Deformity of agglutinated pelvic fin membrane in hatchery-reared black rockfish Sebastes inermis and its application for stock separation study

ABSTRACT:   This study is the first to report on the high occurrence of agglutinated pelvic fin membrane deformities in hatchery-reared black rockfish Sebastes inermis . For 5 years, this symptom was marked in hatchery-reared fish, with 58.7% of fish deformed on average (varying between 46.7 and 72.0%). The deformity was a peculiarity in hatchery-reared fish, but is negated in wild fish, and was not related to whether the fish broodstock originated from the wild or from a hatchery. Mark–release experiments showed that deformed fish were almost the same as normal hatchery-reared fish in growth and survival rates, and, theoretically, the recapture numbers of hatchery-stocked fish, estimated by deformity, almost coincided with actual recapture numbers, confirmed by otolith tagging. The results of the present study indicate that deformity in hatchery-reared black rockfish is useful as a stock separation tool.     

Evidence of homing of black rockfish Sebastes inermis using biotelemetry

ABSTRACT: The black rockfish Sebastes inermis is one of the most important fishery species along the coast from southern Hokkaido to Kyushu, Japan and is often found in rocks and Zostera areas. We conducted biotelemetry using coded ultrasonic transmitters to clarify the movement of the black rockfish that inhabited the seawall of the Kansai International Airport. We released 25 black rockfish at two points. One was the airport seawall and the other was side shallows off the Sensyu district. Seventeen black rockfish returned to their capture site after release. We used the V -test to determine whether the direction of movement was random or orientated. The black rockfish moved at random along the seawall within some hours after release ( P  > 0.05). Four hours after release, they moved to their home site intentionally ( P  < 0.0025).     

Age and growth of Sebastes vulpes in the coastal waters of western Hokkaido, Japan

ABSTRACT:   Age and growth of Sebastes vulpes collected from the coastal waters of western Hokkaido were studied. Observation of the otolith margin verified that annuli (outer margins of the opaque zone) were produced chiefly from July to August. This period was associated with parturition and the birth season. The maximum age estimated by the surface method was 12 years but the oldest fish was aged at 35 years by the cross-section method. The surface method was inadequate for aging of S. vulpes older than 6 years because of the underestimation of age. No significant difference was found in the parameters of the growth equations between both sexes. The von Bertalanffy growth curve combined for both sexes was as follows: SL _t  = 358.6(1 − exp^{−0.156( t +0.820)}), where SL _t is standard length (mm) at age t (after parturition in years). It seems likely that S. vulpes grows slowly and lives longer than previously thought.     

Comparative stomach contents and growth of the juvenile black rockfish Sebastes inermis reared in illuminated and unilluminated cages

ABSTRACT:   The principal objective of the present study was to determine the positive effects of artificial illumination on the juvenile black rockfish Sebastes inermis by comparing stomach contents and growth between juveniles exposed to light and those maintained in the absence of light. The major prey items of juvenile black rockfish in illuminated cages were: copepods (% IRI  = 62.6); amphipods (% IRI  = 36.7); and polychaetes (% IRI  = 0.3), whereas those in unilluminated cages were: copepods (% IRI  = 93.3); amphipods (% IRI  = 6.1); and polychaetes (% IRI  = 0.4). The specific growth rates of the juveniles reared in illuminated cages (0.67%) were significantly higher than those juveniles maintained in the unilluminated cages (0.27%).     

Comparison of oxygen consumption patterns between wild and cultured black rockfish Sebastes schlegeli

ABSTRACT:   To compare metabolic activity rhythms between wild and cultured black rockfish Sebastes schlegeli , we measured long-term oxygen consumption rates (OCR) using an automatic intermittent-flow respirometer under constant temperature and darkness. Oxygen consumption rates peaked among wild black rockfish at 12.4 h intervals, which corresponded to a circatidal rhythm. The wild fish were probably exhibiting responses that corresponded to tidal events in their natural environment. However, when captured wild black rockfish were kept under laboratory conditions (12 h light [L] : 12 h dark [D]) for 30 days, the OCR shifted to a circadian rhythm (24.1–24.9 h). The OCR of cultured black rockfish that had been reared in a tank for 9 months peaked at approximately 24 h intervals, corresponding to a circadian rhythm. The results of this study suggest that the differences in OCR patterns between wild and cultured fish were mainly due to differences in the environmental conditions between tidal and non-tidal habitats.     

Recovery potential of black rockfish,Sebastes melanops Girard,recompressed following barotrauma

Overfished species of rockfish, Sebastes spp., from the Northeast Pacific experience high bycatch mortality because of ‘barotrauma’, a condition induced from the rapid change in pressure during capture. Field experiments show that it may be possible for rockfish to recover from barotrauma if quickly recompressed; however, no work has followed the physiological recovery of rockfish after recompression or determined whether it is possible for rockfish to survive barotrauma in the long term. Barotrauma was induced in adult black rockfish, Sebastes melanops Girard, from a simulated depth of 35 m, followed by recompression. Blood and selected tissues (eye, heart ventricle, head kidney, liver, rete mirabile and gonad) were sampled at days 3, 15 and 31 post‐recompression to evaluate the tissue‐ and physiologic‐level response during recovery. No mortality from barotrauma occurred during the experiments, and feeding resumed in 80% of both treatment and control fish. The primary injury in treatment fish was the presence of a ruptured swimbladder and/or a ruptured tunica externa (outer layer of swimbladder), which was slow to heal. Blood plasma was analysed for glucose, sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, insulin‐like growth factor‐1 and cortisol. Plasma analyses indicated no strong effects because of barotrauma, suggesting overall handling stress outweighed any effect from barotrauma. Rockfish with ruptured swimbladders may face compromised competency in the wild; however, it appears the majority of black rockfish decompressed from 35 m have a high potential for recovery if recompressed immediately after capture. This research suggests recompression could be a valuable bycatch mortality reduction tool for rockfish in recreational fisheries.     

Atypical Aeromonas salmonicida infection in the black rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli Hilgendorf, in Korea

Cultured black rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli, suffered mass mortalities during winter 2008 and spring 2009 in Korea, showing clinical signs of ulcer lesions and haemorrhages over their body surface. The aetiological agent was identified as Aeromonas salmonicida (strains RFAS-1, -2 and -3), which is a non-pigmented, slow-growing bacterium. Phenotypes of RFAS strains showed variation, while 16S rRNA, gyrB, rpoD, dnaJ and recA gene sequences of all the strains were affiliated to A. salmonicida. In particular, vapA gene sequences of the strains were most closely related to one of the five subspecies of A. salmonicida subsp. masoucida (=KCCM 40239(T) ). LD(50) values of RFAS-1 for intraperitoneal and intramuscular injection were 1.5 × 10(5.25) and 1.5 × 10(6.4) cfu/rockfish, respectively. However, A. salmonicida strains KCCM 40239(T) and SAS-1, which originate from masou and chum salmon, respectively, were not pathogenic to black rockfish. RFAS strains, possessing A-layer protein on their surface, exhibited β-haemolytic activity against rockfish erythrocytes and capability to survive in rockfish serum, which seem to be associated with virulence.     

Flounder skin meal as a potential protein source substitute in the diet of juvenile black rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli)

In this study, we investigated the potential utility of fish skin, usually discarded during processing, as a cost‐effective protein source. We evaluated the effects on juvenile black rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) of an 8‐week feeding trial in which 0%, 5%, 10% or 20% of the casein (purified protein) in their diets was replaced with flounder skin meal. The fish that received flounder skin meal, particularly the 20% group, showed significantly higher growth performance and feeding efficiency. They had lower levels of body lipids, elevated levels of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and increased body and muscle protein contents. They recovered more rapidly from stress induced by anaesthesia or exposure to air. Supplementation with flounder skin meal confirms the functionality of flounder skin meal as a high collagen component of fish diets.     

Maturation and spawning of the small penaeid shrimp Metapenaeopsis dalei in Tosa Bay, Pacific coast of southern Japan

SUMMARY: Seasonal changes in the percentage of mature female Metapenaeopsis dalei were studied histologically, and the annual cycle of maturation and spawning of this species was discussed. Specimens were collected at night by a beam trawler in Tosa Bay (33°N, 133°E) during the period from April 1995 to March 1996. All individuals had a gonado somatic index [ GSI = 100 (gonado weight/body weight)] of higher than 8, and 66.7% of those individuals with a GSI of 6–8 had oocytes in the late phase of the prematuration stage after germinal vesicle shrinking and migrating to the margin of the oocyte or had oocytes in the maturation stage. Such individuals with developed oocytes appeared in April, June, July, August, October, November and March. Individuals with a GSI above 6 appeared throughout the year, except during September and February. Individuals with ovulated oocytes were sampled in March when the water temperature near the bottom depths was lowest (15.4°C) during the year, being similar to February (15.1°C). These facts indicate that maturation occurs all year-round and suggests that spawning in the Metapenaeopsis dalei population in Tosa Bay occurs all year-round. This is the first report of year-round maturation in penaeid shrimps in Japanese waters.     

Establishing climate–growth relationships for yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) in the northeast Pacific using a dendrochronological approach

We applied dendrochronology (tree‐ring) methods to develop multidecadal growth chronologies from the increment widths of yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) otoliths. Chronologies were developed for the central California coast, a site just north of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and at Bowie Seamount west of the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia. At each site, synchronous growth patterns were matched among otoliths via the process of cross‐dating, ensuring that the correct calendar year was assigned to all increments. Each time series of growth‐increment measurements was divided by the values predicted by a best‐fit negative exponential function, thereby removing age‐related trends. These detrended time series were averaged into a master chronology for each site, and chronologies were correlated with monthly averages of sea surface temperatures, upwelling, the Northern Oscillation Index, and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. The two northern growth chronologies positively correlated with indices of warm ocean conditions, especially from the prior summer through the spring of the current year. During the same period, the California chronology positively correlated with indices of cool ocean conditions, indicating an opposing productivity regime for yelloweye rockfish between the California Current and the Gulf of Alaska. Overall, this study demonstrates how tree‐ring techniques can be applied to quickly develop annually resolved chronologies and establish climate–growth relationships across various temporal and spatial scales.     

青岛胶州湾铠平鲉年龄、生长和种群繁殖力

针对2013年和2014年采自青岛胶州湾的209尾铠平鲉(Sebastes hubbsi)样本开展了年龄、生长和种群繁殖力研究。耳石轮纹结构的年龄鉴定结果显示,铠平鲉的年龄分布范围为1~+~7~+龄,2~+~4~+龄为优势年龄组(77.5%)。体长与体重呈幂函数关系:W=8×10~(-5) L~(2.797)(R~2=0.861)。Von Bertalanffy体长生长方程为L_t=131.4×[1-e~(-0.269(t+2.697))],体重生长方程为W_t=63.6×[1-~(e-0.269(t+2.697))]~(2.797)。其生长过程可分为3个阶段:(1)1~+~3~+龄为快速生长期;(2)3~+~6~+龄为成熟稳定期;(3)6~+龄以后为高龄衰老期。所采样本的性比(2.12︰1)明显偏离1︰1(P0.05),雌性个体样本数在各体长段均高于雄性个体。性腺指数(GSI)和肝脏指数(HSI)变化趋势相反,肝脏可能为其性腺发育提供物质基础和能量来源。绝对怀卵量波动于482~6166粒,平均值为3266粒;相对体长怀卵量显著低于卵生鱼类,表明卵胎生鱼类体内胚胎发育、孵化的护卵方式可能使其以较少的怀卵量即可维持种的延续。结合拐点年龄对应的拐点体重及50%性成熟体长,建议以体长80 mm、体重20 g作为铠平鲉的开捕标准,以维护青岛胶州湾铠平鲉资源的可持续利用。     

Dietary green tea extract improves growth performance, body composition, and stress recovery in the juvenile black rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli

In this study, we evaluated the effects of dietary green tea ethanol extract (GTE) supplementation on growth performance, body composition, and stress recovery of the juvenile black rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli. The fish (mean body weight, 8.1 ± 2.0 g) were fed fish meal diets that included 0 % (control), 1, 3, and 5 % GTE for 8 weeks. Weight gain, specific growth rate, feed efficiency, and protein efficiency rate were measured and compared among the fish in the different groups. The whole body and liver lipid compositions of fish fed the control diet were higher than those of the fish fed the GTE diets. Lysozyme activity in the plasma samples of fish fed the GTE diet showed an increasing trend in a dose-dependent manner. After administrating anesthesia (2-phenoxyethanol), the stress recovery time differed significantly between the control and the 3 and 5 % GTE diet groups and the mortality of fish fed on the GTE diet was significantly lower than that of the control group. In addition, plasma glucose levels in the fish fed the 3 % GTE diet showed a rapid recovery. Our results showed that the addition of GTE to the fish diet improved lipid utilization, lysozyme activity and stress recovery, and reduced total cholesterol levels in a dose-dependent manner.     

基于微卫星标记的许氏平鲉卵巢不同分区子代多重父权分析

许氏平鲉(Sebastes schlegelii)具有特殊的卵胎生繁殖模式和长期储存精子的特性。虽然先前有关于许氏平鲉多重父权的研究报道, 但关于交配后雌鱼卵巢内子代的父权分布尚未有报道。本研究选取已纳精的雌性许氏平鲉为实验对象, 采用 6 个高度多态的微卫星位点对 9 尾雌鱼卵巢前部(靠近泄殖孔端)、中部、后部(远离泄殖孔端) 3 个分区的子代(共 291 个)进行父权分析。结果显示: (1) 9 尾雌鱼中有 8 尾(88.89%)检测到了多重父权现象, 平均父权数 3.56。其中 4 个母本子代群(50%, B>0)的各父本贡献率存在不同程度的偏倚; (2) 单因素方差分析结果显示, 父本在雌鱼卵巢 3 个分区的子代比例差异不显著; (3) 卡方均匀分布检验结果显示, 每个母本卵巢各分区的父权分布均无显著偏倚, 表明许氏平鲉卵巢内子代多重父权随机分布。分析认为, 交配时雌鱼卵巢尚未发育成熟, 来自不同雄性的精子在细小的卵巢内得以充分混合并储存于卵巢中, 雄性精子数量与精子活性的差异可能是导致父权贡献率发生偏倚的重要原因。研究结果进一步丰富了许氏平鲉繁殖生物学研究内容。     

黑棘鲷的命名和分类地位探究

为开展大亚湾黑鲷(Acanthopagrus schlegeli)的增殖和保护,于2018年1月、3月、4月和8—12月共采集了721尾黑鲷样本,研究了大亚湾黑鲷繁殖生物学的周年变化特征。结果表明,1)繁殖期的雌性全长为175~487 mm,均值为 (297.92±56.61) mm,体质量为90.96~1 907.12 g,均值为 (511.36±307.53) g,雄性全长为110~440 mm,均值为 (237.61±61.05) mm,体质量为21.92~1 370.00 g,均值为 (277.76±210.33) g,雌性个体全长显著大于雄性个体全长(P<0.001);2)性腺成熟系数和性腺发育表明大亚湾黑鲷繁殖期为11月至翌年3月;3)具有雌雄同体个体存在,表明该物种会发生性逆转,且表现为雄性个体先成熟再向雌性转变;4) 50%性成熟雌性全长达到248.52 mm,雄性为148.03 mm;5)卵径频率分布表明黑鲷为分批产卵型鱼类,绝对繁殖力为84 100~2 655 168粒,均值为 (728 732±499 547) 粒;全长相对繁殖力为380.54~8 271.55粒·mm⁻¹,均值为 (2 731.44±1 630.93) 粒·mm⁻¹,体质量相对繁殖力为277.58~3 592.83粒·g⁻¹,均值为 (1 443.87±766.82) 粒·g⁻¹,绝对繁殖力与全长、体质量及性腺质量均呈显著线性相关。

     

Age validation,growth and annual reproductive cycle of chub mackerel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scomber japonicus</Emphasis> off the waters of northern Kyushu and in the East China Sea

The age and growth of chub mackerel Scomber japonicus collected from the East China Sea and the northern waters off Kyushu between June 2000 and June 2001 were determined by observing the otolith surface after dipping it in xylene. The translucent and opaque zones on the otolith surface were identified, and the number of translucent zones was counted. Monthly changes in the frequency of fish with translucent zones on the otolith margin, and in the marginal increments, indicated that the translucent zones were formed between April and June. The seasonal pattern of annulus formation on the otolith became clear by observing the otoliths of fish with known ages, and the otolith formation in wild fish was consistent with that of fish with known ages. The mean gonadosomatic index of male and female fish was high from March to May, and spawning females were observed from mid-March to mid-May. The estimated ages were 1–5 years for males and 1–6 years for females. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters did not significantly differ between male and female. The model was obtained as FL _t=406×{1−exp[−0.372×(t+1.68)]     

Prediction of cannibalism in juvenile black rockfish,Sebastes schlegelii (Hilgendorf, 1880), based on morphometric characteristics and paired trials

To predict the occurrence of cannibalism in the culture of larval black rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii, we developed a regression model based on morphometric measurements. First, 156 black rockfish were measured to obtain a theoretical model, that is L_{T prey} = 0.624 L_{T cannibal} + 0.835. Then, 202 trials of paired fish, together with 31 pairs of cannibalistic fish, were used to revise this model, and the practical model was constructed: L_{T prey} = 0.522 L_T cannibal + 4.908 (R² = 0.99). According to this equation, the threshold of size ratio was deduced, that is 1.30–1.69, which could be used to grade black rockfish by size and remove potential cannibals.     

Exposure to salinity stress cause ovarian disruption in a stenohaline freshwater teleost,Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794)

Stenohaline freshwater fish with narrow salinity tolerance are susceptible to saline stress from global climate change and anthropogenic activities. The present study elucidated that saline exposure during the sensitive window of preparatory phase of oocyte maturation significantly affected gonadosomatic index, ovarian histology and morphometric features of oocytes in a stenohaline freshwater catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) in a dose (2 ppt, 5 ppt)—and duration (8, 24 days)‐dependent manner. The gonads of H. fossilis show annual maturation cycle. Loss of integrity of ovigerous lamellae, disruption of ovarian stroma, disrupted oolemma, ooplasmic vacuolization, damaged germinal vesicles and altered morphometry of previtellogenic oocytes, such as chromatin‐nucleolus, early perinucleolar and late perinucleolar, elucidated consistent effects of saline exposure except at 8 days exposure to 2 ppt of saline. Increased salinity might have affected the transmembrane ion/water transport and disrupted the osmotic balance in ovary that eventually led to impairment in growth of ovary and oocyte maturation. The susceptibility of ovary to comparatively less concentrations of saline exposure might be due to sensitiveness of ovary/oocytes during the early phase of growth. Fluctuating salinity along with other stressors can affect metabolic and growth rates, fecundity and ultimately survival of fish.