Using Bacillus subtilis E20‐fermented soybean meal as replacement for fish meal in the diet of orange‐spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides,Hamilton)

The potential of Bacillus subtilis E20‐fermented soybean meal (FSBM) as a partial alternative component of fish meal (FM) in fed diets of orange‐spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) was evaluated in this study. An FM‐based diet and seven diets containing 10%, 20% and 30% and 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of FM replaced by soybean meal (SBM) and FSBM, respectively, were fed to grouper for 84 days to evaluate possible substitution levels of FM by tracking growth performance, digestive enzyme activity and morphological changes in the liver and distal intestine. No significant differences in survival and muscle composition of grouper were found between controls and treatments. Growth performance and feed efficiency of fish fed diets with FM replaced by FSBM up to 30% were not significantly different from controls, whereas significantly decreased growth performance and feed efficiency occurred with diets containing >20% of SBM. Based on the feed efficiency, the maximum substituted levels of FM by SBM and FSBM in grouper diets were 18.36% and 29.32%, respectively, based on broken‐line analyses. Histopathological changes in the liver and distal intestine, and significantly lower activity levels of digestive enzymes, including pepsin in the stomach and trypsin, chymotrypsin, amylase and lipase in the distal intestine, were found in fish fed a diet containing 30% of FM replaced by SBM. However, these parameters were improved by the substitution of FSBM. It is therefore believed that FSBM has great potential to be used as a protein source in grouper diets in partial replacement of FM.     

From small-scale habitat loopholes to decadal cycles: a habitat-based hypothesis explaining fluctuation in pelagic fish populations off Peru

The Peru‐Humboldt Current system (HCS) supports the world's largest pelagic fisheries. Among the world's eastern boundary current systems, it is the most exposed to high climatic stress and is directly affected by El Niño and La Niña events. In this volatile ecosystem, fish have been led to develop adaptive strategies in space and time. In this paper, we attempt to understand the mechanisms underlying such strategies, focusing on the El Niño 1997–98 in Peru from which an extensive set of hydrographic, capture and acoustic survey data are available. An integrated analysis of the data is crucial, as each has substantial shortcomings individually; for example, both catch data and acoustic surveys may easily lead to wrong conclusions. Existing hypotheses on anchovy and sardine alternations lead us to a ‘habitat‐based’ synthetic hypothesis. Using our data, an integrated approach evaluated how fish responded to habitat variation, and determined the consequences in terms of fish‐population variability. Various factors occurring at a range of different spatio‐temporal scales were considered: interdecadal regime (warm ‘El Viejo’/cool ‘La Vieja’ decadal scale); strength and the duration of the El Niño Southern Oscillation event (interannual scale); population condition before the event (interannual scale); fishing pressure and other predation (annual scale); changes in reproductive behaviour (intra‐annual scale); presence of local upwelling (local scale). During El Niño 1997–98, anchovy was able to exploit a small‐scale temporal and spatial ‘loophole’ inside the general unfavourable conditions. Moreover, sardine did not do better than anchovy during this El Niño and was not able to take advantage of the ‘loophole’ opened by this short‐term event. Our results question the traditional view that El Niño is bad for anchovy and good for sardine.     

Lessons from the past: the collapse of Jamaican coral reefs

Since Pre-Columbian times, humans have exploited Jamaican marine ecosystems with significant consequences for flora and fauna. This study focuses on the history of reef fish exploitation in Jamaica, from first human occupation to the present day, to determine how past fishing activities contributed to subsequent declines in the coral reef ecosystem. The pattern of declining reef fish populations was nonlinear. Reef fish first declined in prehistoric times but then potentially recovered, following genocide of the native human population. Reduced fishing pressure lasted until the mid-19th century. At that time, depletion of reef fish populations again occurred with a precipitous decline from the 1850s to the 1940s. The final shift from relatively abundant to overfished marine fauna corresponded to subtle changes in fish trap design as well as development of recreational fishing. Government subsidies throughout the second half of the 20th century exacerbated the declines. This analysis shows that local artisanal fisheries with relatively low levels of effort and seemingly subtle shifts in technology can significantly impact the coral reef ecosystem and that declines occurred decades to centuries before modern ecological studies began. This research shows how historical analysis can be a powerful tool to minimize shifted baselines and establish realistic targets for recovery and sustainable management of marine ecosystems.     

Angling for endangered fish: conservation problem or conservation action?

Recreational angling has been implicated in population declines of some marine and freshwater fish, but this activity is rarely considered as a threat or even halted when endangered species are targeted. Indeed, in some cases, anglers are drawn to fish for rare or endangered species. Conservation‐oriented behaviours such as catch‐and‐release are often practiced voluntarily due to the ethics of anglers, yet even in these cases, some fishing mortality occurs. Nonetheless, there are many indirect conservation benefits associated with recreational angling. Here, we present a series of case‐studies and consider whether catch‐and‐release angling for endangered fish is a conservation problem or a conservation action. If recreational angling activities contribute to population‐level consequences that are contrary to recovery strategies, then angling for endangered species would seem to be a poor option. However, as revealed by several case‐studies, there is much evidence that anglers are vocal and effective proponents of fish and habitat conservation, and for endangered species, they are often the only voice when other stakeholders are not engaged. Anglers may contribute directly to conservation actions via user fees (e.g. licences), philanthropic donations or by volunteering in research, education and restoration activities. However, it is important to quantify post‐release mortality as well as understand the full suite of factors influencing a given population or species to know the potential risks. A risk assessment approach outlined in the paper may be used by managers to determine when the benefits of angling for endangered species outweigh the risks.     

南海灯笼鱼加工优质鱼粉的关键工艺研究

以南海优势鱼种灯笼鱼(Myctophum)为原料,对生产优质鱼粉的关键工艺脱腥、蒸煮温度、蒸煮时间、蒸煮p H、干燥温度进行了研究,并测定了产品品质指标。结果表明,灯笼鱼生产优质鱼粉的最佳工艺参数为脱腥液脱腥60 min,蒸煮温度95℃,蒸煮时间10 min,蒸煮p H 6.0,干燥温度80℃。在此条件下得到的灯笼鱼鱼粉中各组分的质量分数为粗蛋白61.92%,粗脂肪9.07%,水分9.32%,盐分2.59%,粗灰分17.45%,鱼粉的胃蛋白酶消化率为86.82%。     

浙江中北部沿岸春、夏季鱼卵和仔稚鱼种类组成与数量分布

根据2008年4,5,6月在浙江中北部沿岸禁渔区线内45个站位开展的产卵场调查资料,研究分析了该海域鱼卵、仔稚鱼的种类组成和数量分布。结果表明,本海区共出现鱼卵、仔稚鱼64个种类,分别隶属13目36科47属,能鉴定到种的有47种,鉴定到科的有17种。3个航次的调查共采集到鱼卵5 846个和仔稚鱼5 502个。其中4月最少,仅采集到鱼卵366个和仔稚鱼1 445个,分别占鱼卵和仔稚鱼总数量的6.26%、26.26%;5月份共采集到鱼卵1 530个和仔稚鱼1 551个,分别占鱼卵和仔稚鱼总数量的26.17%、28.19%;6月份数量最多,共采集到鱼卵3 950个和仔稚鱼2 506个,分别占总数的67.57%、45.55%,4—6月鱼卵、仔稚鱼的数量呈月递增趋势。鱼卵中石首鱼科未定种最多占10.06%,其次黄姑鱼占6.45%,再次为凤鲚占总数的6.06%。凤鲚仔稚鱼数量最多,占总种类数的34.06%,其次为虾虎鱼科仔稚鱼,占24.25%,再次为鲻科鱼类仔稚鱼,占23.57%。调查发现杭州湾是凤鲚的主要产卵场,其仔稚鱼也主要分布在杭州湾内,少量分布在舟山渔场和鱼山渔场。小黄鱼产卵场主要分布在舟山渔场、鱼山渔场外侧。从产卵时间和渔场分布来看,鱼山渔场是最早集中的水域,随着时间推移,产卵场的中心区向北部水域的舟山渔场转移。研究的海域内重要经济鱼类大黄鱼、小黄鱼、银鲳的鱼卵数量百分比明显下降,由1960年的优势种成为现在的非优势种;主要经济鱼类中鳓、凤鲚所占比例相对增加,但绝对数量有所下降。在某种程度上说明,沿岸水域资源补充量有所减少,这可能与水域环境变化及过度捕捞导致亲体量减少有关。     

大亚湾鱼卵、仔稚鱼种群特征与环境因子的相关关系

为了解大亚湾鱼卵、稚仔鱼种群动态变化及其与环境因子的关系, 2015年采用浅水I型浮游生物拖网对大亚湾鱼卵、仔稚鱼进行了4个季度的调查,结果表明,4个季度共采获鱼卵31361粒,仔稚鱼244尾。经鉴定分析共有27种,其中鱼卵19种,隶属于6目16科18属;仔稚鱼18种,隶属于5目15科16属;鱼卵、仔稚鱼共有种11个。鱼卵平均丰度为614.55 ind/1000 m^3,稚仔鱼的平均丰度为3.69 ind/1000 m^3。鱼卵丰度季节变化由高到低依次为夏季、春季、冬季、秋季;空间分布显示,丰度由高到低依次为中央列岛、人工鱼礁区、湾口东岸。鱼卵多样性指数(H￠)范围为0.05～2.26,平均值为0.86,稚仔鱼多样性指数(H?)范围为0～2.53,平均值丰度0.82;鱼卵均匀度指数(J)范围为0.02～0.99,平均值为0.50;稚仔鱼均匀度指数(J)范围为0～1.00,平均值为0.52。根据Pearson相关性结果分析表明,与种群关系最密切的环境因子为温度和溶解氧(P<0.01)。研究结果显示,春夏季是大亚湾海域鱼类产卵的重要时期,中央列岛海域是大亚湾鱼类繁殖的关键区域。     

Effects of dietary lipids on body composition and liver function in juvenile red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of dietary lipids on body composition and liver function in juvenile red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus. Diets were formulated to contain 40% crude protein from solvent-extracted menhaden fish meal and 0, 7, 14 or 21% lipid from menhaden fish oil. The basal diet, without supplemental fish oil, contained lipid at 0.4% of dry weight. The diets were fed to groups of 25 juvenile red drum initially averaging 7.3 ± 0.18 g fish^–1 in a recirculating culture system for 8 weeks and weight gain was recorded. After an additional 8 weeks, 16 fish from each treatment were sacrificed and the following measurements were recorded: hepatosomatic index (HSI), intraperitoneal fat (IPF) ratio, and liver -tocopherol, malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, and cytochrome P-4501A activity (measured as 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity). The activity of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases and concentrations of -tocopherol also were measured in plasma.Weight gain was significantly (p<0.05) affected by dietary lipid concentration, with values ranging from 361% of initial weight for fish fed the basal diet to 527% of initial weight for fish fed the diet containing 7% lipid. The HSI and IPF ratio values also were significantly affected by lipid with the lowest values recorded for fish fed the basal diet and the highest values observed in fish fed the diet containing 21% lipid. Increasing dietary lipid significantly increased oxidative stress as reflected in reduced -tocopherol in liver and plasma and increased MDA formation in the liver, although no overt pathological signs were observed. These findings suggest that lipid concentrations between 7 and 14%, when the diet contains 60 IU vitamin E kg^–1, are likely to limit oxidative stress and result in normal physiological responses of red drum.     

Algal Phlorotannins as Novel Antibacterial Agents with Reference to the Antioxidant Modulation: Current Advances and Future Directions

The increasing drug resistance of infectious microorganisms is considered a primary concern of global health care. The screening and identification of natural compounds with antibacterial properties have gained immense popularity in recent times. It has previously been shown that several bioactive compounds derived from marine algae exhibit antibacterial activity. Similarly, polyphenolic compounds are generally known to possess promising antibacterial capacity, among other capacities. Phlorotannins (PTs), an important group of algae-derived polyphenolic compounds, have been considered potent antibacterial agents both as single drug entities and in combination with commercially available antibacterial drugs. In this context, this article reviews the antibacterial properties of polyphenols in brown algae, with particular reference to PTs. Cell death through various molecular modes of action and the specific inhibition of biofilm formation by PTs were the key discussion of this review. The synergy between drugs was also discussed in light of the potential use of PTs as adjuvants in the pharmacological antibacterial treatment.