Economic profitability of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) production in Kenya

Economic profitability of Nile tilapia production in Kenya was analysed using a model that simulated individual fish growth and took fish population dynamics in the pond into account. The results suggest that the currently practiced mixed‐sex tilapia culture is economically unsustainable. It is suggested that research and extension efforts be geared towards developing monosex Nile tilapia production systems. Nile tilapia culture with African catfish predation should be viewed as an intermediate step towards all‐male Nile tilapia culture. This will allow accumulation of both physical and human capital to support all‐male tilapia culture. Under all‐male culture, economic returns are high enough to justify investment in Nile tilapia culture using borrowed capital. However, the success of monosex culture will depend on the availability and affordability of quality fingerlings and low‐cost fish feeds. The results have a wide application in Sub‐Saharan Africa where mixed‐sex Nile tilapia culture is common.     

Improved performance of gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, larvae after ozone disinfection of the eggs

Ozone (O₃) dissolved in seawater (ODS) was evaluated, as an egg disinfectant, on the spawn of captive gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, brood stock. Four contact times (CT) were tested (0.6, 1.2, 2.4 and 4.8 mg min L⁻¹) where CT was calculated by multiplying the dissolved O₃ concentration (0.3 mg L⁻¹) by different exposure periods (2, 4, 8, 16 min). There was also a disinfected seawater treatment that contained no O₃ or derived compounds (CT 0) and an untreated seawater control. All ODS treatments reduced egg surface bacterial counts to zero, which was significantly (P<0.05) lower than the CT 0 and the control groups (194 and 1320 plate⁻¹ respectively). Nevertheless, the hatching rate was high in the control and the CT treatments 0, 0.6 and 1.2 (88.7%, 87.3%, 89.5% and 83.7% respectively) while eggs exposed to a CT 2.4 and 4.8 hatched poorly (36.5% and 20.4% respectively), which was likely due, at least in part, to larvae unable to break the egg chorion successfully. Swim‐bladder inflation was significantly higher in the ODS groups (>97%) compared with the control and CT 0 treatments (ca. 70%). The results suggest that a 2‐min exposure of eggs to 0.3 mg O₃ L⁻¹ of ODS (CT 0.6) would improve current protocols in marine larviculture.     

Growth performance and feed utilization of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) and tilapia galilae Sarotherodon galilaeus (Linnaeus, 1758) fingerlings fed plant protein-based diets

This study was designed to determine the effect of complete substitution of fish meal (FM) by three plant protein sources including extruded soybean meal (SBM), extruded full‐fat soybean (FFSB) and corn gluten meal (CGM) on growth and feed utilization of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and tilapia galilae Sarothrodon galilaeus. Four isonitrogenous of crude protein (ca. 28.0%) and isocaloric (ca. 19 MJ kg⁻¹) experimental diets were formulated. The control diet (diet 1) was prepared with FM as the main protein sources. Diets 2–4, each FM control diet, were completely substituted with SBM (diet 2), FFSB (diet 3) and CGM (diet 4). l ‐lysine and dl ‐methionine were added to plant protein diets to cover the nutritional requirements of tilapia. Each treatment was allocated to three net pens and fed for 17 weeks. Nile tilapia fed the control diet showed significantly higher (P≤0.05) values for final body weight (FBW), feed intake (FI), weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR), whereas fish fed the diet with CGM achieved the lowest values. Tilapia galilae fed SBM diet recorded the highest (P≤0.05) values for growth performance. Better feed conversion ratio (FCR) for both Oreochromis niloticus and Sarothrodon galilaeus was observed when fish were fed SBM diet, whereas the worse FCR was recorded for FFSB diet. Feed utilization parameters including protein productive value (PPV), fat retention (FR) and energy retention (ER) showed significant differences (P≤0.05) for both the species fed different dietary protein sources. The present results suggest that, for Nile tilapia, both SBM and FFSB supplemented with dl ‐methionine and l ‐lysine can completely replace dietary FM. Meanwhile, S. galilaeus fed SBM diet exhibited comparable growth and feed utilization with those fish fed a fish‐meal‐based diet.     

Consumer perception versus scientific evidence of farmed and wild fish: exploratory insights from Belgium

The increasing number of marketable fish being supplied from aquaculture is a response to the increasing demand for healthy food and is filling the gap left by depleting natural fish stocks. Little is known about the awareness and perception of the consumer in terms of farmed fish versus fish from capture fisheries. The consumer's subjective point of view is of overriding importance for the production system and product acceptance as well as for future market success. In this paper consumer perception in Belgium is explored and compared against scientific evidence of farmed versus wild fish. Primary data were collected through a consumer survey (April 2003) and focus group discussions (May 2004) with Belgian consumers. The majority of the consumer sample reported no perceived differences between farmed versus wild fish. However, mean perception scores were slightly in favour of wild fish on the attributes taste, health and nutritious value, in particular among consumers aged 55 years and older. The availability of farmed fish was perceived to be better than that of wild fish, while the consumer's perception of safety did not differ between farmed and wild fish. The focus group discussions indicated that consumers’ opinions and beliefs about farmed fish are mainly based on emotion and image transfer from intensive terrestrial livestock production rather than on awareness and factual knowledge of aquaculture.

Population ecology and prey consumption by fathead minnows in prairie wetlands: importance of detritus and larval fish

Abstract –  The fathead minnow Pimephales promelas occurs in high densities in wetlands of the prairie pothole region (PPR) of North America, but food resources sustaining these populations are poorly known. We assessed population dynamics and prey consumption of fathead minnow populations in three PPR wetlands for 2 years. Fish density peaked at 107 fish per m² for all age classes combined. Larval and juvenile fish dominated these populations in terms of abundance and accounted for 83% of total prey consumption. Detritus dominated fish diets, representing 53%, 40% and 79% of diet mass for larval, juvenile and adult fish respectively. Detritus consumption was positively related to minnow density and negatively related to invertebrate abundance, but only for adult fish. Seasonal production:biomass ratios were unrelated to proportions of detritus in the diet for all ages of fish, indicating that detritus is an important food resource capable of meeting metabolic demands and sustaining fish growth in high-density populations. Detritus consumption may also weaken links between abundance of invertebrate prey and minnows, promoting dense fish populations with strong, consistent influences on wetland ecosystems.     

枯草芽孢杆菌对海水鱼塘生态因子的影响

为探讨枯草芽孢杆菌(Bacillus subtilis)在鱼类养殖池塘中的生态作用,采用直接往养殖水体中投放该制剂的方法,研究分析微生物数量及其与环境因子的相关关系。结果显示,枯草芽孢杆菌,实验池数量为0.35×10~3~1.45×10~3cfu/m L,对照池为0.04×10~3~0.08×10~3cfu/m L;浮游植物生物量,实验池为0.094~1.521 mg/L,对照池为0.103~0.763 mg/L,实验池中枯草芽孢杆菌数量和浮游植物生物量均高于对照组。试验鱼塘中枯草芽孢杆菌与硅藻数量呈显著正相关,相关系数0.844(P0.05);当溶氧≥6 mg/L时,枯草芽孢杆菌与亚硝酸盐氮含量呈显著负相关,相关系数-0.915(P0.05)。溶氧过低(2 mg/L)时,枯草芽孢杆菌对亚硝酸盐氮、氨氮没有明显的降解作用;溶氧≥6 mg/L时,对亚硝酸盐氮、氨氮的降解作用明显。研究表明,投放适量浓度的枯草芽孢杆菌能有效改善养殖水体状况,对水质起到进一步净化作用。     

瀑布沟水电站成库后鱼类组成变化与保护对策

通过探究瀑布沟水电站建成后鱼类物种结构与建库前的相应变化,为有针对性的生态补偿措施提供参考,还可为西部地区水电开发与自然生态保护的协调发展提供宏观决策依据。基于1985年、2002年和2012年在瀑布沟库尾至坝下河段的调查数据,研究了瀑布沟水电站水库形成前后库区鱼类物种组成、渔获物结构以及保护物种分布的变化趋势。2012年库区调查共采集到鱼类14种,相比1985年和2002年分别减少了53种和51种,群落组成中定居性鱼类物种比例及渔获物比例均显著上升,适应流水环境的鱼类所占比例大幅下降。渔获物中优势物种为鲫(Carassius auratus),占渔获总重量的比例为61.59%,而在前2次调查中占据优势的齐口裂腹鱼(Schizothorax prenanti)和重口裂腹鱼(Schizothorax davidi)几近消失。研究结果显示,水库形成后鱼类组成已发生显著改变,适应流水生境的鱼类在库区难以捕获,而静水性鱼类比例则显著升高;重口裂腹鱼等保护物种以及四川白甲鱼(Onychostoma angustistomata)等特有鱼类因水文条件的变化总体上表现为资源量下降,同时分布区域向坝下或库尾等流域生境迁移。针对成库后鱼类物种的变化特征,提出了实施生态保护、规划过鱼设施以及开展增殖放流等措施和建议。     

基于环境水力学的产漂流性卵鱼类早期资源量估算方法改进

针对鱼类早期资源量估算方法误差大的问题,基于环境水力学,建立鱼卵移流扩散的瞬时点源二维模型,并对模型进行参数选取、守恒验证,分析了鱼类早期资源量传统估算方法的误差,提出一种新的基于环境水力学的产漂流性卵鱼类早期资源量估算方法。结果表明,中心产卵群体,从产卵点到下游约80 km范围内的断面,鱼卵密度呈钟形分布,由传统方法估算得到的早期资源量低于真实值,最大误差为17.5%;对于近岸产卵群体,从产卵点到下游约200 km范围内的断面,鱼卵密度随距离增加呈指数下降,由传统方法估算得到的资源量高于真实值,最大误差为-33.9%;当断面鱼卵密度均匀分布,即中心产卵和近岸产卵时,产卵场下游80 km和200 km后的断面鱼卵密度沿断面分布均匀,传统方法估算结果较为准确,不必进行校正。改进的估算方法可用于计算产漂流性鱼卵的鱼类早期资源量。     

短须裂腹鱼有氧游泳能力及其行为的实验研究

研究短须裂腹鱼的游泳能力、运动生理及游泳行为,为过鱼设施的设计提供参考依据。实验用15尾短须裂腹鱼于2013年7月中旬采自金沙江上游玛曲河河口处,体长(23.83±2.47)cm,体重(224.95±76.83)g。游泳能力测试装置采用丹麦Loligo Systems公司生产的大型游泳水槽。(1)短须裂腹鱼临界游泳速度为(75.04±7.6)cm/s、(3.17±0.42)BL/s;(2)运动耗氧率与游泳速度呈幂函数关系:MO2=100.00+42.61U1.81(R2=0.995,P0.001);单位距离耗氧率(COT)与游泳速度的关系也呈幂函数关系:COT=0.12U-1+0.04U1.02(R2=0.898,P0.001),最适游速Uopt=1.81 BL/s,COTmin=0.14 mg/(kg·m);(3)随着游泳速度的增加,尾摆幅度的变化不显著(P0.05),变化范围为0.17~0.26 BL、平均(0.21±0.02)BL,而尾摆频率和运动步长都呈线性增加的趋势。     

雅砻江支流安宁河鱼类群落组成及资源现状

为了解安宁河鱼类资源现状,于2013年3月至2014年12月对安宁河及其支流18个采样点进行了5次调查,共计采集鱼类3 113尾,隶属4目、10科、35属、52种,其中长江上游特有鱼类13种;鱼类区系包括中国平原、南方平原、南方山地、中亚山地、北方平原和晚第三纪早期6个区系复合体;其中,中亚山地区系复合体占优(40.4%)。安宁河不同河段Jaccard's相似性指数在0.12~0.47,鱼类群落相似性总体较低。根据IRI(100为优势种)指数计算结果,麦穗鱼(Pseudorasbora parva)、齐口裂腹鱼(Schizothorax prenanti)、红尾副鳅(Paracobitis variegatus)、西昌高原鳅(Triplophysa xichangensis)、斯氏高原鳅(Triplophysa stoliczkae)、东方高原鳅(Triplophysa orientalis)、鲇(Silurus asotus)和白缘鱼央(Liobagrus marginatus)8种鱼类为安宁河优势种。根据个体生物学测量,安宁河主要渔获对象规格较小,齐口裂腹鱼均重285.8 g/尾,红尾副鳅均重7.2 g/尾,鲫(Carassius auratus)均重78.3 g/尾,鲤(Cyprinus carpio)均重361.1 g/尾,鲇均重93.7 g/尾,表明可能存在过度捕捞现象。多样性分析显示,Margalef丰富度指数(R)在1.95~4.47,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H)在1.75~2.33,Pielou均匀度指数(E)在0.67~0.73。安宁河鱼类多样性相比同区域其它河流偏低,可能与安宁河鱼类群落受到各种干扰、生境异质性降低、鱼类群落已发生演替有关。对比历史资料,鱼类种类数从82种下降至52种,在不同区域的各分类阶元均有所减少,且有自上而下加重的趋势。水电开发、河道采砂以及资源不合理利用等是影响安宁河鱼类资源的主要因素。基于研究结果,建议尽快加强安宁河鱼类资源保护。