The effects of density and artificial substrate on intensive shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei nursery production

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) can be installed indoors, allowing year-round production of tropical animals in nearly any climate. A nursery phase is commonly used in Litopenaeus vannamei production since it allows for enhanced biosecurity and better quantification of animals while reducing space requirements. However, it is unclear whether animal density and inclusion of artificial substrate may improve shrimp performance during the nursery phase. In this experiment, we compared shrimp production parameters in two stocking densities with or without the use of an artificial substrate by creating four treatments: low-density LD; 1500 PL/m⁻³, low-density with substrate LDS, high-density HD; 3000 PL/m⁻³), and high-density with substrate (HDS). The LDS and HDS treatments included 0.46-m² of high-density polyethylene 2.5-cm mesh as a substrate, which increased the tank surface area by 21 %. Each treatment was randomly assigned to four 160-l culture tanks, each with a biofilter. The shrimp had an initial weight of 4 mg and were grown for 50 days. The low-density treatments had significantly higher dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH than the high-density treatments (P ≤ 0.001). Specifically, LDS had the highest DO and pH followed by the LD, HD, and HDS treatments, respectively. High-density treatments had significantly higher NO₂-N levels than low-density treatments during week 2 of the experiment when an unusually high concentration of nitrite was observed. FCR was significantly lower in both low-density treatments than in high-density treatments. At harvest, the total biomass (kg m⁻³) was significantly higher in high-density treatments than in low-density treatments (P ≤ 0.001), and the HDS treatment had a significantly greater biomass output than HD. Producers should consider artificial substrate and higher densities during nursery production to maximize shrimp production; however, the effects on water quality should also be taken into account.     

中国栽培平菇的酯酶同工酶分析

采用电泳技术对我国大规模栽培的64个平菇商业菌株进行酯酶同工酶分析。结果表明，我国栽培平菇菌种多样性丰富，64个菌株有44个酶谱类型，不同菌株有各自特有的酯酶同工酶酶谱。聚类分析表明，供试菌株在60％相似水平上分为6大类：第一类包括以白黄侧耳为代表的21个菌株；第二类包括以德国引进菌株为代表的6个未定种名菌株；第三类包括7个白黄侧耳与佛罗里达侧耳杂交的杂交种及4个未定种名菌株；第四类包括以佛罗里达侧耳为代表的5个菌株；第五类包括以糙皮侧耳为代表的14个菌株；第六类包括以肺形侧耳为代表的7个菌株。     

Use of Porcine Meal in Plant‐based Practical Diets for Pacific White Shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei

Two growth trials were conducted to evaluate and confirm the efficacy of a porcine meal (PM) with high protein content (>90%) as an alternative feed ingredient in commercial‐type feed formulation for Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Six experimental diets were formulated for the two growth trials. The first five diets contained increasing levels (0, 1, 2, 4, and 6%) of PM as a replacement for soybean meal in a plant‐based diet with low inclusion level (6%) of fish meal (FM). The last experimental diet was produced utilizing 4.2% PM to completely replace FM. In Trial 1, shrimp (1.5 g initial mean weight, 20 shrimp/tank, n = 4) were offered test diets for 6 wk in a semirecirculation system. At the end of Trial 1, shrimp fed with the diet containing 6% PM exhibited significantly enhanced weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and survival compared to those fed with the diet devoid of FM. As survival was poor across all treatments and different densities could mask growth results the trial was repeated. In Trial 2, shrimp (0.85 g, 15 shrimp/tank, n = 4) were offered diets for 6 wk. Dietary supplementation of PM at 6% significantly improved WG, FCR, and apparent net protein retention in contrast with the treatment devoid of FM, confirming the same trends in Trial 1. No significant difference was detected in protein, lipid, moisture, and mineral profiles of whole‐body shrimp as well as survival across all the treatments. Results of this study indicate that PM is a good high protein source in shrimp feeds, which can be included up to 6% in the low FM‐based diet without compromising the growth of shrimp.     

采用卷积神经网络构建西北太平洋柔鱼渔场预报模型

对远洋渔场资源和位置进行预报可以为远洋渔业生产及管理提供重要信息。该研究针对西北太平洋柔鱼渔场，利用海洋表面温度遥感信息和中国远洋渔船生产资料，基于深度学习原理，选取卷积神经网络构建西北太平洋柔鱼渔场预报模型。根据不同月份、不同通道构建了多种数据集，用于训练渔场预报模型。训练结果表明，4个通道组合的数据集的训练结果最优，渔汛早期（7-8月）、中期（9月）和后期（10-11月）测试样本的准确率分别为80.5%、81.5%和81.4%。以2015年的真实渔场数据对模型进行验证，模型的平均召回率为82.3%，平均精确率为66.6%，F1得分平均值为73.1%，预测的高产渔区与实际作业的高单位捕捞努力量渔获量区基本匹配。该研究构建的渔场预报模型可以获得较好的准确率，可为其他鱼种的渔场预报模型构建提供新的思路。     

Benefits and risks for Melanesian households from commercialising Canarium indicum

This research note discusses the benefits and risks for Melanesian households arising from attempts to increasingly commercialise Canarium indicum, an edible tree nut indigenous to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Qualitative data were generated during workshops and interviews with Canarium industry stakeholders about the impacts associated with a series of interventions designed to encourage further commercialisation of Canarium. The findings are organised according to three dimensions that elucidate the social implications of industry development for local communities: (i) income and growth; (ii) equity; and (iii) voice and choice. Broader distribution of benefits within and between countries, as well as among supply chain actors, requires a stronger policy response at regional (Melanesia) and national scales, equitable gender representation to avoid reinforcing existing inequalities, and delegation of decision‐making power to the appropriate level to facilitate effective community participation and their links with other stakeholders. Thus, it remains to be seen whether Canarium‐related benefits arising from its commercialisation can be sufficiently reliable compared with either other sources of income (e.g. existing employment opportunities for those located near urban areas) or utilising the resource for subsistence purposes.     

Histopathology of Hematopoietic Tissue in Channel Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus,with Anemia

Outbreaks of anemia (CCA) in channel catfish, Ictalurirs punctatus, in Mississippi occur predominantly during spring and fall. Between October, 1990 and May, 1991, twenty-seven cases of CCA were submitted to the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service-College of Veterinary Medicine Fish Diagnostic Laboratories. Histologic lesions were identified in the head and trunk kidneys of all affected fish. The head kidney contained less than 25% immature hematopoietic tissue in 3 of 22 cases (14%). 25-50% immature hematopoietic tissue in 7 of 22 cases (32%), and greater than 50% immature hematopoietic tissue in 12 of 22 cases (54%). The trunk kidney contained less than 25% immature hematopoietic tissue in 5 of 27 cases (18%), 25-50% immature hematopoietic tissue in 15 of 27 cases (56%), and greater than 50% immature hematopoietic tissue in 7 of 27 cases (26%). The histopathologic findings noted in cases of CCA from Mississippi affect primarily the hematopietic tissues of the head and trunk kidneys.     

Evaluating Sediment Accretion on a Relic Oyster Reef in Mobile Bay,Alabama

Abstract

Sediment traps were deployed at Fish River Reef (FRR), a relic oyster reef on the eastern side of Mobile Bay, and at Cedar Point Reef (CPR), a productive oyster reef on the western side of Mobile Bay, Alabama, from July through October 1999. Sediment accretion at FRR was two to three times greater than sediment accretion at CPR. The proportions of particulate organic matter and ash in the sediment at the two sites were similar. The proportion of coarse to fine sediment at CPR was greater than at FRR. Also, the sediment at FRR was black and had a sulfide odor suggesting anoxia, while the sediment at CPR was brown and odorless. Various fishes and invertebrates colonized the sediment traps at CPR, while those at FRR were devoid of live organisms. Oyster spat had settled on the shells in the traps at CPR but not on those at FRR. Results suggest that in order to restore oysters at FRR, cultch material should be dispersed during periods of peak larval settlement to prevent inhibitory levels of siltation on cultch before spat settle.     

Evaluation of three phytoplankton species as food for the pearl oyster <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinctada fucata</Emphasis>

In the pearl cultivation farms of the Ehime Prefecture, Japan, mass mortalities of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata have occurred since 1994. The occurrences of mass mortality roughly coincided with a shift of the dominant phytoplankton from Skeletonema and Chaetoceros to Chaetoceros and Nitzschia all of which belong to Bacillariophyceae. Hence, we evaluated Nitzschia, together with Chaetoceros and Isocrysis, as food for the oyster. Wet weights, lengths, widths, glycogen contents, and growth rates in terms of wet weight of the oysters in all the feeding treatments were significantly higher than those in the non-feeding treatment. The highest glycogen content (2.34%) and growth rate (2.21 g month⁻¹) were found in the Chaetoceros treatment. Growth rate in the Isocrysis treatment (1.63 g month⁻¹) was also high, although glycogen content in this treatment (0.41%) was low. In the Nitzschia treatment, growth rate of the oyster (0.94 g month⁻¹) was the lowest and glycogen content (0.83%) was also low relative to that in the Chaetoceros treatment. Chlorophyll a concentration in fecal pellets was lowest in the Nitzschia treatment (<2.7 μg mg⁻¹), suggesting more complete digestion of Nitzschia by the oyster. Thus, Nitzschia was edible and digestible but not assimilated by P. fucata. We propose the following scenario for the relationship between Nitzschia dominance and mass mortality. When Nitzschia dominates in a culture area, the physiological condition of P. fucata deteriorates due to low assimilation of Nitzschia by the oyster, followed by susceptibility of the oyster to infection by agents lethal to the oyster.     

Reviews

Books reviewed: H.W. Arndt and Hal Hill (eds), Southeast Asia’s economic crisis: Origins, lessons and the way forward William Cline, Trade and income distribution Morris Goldstein, The Asian financial crisis: Causes, curses and systemic implications Lamont Lindstrom and James Gwero (eds), Big Wok: Storian blong Wol Wo Tu long Vanuatu