Survival,growth and biomass of mud polychaete Marphysa iloiloensis (Annelida: Eunicidae) under different culture techniques

Polychaetes are commercially exploited as fishing bait and supplemental diet to crustacean and finfish broodstock. However, scarcity of supply and biosecurity issues limits its use. Polychaete aquaculture has become the best alternative to wild resources. In this study, two different culture techniques (1‐sediment tank throughout the culture period and 2‐nursery tank with bioflocs for 30 days; thereafter, juveniles were transferred to sediment tank until harvest) using two diets [bioflocs (BF) and feed mill sweepings (FS)] were tested to determine the survival, growth and biomass of polychaete Marphysa iloiloensis (Glasby et al., Zootaxa, 2019, 4674) in the grow‐out. The 180‐day trial was conducted in 16 tanks (0.20 m²) stocked with 5,066 ± 575 M. iloiloensis trochophore larvae/tank which were assigned randomly into four culture treatments with four replicates each. The treatments were labelled as: (a) BFS – fed BF in sediment tank for 180 days; (b) BF + BFS – fed BF in nursery tank for 30 days, juveniles were transferred in sediment tank and fed BF for another 150 days; (c) FSS – fed FS in sediment tank for 180 days; and (d) BF + FSS – fed BF in nursery tank for 30 days, juveniles are transferred in sediment tank and fed FS for another 150 days. Results showed that polychaetes in BF + FSS had significantly higher survival than BFS. Polychaetes in both BF + FSS and FSS had significantly higher body weight than BF + BFS and BFS, while biomass in BF + FSS (175.73 ± 42.25 g/tank) was significantly higher compared to other treatments (p < .05). Polychaetes fed with FS had 61%–64% protein and 12%–13% fat, while those fed with BF exclusively had 66%–70% protein and 3.50%–4.50% fat. The findings indicate that FS whether or not BF is included in the diet can improve both survival and growth of polychaetes but significantly higher biomass can be achieved with the combination of BF and FS. Additionally, polychaetes in BF + FSS contained 64% protein and 13% fat. Therefore, BF can be used as an alternative diet to FS in the early life stages of M. iloiloensis and nursery rearing using BF is imperative to increase its biomass in the grow‐out production.     

Molecular identification and distribution of mangrove oysters ( Crassostrea) in an estuarine ecosystem in Southeast Brazil: implications for aquaculture and fisheries management

This study investigated the existing species of Crassostrea in the natural environment, farming systems and artificial spat collectors at a protected estuarine area in Brazil, through PCR‐RFLP of mitochondrial 16S rRNA. Among 450 samples collected in the natural environment, 303 were C. brasiliana and 147 C. rhizophorae. Oysters present in the rocky subtidal zone were C. brasiliana. However, both species occurred on mangrove roots in the intertidal zone. Farm‐raised samples included only C. brasiliana. It was observed that attached specimens in commercial collectors had a banding pattern distinct from C. brasiliana and C. rhizophorae, indicating the presence of a third species in the estuary. The 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that these specimens are clustered with the oysters from Pacific and Indian Oceans, and genetically close to the oysters of Beihai, China (0.3% genetic distance). Oysters obtained from the seed capture showed 17.8% distance of in relation to C. brasiliana, 17.6% for C. rhizophorae and 10.3% for C. gigas, demonstrating high genetic divergence from these species. The occurrence of an exotic species in the Cananéia estuary may have strong ecological and economic implications which require new guidelines for farming, conservation and sustainable fisheries management for the native oyster species.     

Detection of Herpesvirus anguillae during two mortality investigations of wild European eel in England: implications for fishery management

Herpesvirus anguillae (HVA) was detected during disease investigations of European eel, Anguilla anguilla L. at two stillwater fisheries in central England. These represent the first records of HVA from UK eels. Both mortalities were eel‐specific and took place during August 2009 and July 2010 at water temperatures between 17 and 19.4 °C. Pathological changes consistent with HVA infection included haemorrhaging in the fins, skin lesions and necrosis within the gills and liver. Transmission electron microscopy revealed active virion replication within the gill tissue. An initial assessment of risk is presented, indicating that HVA represents a high disease risk to UK eel stocks. However, further studies are required to establish the distribution of HVA before a reliable assessment of impact may be obtained. Until then, the detection of HVA holds important implications for eel conservation and management, in particular eel stocking activity.     

Rhodopseudomonas palustris in effluent enhances the disease resistance,TOR and NF‐κB signalling pathway,intestinal microbiota and aquaculture water quality of Pelteobagrus vachelli

The use of traditional bait and medicament in freshwater aquaculture exacerbates environmental pollution and leads to frequent occurrence of diseases. Effluent collected after Rhodopseudomonas palustris‐mediated wastewater treatment could be reutilized as microbial feeds, medicament and aquaculture water to culture Pelteobagrus vachelli. Therefore, a novel integrated system of wastewater treatment using effluent containing R. palustris that improves yield, increases disease resistance and enhances the quality of aquaculture water for P. vachelli culture was proposed and investigated. P. vachelli can grow well in effluent containing R. palustris (ER). The survival rate, yield and whole‐body composition of the ER group were all increased compared to those of the control group (CK). The biochemical (B vitamin) and other substances in the effluent of R. palustris enhanced the activity of proteases, amylases, lipases, alkaline phosphatase (AKP), acid phosphatase (ACP), phagocytic, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) by up‐regulating the expression of AKP, ACP, SOD and CAT genes. Theoretical analysis showed that biochemical substances regulated the expression of these genes and enzyme activities as stimulus signal, component and active centre. Moreover, R. palustris and biochemical substances improved the target of rapamycin (TOR) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) signalling pathways and intestinal microbiota. Furthermore, R. palustris inhibited Aeromonas hydrophila, which increased resistance to fish diseases and promoted the growth of intestinal probiotics. Meanwhile, R. palustris in effluent also purified the quality of aquaculture water. Use of this technology simultaneously helped improve aquaculture water quality, reduce water pollution and wastewater discharge and increased the output and disease resistance of P. vachelli.     

The role of polychaete Nereis diversicolor in bioremediation of wastewater and its growth performance and fatty acid composition in an integrated culture system with Huso huso (Linnaeus, 1758)

This study was undertaken to evaluate the role of polychaete Nereis diversicolor in bioremediation of waste water and its growth performance and fatty acid composition in an integrated culture system with great sturgeon, Huso huso. Three treatments consisting of N. diversicolor fed with H. huso waste (FNW), N. diversicolor fed with fish feed waste (NW), and fish waste without the worm (FW) were considered at water temperature of 23°C for 8 weeks. The obtained results demonstrated that N. diversicolor in the flow‐through system could grow via feeding with the fish waste water. The pure production and survival rate of harvested Nereis in NW treatment were significantly higher than those of FNW treatment (p < .05). However, no significant difference was observed in specific growth rate and weight gain between these two treatments (p > .05). The highest removal efficiency of waste water including total nitrogen (56%), total phosphorus (53%), NO₂‐N (91%), NH₃‐N (35%)_, PO₄‐P (47%), BOD₅ (60%) were seen in FNW treatment. Also, the highest additional efficiency of NO₃‐N occurred in FW (37%) treatment. Certain fatty acids specifically 20:5 ω3 (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]) and 22:6 ω6 (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) were also abundant in Nereis, and analysis revealed some differences due to the diet. These results demonstrated that the promotion of growth by cultured Nereis can enhance the decomposition rate of organic matter in enriched sediment and minimize negative effects in fish farms. These results also suggest that the use of N. diversicolor is an excellent potential candidate for an integrated aquaculture and nutrient recycling including the removal of organic wastes.     

Larval rearing of the giant Azorean barnacle,Megabalanus azoricus (Pilsbry, 1916): feeding trials,larval development and settlement on artificial substrata

A series of experiments were conducted to obtain an efficient larval rearing protocol for Megabalanus azoricus. The first part of this study investigates the effect of microalgae‐based diets on survival and larval development. Mono and mixed‐diets were tested at 20 ± 1°C, in a sequence of 11‐day feeding experiments. The second part presents a preliminary study on the influence of a biofilm on recruitment and use of oyster spat collectors in a mass rearing system. A photographic record of larval development and a brief reference to the diagnostic features that enable quick larval staging are also presented, along with morphometric measurements. Of the microalgae tested (Chaetoceros sp., Chloromonas sp., Dunaliella sp., T‐Isochrysis sp. and Skeletonema sp.) the mixed‐diet Skeletonema sp. with T‐Isocrysis sp. showed the highest survival percentages: total survival ranged from 79.7 to 85.7% and 69.7–80.0% of nauplii were in stage VI after 11 days of rearing. Cypris were also present, but only represented 5.3% of the survivors at most. In the mass rearing system juveniles were found settled in the collectors after 25 days, at 20 ± 1°C. However recruitment was less than 1%. Preliminary results showed no settlement preference towards collectors with biofilm. Nevertheless, this study provides the first record of M. azoricus settlement under laboratorial conditions and represent a starting point for future larval rearing studies.     

Biofloc technology in intensive broodstock farming of the pink shrimp Farfantepenaeus duorarum: spawning performance,biochemical composition and fatty acid profile of eggs

A 45‐day trial was performed to evaluate the effect of biofloc technology (BFT) with or without fresh food (FF) supplementation during pre‐maturation period on Farfantepenaeus duorarum spawning performance, biochemical composition and fatty acid profile of eggs as compared with conventional clear‐water system (CW+FF). Females raised in biofloc and that received FF supplementation (FLOC+FF) achieved better spawning performance in terms of number of eggs per spawn (49 × 10³), number of eggs per spawn per g of spawner's body weight (2.1 × 10³) and egg size (~275 μm) as compared with CW+FF (23 × 10³, 1.1 × 10³ and 263 μm respectively), but both treatments did not vary from FLOC (P > 0.05). High spawning activity was also observed in biofloc system as compared with clear‐water system as shown in number of spawns per ablated female (2.2–3.0 versus 0.6) and percentage of females that spawn at least once (80–82 versus 25%). Biochemical composition of eggs presented no significant differences among treatments. FA profile of eggs indicated that high spawning activity performed by females in FLOC+FF treatment was reflected in lower mean levels of EPA, DHA and sum of polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3) and (n‐6). The better reproductive performance demonstrated by females raised in biofloc justified the application of this technology in F. duorarum broodstock.     

Prevalence of nematode parasite,Contracaecum, in Nile tilapia,African catfish and Barbus species in Lake Hawassa,Ethiopia

A cross‐sectional study was conducted from November 2017 to March 2018 at Lake Hawassa to determine the prevalence of larval Contracaecum infestation in Nile tilapia, (Oreochromis niloticus), African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) and Barbus species (Barbus intermedius). Fifty‐two point six per cent (52.6%) previous prevalence and 5% precision were used to estimate the sample size. Accordingly, a total of 383 randomly sampled fish species comprising of 163 (42.6%) C. gariepinus, 159 (41.5%) O. niloticus and 61(15.9%) B. intermedius were examined. The length and weight of each sampled fish were recorded. All the sampled fish were examined for the evidence of Contracaecum parasites in Hawassa University Veterinary Parasitology and Pathology Laboratory. Chi‐square values and comparison of proportions were used to analyse the data. The overall prevalence of Contracaecum parasites of fish population was 31.6%. The distribution of parasite was significantly affected by fish species (p = .000), sexes (p = .018), length (p = .003) and weight classes of fish (p = .026). As a hygienic problem and gutting activity conducted at the sides of the Lake Hawassa and distribution of discarded fish wastes for surrounding piscivorous birds by butchers and other people, the life cycle of Contracaecum parasite was perpetuated. Thus, the parasite is of zoonotic significance. Therefore, awareness creation activities for societies and control of fish parasites should be conducted in the study area.     

Optimization of growth requirements and scale‐up cultivation of freshwater algae Desmodesmus armatus using response surface methodology

In order to optimize the optimal cultivation conditions of freshwater algae Desmodesmus armatus for biomass production. In this study, the optimum source of carbon, nitrogen and intensity of light were investigated. Particularly, the variables which are affect the biomass of D. armatus was screened by the Plackett‐Burman (PB) method. Furthermore, the optimized medium composition using central composite design (CCD) of response surface method (RSM) central for D. armatus was reconstituted accordingly to have 0.93 g/L nitrate, 0.04 g/L phosphate, 0.15 g/L magnesium sulphate and 0.07 g/L bicarbonate, and optimum growth conditions of temperature at 27°C, light intensity of 108 μmol m^?2 s^?1, pH 7.00 and air flow of 0.50 L/min. After 12 days, the biomass, protein and polysaccharose content were 1.65 ± 0.15 g/L, 53.61 ± 1.25% and 6.15 ± 0.43%, respectively. Finally, the optimized conditions were applied to the outdoor 800‐L photobioreactor for scale‐up cultivation.     

Visceral granulomas in farmed large yellow croaker,Larimichthys crocea (Richardson), caused by a bacterial pathogen,Pseudomonas plecoglossicida

An enzootic disease characterized by granulomas in internal organs occurred in cage‐farmed large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea (Richardson), in April and November 2010, in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. One bacterial strain, named XSDHY‐P, was isolated from the diseased fish and identified by biochemical characterization, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis and multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA). According to the results obtained from the biochemical tests, FAME analysis and phylogenetic analysis derived from 16S ribosomal RNA, gyrB, oprF, oprI, oprL and rpoD gene sequencing, the bacterial isolate, XSDHY‐P, was identified as Pseudomonas plecoglossicida. Moreover, lethal dose, 50% trials were carried out to demonstrate the virulence of XSDHY‐P in large yellow croaker when administered at 2.13 × 10⁵ colony‐forming units per fish. Visceral granulomas were found in the experimentally infected fish as well as in the naturally infected fish, indicating that P. plecoglossicida is another bacterial pathogen that causes granulomatosis in L. crocea.     

Weaning methods using formulated feeds for snakehead (Channa striata and Channa micropeltes) larvae

The culture of snakehead fish (Channa striata and Channa micropeltes) in Vietnam is limited, and snakehead culture has been banned in Cambodia, because traditional practices include capture of fingerlings from the wild as seed, as well as capture of small‐size (also known as trash fish or low‐value) fish. As hatchery breeding technology has improved, we investigated the optimal weaning practices for these two species. Both laboratory experiments and farm trials were conducted. For C. striata, the optimal weaning procedure is to begin at 17 days after hatch (dah) and wean the fish at 10% replacement of live feed with formulated feed per day. However, for C. micropeltes, the optimal procedure is to wait until 40 dah to begin weaning and then to wean the fish with a 10% replacement of live feed with formulated feed every 3 days. These results should enable farmers to domesticate snakehead culture in Vietnam and Cambodia and eliminate reliance on fish captured from the wild as both seed and feed.     

Spatial patterns of recreational exploitation in eastern Australian ROFAs: implications for zonal management

Effective management of recreational fisheries requires information on fine‐scale spatial patterns of recreational exploitation. Such information is particularly important for specially designated regions such as recreational‐only fishing areas (ROFAs). Using data acquired through progressive counts and interview‐based surveys, this study quantitatively compared recreational effort, harvest‐per‐unit‐effort (HPUE) and species composition among zonal habitats in three representative estuarine ROFAs in eastern Australia. The zones compared were as follows: (1) entrance channels; (2) lake areas; (3) artificial reefs; (4) tributary creeks; (5) rivers; and (6) canals. In most cases, effort was concentrated in the lake zones, which had the greatest access to fisheries resources. The lake and channel zones were associated with some of the highest HPUEs for key taxa [Acanthopagrus spp. (hybrid complex of Acanthopagrus butcheri (Munro) × Acanthopagrus australis (Owen)), Platycephalus fuscus (Cuvier), Sillago ciliata (Cuvier) and Girella tricuspidata (Quoy & Gaimard)] and a greater number of highly sought‐after species. Drawing on specific examples from these findings, this paper concludes by illustrating how spatial information on exploitation gained from this type of research can be used to meet the fundamental goals of recreational fisheries management at fine spatial scales.     

Effect of baiting gillnets in the Canadian Greenland halibut fishery

Catch rates were compared between gillnets with and without bait in the Greenland halibut Reinhardtius hippoglossoides (Walbaum) fishery off Baffin Island, Canada. Two different types of baiting techniques were compared: bait bags where squid were placed into 2‐mm mesh bags, and tied bait where squid were tied into meshes. Both types of baited gillnets significantly increased the capture of the target species, Greenland halibut, with increases of 253.8% and 149.7% for the bait bag and tied bait, respectively. Common bycatch species showed mixed effects, with roughhead grenadier Macrourus berglax Lacépède showing no increase in catch per unit effort (CPUE) for either bait type (p > 0.05), and porcupine crab Neolithodes grimaldii (Milne‐Edwards and Bouvier) only had a higher CPUE with baited gillnets when bait bags were placed on the footrope. Less common bycatch species—but with threatened populations—showed an increase in CPUE, including Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus (Bloch and Schneider) and Northern wolffish Anarhichas denticulatus Krøyer. Baiting gillnets affected the CPUE of gillnets in the Greenland halibut fishery, and management should consider how the increased CPUE of both target and bycatch species are affected by this new fishery trend.     

Growth and immune response of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man) postlarvae fed diets containing Chlorella vulgaris (Beijerinck)

A 50‐day growth trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Chlorella vulgaris (Beijerinck) as an ingredient in the diets of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man) postlarvae (PL30). Immune response (total haemocyte count and prophenoloxidase activity) was also assessed by subjecting postlarvae to a challenge test against Aeromonas hydrophila (Chester) for 14 days. Iso‐nitrogenous and iso‐lipidic test diets were prepared using a fishmeal‐based‐positive control diet (D0) and four basal diets with inclusion levels of 2% (D2), 4% (D4), 6% (D6) and 8% (D8) C. vulgaris. Postlarvae of M. rosenbergii were randomly stocked (mean initial body weight of 0.19 ± 0.02 g) in 30‐L tanks in three replicates per dietary treatment for evaluation of growth performance. Another set of postlarvae (mean initial body weight of 1.25 ± 0.02 g) was randomly distributed in 95‐L tanks in three replicates per dietary treatment for the assessment of immune response. Results showed that specific growth rate was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in postlarvae fed D4 and D6. Variations in values for carcass protein, lipid, moisture and ash were also evident. Postlarvae fed diets with Chlorella showed increased prophenol oxidase activity and total haemocyte counts. Moreover, survival rate after challenge with A. hydrophila was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Inclusion of C. vulgaris in diets enhanced immune response and resistance of M. rosenbergii postlarvae against A. hydrophila infection.     

Inter‐ and intra‐specific interactions affecting crustacean trap fisheries—Implications for management

The UK coastal trap fisheries target two key species, European lobster Homarus gammarus (L.) and brown crab Cancer pagurus L. Their stock status is assessed periodically using size‐based, yield‐per‐recruit analysis. Fishery trends are described using landings and, where available, effort data to estimate catch per unit of effort (CPUE), nominally proportional to abundance. Despite being caught together, assessments assume that concurrent capture of these species does not distort their individual CPUE estimates. Here, an in situ experiment tested impacts of inter‐specific and intra‐specific interactions by pre‐loading baited traps with different species and observing subsequent catches. Pre‐loaded European lobster significantly reduced brown crab catches, whereas, other species produced no such effects. The findings highlight the likely inconsistency of using CPUE as an index of abundance if landings data originate from a mixed‐species fishery in which species interactions and targeting behaviour of fishers are unknown or un‐quantified.     

Periphyton characteristics influence the growth and survival of Holothuria scabra early juveniles in an ocean nursery system

Floating hapas (fine mesh net enclosures) are a cost‐effective ocean nursery system to culture post‐metamorphic Holothuria scabra to release size. The growth of periphyton biofilm on hapas is a natural food source for early juveniles. This study investigated the effects of periphyton quality (i.e. chlorophyll‐a, phaeopigment, total biomass, autotrophic index or AI), water quality (nutrients, chlorophyll‐a) and environmental parameters (temperature, rainfall) on the temporal variation in the growth and survival of early juvenile (~3 mm) H. scabra reared in floating hapas. Five trials where the juveniles were reared for 60 days each in the eutrophic coastal waters of Bolinao, the Philippines were conducted during different months over 2 years. Significant differences in the growth and survival of juveniles among trials were found. Absolute growth rates (AGR) ranged widely (0.01–0.09 g/day). Trials with high AGR of juveniles (0.07–0.09 g/day) during the first 30 days of rearing had significantly higher chlorophyll‐a (chl‐a) in biofilm (15.9–27.5 mg/m²) and lower AI. Conversely, during the subsequent 30 days, trials with high AGR of juveniles (0.06–0.11 g/day) had significantly lower chl‐a and higher AI. Multivariate analyses showed that chl‐a in biofilm, AI and nutrients in the water column are good indicators of periphyton quality and juvenile growth rates in floating hapas. Further, this study validates the expansion of the feeding mode of juveniles from primarily grazing on microalgae, to feeding on detritus and heterotrophs as they grow. These results are important in optimizing ocean nursery systems.     

Carotenoid production by the marine microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata in different low‐cost culture media

Nannochloropsis oculata (Eustigmatophyceae) is a marine microalga of great biotechnological interest, mainly due to its large production of lipids containing polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, this species presents a wide range of commercial interest pigments, such as zeaxanthin, beta‐carotene, and other xanthophylls, with potential for several industrial applications. However, most of the research concerning pigment production by N. oculata has been conducted by employing high‐cost laboratorial growth media, which makes large‐scale pigment production using these microalgae impractical. Considering the high interest and commercial value in microalgae pigments, this study investigates the feasibility of producing pigments by N. oculata using five different low‐cost growth media (fertilizers and aquaculture effluents). Nutrient (ammonia, nitrite and phosphate) concentrations, cell abundance, biomass, and the concentration/composition of pigments were measured. The pigment profile of N. oculata showed chlorophyll‐a as the dominant pigment, along with violaxanthin, vaucheraxanthin, and lower concentrations of antheraxanthin, zeaxanthin and beta‐carotene. Although the highest biomass (516.4 ± 76.71 mg/L) and pigment content (0.98 mg/g) were achieved in the laboratory media (f/2), the low‐cost media (containing ammonium sulfate, calcium superphosphate and urea) revealed a great potential for the production of pigments, specially chlorophyll‐a, violaxanthin and zeaxanthin, due to the high pigment content per unit of biomass.     

Optimization of cultivation conditions for enhancing biomass,polysaccharide and protein yields of Chlorella sorokiniana by response surface methodology

On the basis of multiple single‐factor studies, the best conditions for each factor were selected by comparison. Taking the biomass, polysaccharide and protein yields of chlorella as response values, the four‐factor and three‐level response surface design experiment was performed on four parameters that significantly affected the response values to further determine the optimal conditions. The optimal parameters of the culture process were nitrogen source (urea), carbon source (sodium carbonate), nitrogen concentration (15.80 mmol/L), carbon concentration (0.36 mmol/L), phosphorus concentration (0.2 mmol/L), magnesium concentration (0.33 mmol/L), calcium concentration (0.25 mmol/L), iron concentration (0.02 mmol/L), initial pH (7.0), inoculation amount (6%) and ventilation capacity (40 L/hr). According to this process, the biomass, polysaccharide and protein yield of Chlorella sorokiniana obtained from indoor culture were close to the predicted value, which were more than three times as much as before, reaching 3.58, 0.52 and 0.46 g/L respectively. Chlorella sorokiniana, which was cultured outdoor according to the optimized process, increased its biomass, polysaccharide and protein yield by more than 1.5 times. Chlorella sorokiniana was significantly different before and after optimized culture. This provides a good source for the research of polysaccharide and protein of C. sorokiniana and helps the further study of its structure and biological activity, which makes the further development of its function more possible.     

Isolation,molecular characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of Aeromonas spp. obtained from Tiger Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) and Marble Goby (Oxyeleotris marmoratus) fish in Sabah,Malaysia

Aeromonads are ubiquitous in aquatic environments and have been implicated in fish and human infections. In this study, we isolated, studied antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and screened the existence of 15 virulence genes in aeromonads from two famously consumed fish species—seven marine Tiger Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) and eight freshwater Marble Goby (Oxyeleotris marmoratus) from the aquaculture hatchery in Sabah, Malaysia. A total of 30 aeromonads (17 A. caviae, 9 A. rivuli, 4 A. dhakensis) were identified using PCR targeting GCAT gene, rpoD‐restriction fragment length polymorphism and multi‐locus phylogenetic analysis. All 30 strains were resistant to amoxicillin and cephalothin and five strains were multidrug‐resistant. Nine virulence genes (lip, ela, eno, fla, aerA, hylA, dam, alt and ser) present in A. dhakensis, suggesting the virulence potential of this species as a fish pathogen. This study offers as a baseline for future studies in monitoring and managing these two fish in aquaculture industry.     

Effects of controlled air exposure on the survival,growth, condition,pathogen loads and refrigerated shelf life of eastern oysters

The benefits of exposing eastern oysters to air during commercial culture have not been well‐characterized. An adjustable longline system (ALS) designed in Australia and recently adopted by the nascent aquaculture industry in the northern Gulf of Mexico, allows growing oysters at any position in the water column and is perfectly suited to study the benefits of air exposure. Four‐month old diploid oysters were deployed in an ALS and divided into three groups: 1) oysters exposed to air daily for 8–12 hr during low tide, 2) oysters exposed to air weekly (~24 hr once a week), and 3) oysters kept subtidally. Oyster mortality and growth rates, Perkinsus marinus load and condition index were then determined every 3 months over 2 years, while refrigerated shelf life and Vibrio vulnificus load were determined in summer and early fall of the second year. Summer mortalities were delayed, P. marinus infection intensities tended to be lower and condition index was significantly higher in oysters exposed to air daily compared with oysters exposed to air weekly or held subtidally. Shell heights of oysters exposed to air daily were lower for most of the study due to a lower growth rate during the initial sampling interval following deployment. No consistent differences were found in V. vulnificus loads or refrigerated shelf lives between the groups. It is recommended that ALS be set so that oysters are kept subtidally fall through spring to promote growth, and exposed to air daily during summer to delay P. marinus proliferation.