生物降解能力（G值）的影响明显,实验后期固定化微生物组（（BC-M组、DI-M组和ZE-M组）的G值均显著高于对照组和游离微生物组,说明固定化微生物技术的运用显著提高了围隔底泥的生物降解能力;固定化微生物对围隔内底泥异养细菌总数影响不显著,可能是由于底泥微生物群落结构受其它多种因子的综合影响所致。固定化微生物对底泥反硫化细菌影响显著,与对照组和游离微生物组相比,固定化微生物（尤其是ZE-M和BC-M组）能更有效地减少围隔底泥反硫化细菌数。本实验结果显示,利用载体固定微生物技术能显著提高微生物对污染底质的生物修复能力,其中以ZE-M和BC-M组效果最好。     

Analyzing the variations in cost-efficiency of marine cage lobster aquaculture in Vietnam: A two-stage bootstrap DEA approach

ABSTRACT

This study measures cost-efficiency and its determinants for 353 marine cage lobster farms in Vietnam using a two-stage bootstrap data envelopment analysis (DEA). In the first stage, the bootstrap DEA approach was used to obtain bias-corrected technical, allocative cost-efficiencies for the farms. Then, the bias-corrected cost-efficiency scores were regressed on a set of explanatory variables using a bootstrapped truncated regression. The results show that substantial cost-inefficiency occurs in lobster aquaculture due to the overuse of inputs, which, given the prevailing input prices, are also used in inappropriate ratios. Cost-efficiency is shown to be significantly impacted by the age of the farmer, total cage volume and by variables affecting the production environment such as the cage cleaning, distance to the nearest farms and the presence of other discharges into the marine environment.     

Winter longitudinal variation in the body size of larval fishes in the Seto Inland Sea,Japan

This study revealed the spatial variation in abundance and body size of larval fishes in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, in January 2014 and 2015. Fish larvae were collected by a 1.3-m-diameter ring net towed at the surface and at 10-m depth at 21 stations. The most dominant species was the sandlance Ammodytes japonicus, constituting 82% of total larval fish caught. The body size of A. japonicus was greater [ca. 9 mm total length (TL) in 2014] in eastern areas than in western areas (ca. 5 mm TL in 2014). This trend was also observed in rockfishes (Sebastiscus marmoratus and Sebastes inermis species complex), suggesting a common phenomenon in this region. Because the water temperature was lower in eastern areas, it is likely that the longitudinal differences in larval body size are attributable to earlier spawning in eastern areas caused by different temperature conditions.     

Re-examination of age and growth of daggertooth pike conger Muraenesox cinereus in the western Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Age determination and growth using otolith rings in Muraenesox cinereus was re-examined in the western Seto Inland Sea, Japan. Previous study in this area indicated that new rings were formed annually from March to May, and then from September to October once individuals had achieved four or five rings. In this study, monthly changes in marginal growth rate indicated that the first ring was formed before November in the year following hatching, and from then on another ring was formed annually in July or August. The birth month was determined to be August based on a peak in monthly change in the gonad somatic index. Estimated von Bertalanffy growth functions were L = 806.6{1 ? exp[? 0.33(t + 0.06)]} and L = 1264.0{1 ? exp[? 0.19(t + 0.15)]} for males and females, respectively. Lengths after 3 years of age in this study were 100 mm longer than those in a previous study for both sexes.     

Inflow and outflow water quality control in coastal aquaculture systems: a case study

Coastal water bodies are a particularly heterogeneous resource, typified by high spatial and temporal variability that could influence the aquaculture in coastal zones. However, the development of coastal aquaculture may produce negative impacts on the coastal area by the potential release of nutrients and organic matter that can be a source of pollution in receiving waters. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the performance of constructed wetland in controlling the dynamics of deoxygenating matter (organic matter and ammonia) and eutrophicating matter [organic matter and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP)] in the waters entering (inflow) and flowing out (outflow) from a coastal aquaculture fish farm. We observed that constructed wetland systems are effective in removing fractions of total suspended solids, COD, total ammonia nitrogen and SRP contained in the inflow water with higher efficiency in the spring period (60.37%, 14.89%, 65.38% and 17.6% respectively) than in the summer period (45.10%, 8.06%, 32.43% and 8.00% respectively). Similar pattern was recorded for the treatment of the outflow waters, showing that the wetland system reduced most of the deoxygenating and eutrophicating matter produced as a consequence of feeding and fish metabolic activity. During the summer season, high algae mortality can reduce the performance of the wetland system in the outflow water control; this lower efficiency could be improved by controlling the biomass of algae by vegetation harvesting.     

A numerical analysis of population dynamics of the sand lance (Ammodytes personatus) in the eastern Seto Inland Sea, Japan

The Japanese sand lance (Ammodytes personatus) population in the Seto Inland Sea shows large fluctuations every few years. Its recruitment to the fishery resources is much more dependent on the survival rate of 0-age fish than is the case for other fish species because 0-age fish directly recruit to next-year spawning adults. Since the 0-age fish population depends on its larval population, which is easily influenced by natural and human impacts, high larval mortality due to predation by adults and high dispersion of larvae by wind-driven currents from spawning grounds to other locations can have very important effects on stock fluctuations. A numerical model of population dynamics of the sand lance in the eastern Seto Inland Sea was developed that focuses on wind-induced transport and adult predation of the larvae. The model successfully simulated the two-year periodic fluctuation and was consistent with actual fluctuations in fishery catches. It suggests that the various coefficients given in the model are appropriate to explain the actual population dynamics of the sand lance. The model shows that adult predation on the larvae plays a very important role in the two-year periodic fluctuation, and the maximum predation rate is estimated to be ten individuals per day. Wind-induced transport modifies the impact of this predation. Variances in the two-year periodic fluctuation become smaller with weaker westerly wind velocity. The appropriate transport rates from Bisan Strait and the Harima-nada Sea are estimated to be 0.04 d^-1 and 0.01 d^-1, respectively.     

A computer vision system to analyse the swimming behaviour of farmed fish in commercial aquaculture facilities: A case study using cage-held Atlantic salmon

Knowledge of fish behaviour plays an important role in aquaculture farm management. Video systems are the most common and cost-effective way of observing behaviours in commercial aquaculture operations. However long term observation is not feasible due to a limited ability to analyse footage manually. This paper describes preliminary findings obtained via computer vision software that was developed to automatically analyse fish movement and behaviours in aquaculture sea cages. Results show that the system is capable of detecting fish shapes in video recordings and from these shapes quantifying changes in swimming speed and direction continuously throughout the day. Also variations between days were detected and these may have been associated with the daily shift in the tidal cycle. The system has the potential to act as an alarm to farm operators, informing them about unusual fish behaviours on a continuous, real-time basis. It also has potential to assist in the evaluation of fish welfare.     

海水鱼类网箱养殖水域沉积物有机质的来源甄别

利用稳定碳氮同位素示踪技术,对南沙港网箱养殖水域沉积物中有机质的来源进行了分析研究。结果表明,网箱养殖区(距离网箱边缘100 m范围内)及对照区(距离网箱边缘大于500 m)沉积物的δ13C值分别为(-17.72±1.2)‰和(-12.73±0.38)‰,δ15N分别为(6.44±0.2)‰和(5.61±0.2)‰。网箱养殖区沉积物的有机质来源主要为残饵和鱼类粪便,比例分别占47.70%和27.71%。随着与养殖网箱距离的增加,网箱养殖源有机质(残饵和鱼类粪便之和)的比例降低,变化趋势符合指数方程y=97.167e-0.007 4x(R2=0.848 1),在潮流驱动的沉积物再悬浮及野生鱼类的扰动影响下,网箱养殖源有机质的水平位移可达400 m。鱼类网箱养殖的养殖废物是南沙港水域沉积物有机污染的主要来源。     

The fate of organic matter derived from small-scale fish cage aquaculture in coastal waters of Sulawesi and Sumatra, Indonesia

To determine the fate of organic matter derived from fish cage aquaculture, carbon and nutrient cycling processes in waters and sediments, and water circulation, were examined at two fish cage farms of different size and utilizing different food types, on Sulawesi and Sumatra islands, Indonesia. Mass balance models of C, N and P were constructed to assess the pathways of waste utilization and dispersal. At the smaller farm in Sulawesi (64.5 m² cage area; 3 t annual net production) using pelleted food, there was proportionally less waste (≈ 40% of total C input) than at the larger Sumatran farm (2432 m² cage area; 9 t annual net production) using trash fish (≈ 70% of total C input) as food. At the small farm, the mass balance and hydrographic models indicated a maximum dispersal area of 1180 m², equivalent to 18 times the farm area. Within this area, 30% of total organic matter input (farm waste + fixed phytoplankton carbon) was buried in sediments with 30% mineralized in the water-column and 40% mineralized in the seabed. At the larger Sumatran farm, the models indicated a maximum dispersal area of 29  220 m², roughly 12 times the farm area. Within this area, 30% of total organic matter input (farm waste + natural pelagic input) was buried in sediments with 50% mineralized in the water-column and 20% mineralized on the seabed. There was some evidence of benthic enrichment at both farms, mostly as enhanced dissolved nutrient release, but sulfate reduction accounted for < 25% of total C flux, and denitrification/ammonium oxidation accounted for only 4–17% of N lost from sediments. There was no clear evidence of impact with distance from the cages at either farm. Phytoplankton gross primary production accounted for 60–77% of the total organic input to the receiving environment, suggesting that the relative importance of fish cage wastes must be assessed against natural inputs of organic matter.     

Fisheries resource management of the daggertooth pike conger,Muraenesox cinereus,using existing limited datasets in the western Seto Inland Sea,Japan

The daggertooth pike conger, Muraenesox cinereus (Forsskål), has become an important fish resource in the western Seto Inland Sea, Japan, since the 1990s. However, introducing sustainable fisheries resource management for this species is difficult in this region because stock assessments have not been performed, and official fisheries statistics for this stock were discontinued after 2007. This study used existing limited data sets to compile the first report for fisheries resource management for this M. cinereus stock. Yield‐per‐recruit analyses showed that increasing fishing pressure above current levels would provide only a minimal increase in expected catch levels. Hence, the current harvest level is considered to represent the upper limit of fishing pressure. Age composition in a given year could potentially be used to forecast landing abundance for the following 2 years. This study provides a basis for establishing effective fisheries resource management strategies for M. cinereus.     

Direct interaction between wild fish aggregations at fish farms and fisheries activity at fishing grounds: a case study with Boops boops

Coastal aquaculture installations concentrate large numbers of wild fish species of both ecological and economic importance, including schools of bogue, Boops boops (L.), in high abundance and biomass. The aggregated species consume large quantities of the easily available pellets lost from cages. As a consequence, the physical condition of farm‐associated wild fish is increased and their physiology is altered. These changes may influence local fisheries as many of these aggregating species are targeted by fishers. We assess whether local fishers catch wild fish that have previously aggregated at fish farms by comparing the body condition, trophic indexes, diet overlap and the fatty acid (FA) composition of B. boops obtained from local fish markets and around fish farms. Bogue captured by trammel‐nets and around fish farms facilities presented a similar biological condition, as well as high quantities of pellets in the gut, and their FA profile was affected by vegetal‐derived FAs. In contrast, bogue captured by trawlers were not influenced by fish farms, as they consumed natural trophic resources. We conclude that artisanal fishers exploit these aggregated fish populations once they have dispersed away from farms, and benefit from a ‘biomass export’ from fish farms at a local scale.     

Relationships between the daily growth rate of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus larvae and environmental factors in Osaka Bay,Seto Inland Sea,Japan

Fisheries Science - Seasonal changes in the growth rate of larval Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus collected by shirasu seine net boats in Osaka Bay in 2008 were estimated using otolith daily...     

Biomonitoring using tagged sentinel fish and acoustic telemetry in commercial salmon aquaculture: A feasibility study

We tested if it is technically feasible to monitor fish in real-time in full-scale commercial fish farms using acoustic telemetry. 31 Atlantic salmon were equipped with acoustic transmitter tags containing depth sensors. Tagged fish were monitored for three months in two industrial scale sea-cages containing 180000 and 150000 fish, respectively. Each cage was fitted with two prototype acoustic receiver units designed to collect, interpret and store the information transmitted by the acoustic transmitter tags. Ten in each cage were also equipped with Data Storage Tags (DSTs) containing depth sensors to record individual-based datasets for comparison with the acoustically transmitted datasets. After compensation for sample loss caused by expected acoustic interference between the transmitter tags, the resulting dataset revealed that the receiver units collected 90–95% of the signals in both cages. Acoustic communication conditions in the sea-cages were not strongly impaired by factors such as fish density and local noise. Further, the dataset from the acoustic transmitters had comparable resolution and quality to that produced by the DSTs. However, acoustic tags provide data in real time and enable farmers to respond to the received information with farm management measures, whereas archival tags such as DSTs need to be retrieved and downloaded and hence have no real-time applications. We conclude that acoustic telemetry is feasible as a method to monitor the depth of fish in real-time commercial aquaculture.     

Heavy metal concentrations and sediment quality of a cage farm on Lake Volta,Ghana

This study involved the determination of sediment quality and heavy metals in the water column and bottom sediment of a selected cage fish farm in Lake Volta, to assess the potential impact of metals and organic matter pollution on the lake due to cage fish farming. Sediment analysis indicated that the texture of all sampling sites was sandy clay loam with sand dominating with a range of 31.5%–81.2%. The organic matter (TOM) ranged from 4.42%–8.89%, while organic carbon (TOC) was from 2.57%–5.22%. Total nitrogen (TN) fluctuated between 0.22% and 0.45%; total phosphate ranged between 0.22% and 5.30%. The TOC, TOM and TN content in the farm sediment were significantly lower than those of the reference sites (ANOVA, p < .05). Lead, copper, cadmium and selenium were not detected in the water. The results revealed that heavy metal concentrations in the water column and sediments were low and within tolerable levels, indicating no influence of metals from fish feed was observed on the lake water quality. However, the farm seemed to have moderate impact on sediment quality from organic matter. Water and sediment quality monitoring should be embarked upon periodically to ensure sustainable cage culture in the Lake Volta.     

Occurrence and distribution of larval and juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus at sandy beaches in eastern Hiuchi-Nada, central Seto Inland Sea, Japan

ABSTRACT:   The occurrence and distribution of larval and juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus and major demersal fish from May to September were examined at seven sandy beaches at the central Seto Inland Sea. The flounder appeared from late May to August and were mainly collected at a depth of 2–5 m. Settlement of larval flounder was seen from late May to late June. A total of 6412 individuals of 17 species representing 12 families were collected in the study area. The dominant fish species were Favonigobius gymnauchen (56.0%), Tarphops oligolepis (8.1%), Rudarius ercodes (7.8%), P. olivaceus (7.3%), Repomucenus spp. (7.0%) and Heteromycteris japonica (3.3%). The catches of flounder differed among beaches and months. The number of flounder in June at Ohama Beach, where the most flounder were collected, was 22.6 individuals per haul (400 m²). The density of the flounder correlated negatively to that of F. gymnauchen .