A review of cyanobacterial odorous and bioactive metabolites: Impacts and management alternatives in aquaculture

Increased demand has pushed extensive aquaculture towards intensively operated production systems, commonly resulting in eutrophic conditions and cyanobacterial blooms. This review summarizes those cyanobacterial secondary metabolites that can cause undesirable tastes and odors (odorous metabolites) or are biochemically active (bioactive metabolites) in marine and freshwater, extensive and intensive aquaculture systems. For the scope of this paper, biochemically active metabolites include (1) toxins that can cause mortality in aquaculture organisms or have the potential to harm consumers via accumulation in the product (hepatotoxins, cytotoxins, neurotoxins, dermatoxins, and brine shrimp/molluskal toxins), (2) metabolites that may degrade the nutritional status of aquaculture species (inhibitors of proteases and grazer deterrents) or (3) metabolites that have the potential to negatively affect the general health of aquaculture species or aquaculture laborers (dermatoxins, irritant toxins, hepatotoxins, cytotoxins). Suggestions are made as to future management practices in intensive and extensive aquaculture and the potential exposure pathways to aquaculture species and human consumers are identified.     

Changes in epidemiological patterns of sea lice infestation on farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in Scotland between 1996 and 2006

Analyses of a unique database containing sea lice records over an 11 year period provide evidence of changing infestation patterns in Scotland. The data, collected from more than 50 commercial Atlantic salmon farms, indicate that both species of sea lice commonly found in Scotland, Lepeophtheirus salmonis and Caligus elongatus, have declined on farms over the past decade. Reductions for both species have been particularly marked since 2001 when more effective veterinary medicines became available. Treatment data were also available in the database and these show a growing trend towards the use of the in-feed medication emamectin benzoate (Slice), particularly in the first year of the salmon production cycle. However, this trend towards single product use has not been sustained in 2006, the latest year for which data are available. There is some evidence of region to region variation within Scotland with the Western Isles experiencing higher levels of infestation. However, compared to the levels observed between 1996 and 2000, all regions have benefited from reduced lice infestation, with the overall pattern showing a particular reduction in the second and third quarters of the second year of production.     

Mutualism between euryhaline tilapia Sarotherodon melanotheron heudelotii and Chlorella sp.—Implications for nano-algal production in warmwater phytoplankton-based recirculating systems

The West-African euryhaline tilapia, Sarotherodon melanotheron heudelotii shift from visually feeding on zooplankton when juveniles to mostly filter feeding on phytoplankton when adults. When reared using an appropriate ration in intensive aquaculture systems, S. m. heudelotii also consume algal-based detritus, and contribute to sediment mineralization, clean up their environment, and ultimately stimulate and sustain algal growth. We analysed such practical advantages for phytoplankton-based recirculating systems, using S. m. heudelotii and Chlorella sp. as biological material originating from the prototype of such a system operated in Senegal. We performed a 24-h factorial design experiment in 36 tubs, cross-classifying three levels of S. m. heudelotii (fishless control, unfed fish, and fed fish) with four levels of Chlorella initial density.Chlorella overall mean density increased significantly from fishless, to unfed fish, and fed fish treatments, and with Chlorella initial density. S. m. heudelotii did not alter nitrogen nor phosphorus concentrations, only affected by algal initial densities. Most ammonia excreted by fish was probably uptaken by Chlorella. Bacteria-mediated diurnal nitrification was possibly an alternative ammonium loss mechanism at highest oxygen concentrations. Algae were not limited by nitrogen or phosphorus but most likely by low dissolved organic carbon availability. Chlorella differential responses with fed vs. unfed Sarotherodon suggest that CO₂ supplied by heterotrophic S. m. heudelotii respiration played a key role. Observed Chlorella growth rates were similar to the highest rates obtained in algal mass cultures, enriched with CO₂, nitrate and phosphate, under artificial lighting.Our results suggest the existence of a Sarotherodon-Chlorella mutualism in our systems, where S. m. heudelotii provide CO₂, the major limiting factor of Chlorella growth, whereas Chlorella oxygenate and detoxify the water media from ammonia, promoting S. m. heudelotii production. This mutualism could be used to optimize photosynthetic suspended-growth aquaculture systems, particularly in the Tropics where light is abundant and temperature is continuously high.     

Dynamical analysis of net cage structures for marine aquaculture: Numerical simulation and model testing

A numerical model for analyzing dynamic properties of a net-cage system exposed in the open sea is proposed. The model is based on a lumped-mass method. In this model, the mooring lines are divided into linear elements and the net cage divided into several plane surface elements. The interconnected points or corners are called nodes or lumped-mass centers. The external force is calculated on each element and then equally distributed to its nodes. By adding the contributed forces from the neighboring elements, a system of motion equations for nodes is formed. The volume reduction coefficient of a net cage is estimated by the ratio of minimum volume of net cage during fluid and structure interaction to the original volume. In general, the numerical results are in good agreements with the experimental data. However, the results also show that if the Reynolds number is lower than the suggested range of 1400–1800, the numerical model may underestimate the environmental forces on a net-cage system.     

Development and application of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method for simple and rapid identification of the toxic dinoflagellates Alexandrium tamarense and Alexandrium catenella in cultured and natural seawater

ABSTRACT:   The toxic dinoflagellates Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech and A. catenella (Whedon and Kofoid) Balech produce potent neurotoxins, such as saxitoxin and gonyautoxin and have been mainly responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in Japan. To prevent a negative effect on the fishery industry, it is necessary to identify these toxic species precisely and rapidly before and during the bloom. In this paper, a rapid and simple protocol of a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method using ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-targeted probes has been established for identifying the cultured strains and natural cells of A. tamarense and A. catenella . Using the FISH method established in this study, it was possible to identify these toxic species species-specifically and rapidly, within 30 min. The procedure of detection constituted three steps: (i) fixation/dehydration; (ii) hybridization; and (iii) washing; this made the identification simple. Moreover, this method did not require either special techniques or equipment, and the cost for detection was low. The specificity, rapidity, and simplicity of the developed method suggest that it might be useful for routine monitoring of these toxic microalgae.     

Exploring the efficacy of vaccine techniques in juvenile sablefish,Anoplopoma fimbria

Wild sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria, are a valuable commercial species whose populations are declining. Fortunately, sablefish are excellent species for commercial aquaculture. Sablefish raised under high‐density conditions in the marine environment require the use of efficacious vaccines to control disease. Sablefish impacted by disease in net pens may have poor flesh quality and high mortality during grow‐out. As a result, disease can cause financial hardship for sablefish aquaculture operators. The efficacy of a multivalent vaccine preparation for sablefish, administered either by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection or by immersion, against atypical and typical Aeromonas salmonicida, the causative agents of atypical and typical furunculosis, respectively, was examined. A. salmonicida can affect sablefish at any age and size. Consequently, an efficacious vaccine that can be appropriately and optimally administered to all life stages is desirable. Sablefish vaccinated by immersion at ~1.5 or ~4.5 g with a whole‐cell multivalent vaccine were not protected against either typical or atypical A. salmonicida. Factors that may have contributed to the ineffectiveness of the immersion vaccine are discussed. By contrast, the relative per cent survival (RPS) or potency of the whole‐cell multivalent vaccine injected i.p. in juvenile sablefish at ~50 g against typical and atypical A. salmonicida was 94.3% and 81.7% respectively. The high RPS values indicated that the vaccine successfully initiated an immune response in sablefish upon a second encounter with the pathogen.     

The dynamics of bacterial community in a polyculture aquaculture system of Penaeus chinensis,Rhopilema esculenta and Sinonovacula constricta

Polyculture with Chinese shrimp Penaeus chinensis, jellyfish Rhopilema esculenta and razor clam Sinonovacula constricta (S.J.R) is a common aquaculture system in Dandong, China. Investigation on the composition and function of microbial communities and their relationship with environmental factors in aquaculture systems have crucial implications. Therefore, the sequencing of 16S rRNA gene was applied to profile the bacterial community composition of water and sediment in S.J.R polyculture system in the present study. Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum in S.J.R polyculture ponds following with Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes in water; in contrast, more diverse phyla were detected in sediments. Water temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen were determined the bacterial community composition in the S.J.R polyculture systems. Specially, Planktomarina, PS1 clade, Candidatus Aquiluna and Fibrobacteres, which can resist the phytoplankton blooms or degrade the cellulose, were more abundant in water at the early stage of cultivation in the S.J.R polyculture system. Moreover, the functions of bacterial communities in water were mainly associated with cell communication mediated, while the functions related to basal metabolism were enriched in sediments. The findings of this study allowed us to better understand the bacterial community in the S.J.R polyculture system and accumulated data for the improvement of cultural management.     

Effects of dietary phosphorus level on non-faecal phosphorus excretion from yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata Temminck & Schlegel) fed purified and practical diets

Non-faecal phosphorus (P) was determined for large yellowtail to estimate a minimum available P requirement (Experiment  1) and to justify inorganic P supplementation in a fish meal-based diet (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, purified diets with incremental P concentrations were fed to yellowtail (mean weight 917 g) at a feeding rate of 1.5% of body weight. The peaks of non-faecal P excretion appeared 5–6 h after feeding in fish fed more than 4.5 g available P kg⁻¹ dry diet. Broken-line analysis indicated that the minimum available P requirement was 4.4 g kg⁻¹ dry diet. In Experiment 2, a purified diet (PR) containing 6.5 g available P kg⁻¹ and a fish meal-based diet with (F1) and without (F0) additional phosphorus were fed to yellowtail (mean weight 1.1 kg) at 1.5% (PR) and 2% (F0 and F1) feeding rates respectively. There was no significant difference in P excretion between fish fed the F0 (5.5 g soluble P kg⁻¹ dry diet) and the PR diet. However, significantly higher (34.5%) amounts of non-faecal P excretions (7.4 g soluble P kg⁻¹ dry diet) were found in fish fed F1 compared with the F0 diet. This suggested that there was an excess of dietary P in the F1 diet and that supplementation is not needed in fish meal-based diets for large yellowtail.     

波浪高度及方向对桩柱式围网养殖系统网片水力特性的影响

浅海围网养殖是一种生态型养殖模式,桩柱式围网是其中最为典型的模式之一,主体由排桩和网片组成。围网网衣系统安全是决定围网工程安全的关键所在。针对桩柱式围网,采用数值模拟方法对其主要构成部件单元网片在波浪条件下的变形和受力等水力特性进行了研究,重点分析了波高(1、2、3、4、5 m)和波向(10°、30°、50°、70°、90°)条件下围网网片的网线张力分布、结节偏移和桩柱系缚点受力特性及影响关系。结果表明,桩柱式围网单元网片的网线最大张力部位主要出现在网片上端两侧位置,应用时建议强化顶部纲绳的设计考虑;波向为30°~70°时,网线最大张力有一段较小的增加量,而结节最大偏移随波向的增大而增大;网片与桩柱系缚点的最大受力呈现两端大中间小的现象,建议强化顶部和底部系缚点。以上研究结果可为桩柱式围网工程设计与安装提供参考。     

权重约束AdaBoost鱼眼识别及改进Hough圆变换瞳孔智能测量

针对传统鱼眼瞳孔直径测量方法耗时、耗力,且数据主观性强的问题,该文提出基于权重约束AdaBoost和改进Hough圆变换的鱼眼瞳孔直径智能测量方法。首先,利用工业相机采集实验板上的鱼图像,从正负鱼眼图像样本中训练出基于权重约束AdaBoost算法的鱼眼分类器;然后,采用该分类器对试验图像进行检测,将检测到的鱼眼局部图从整体图中分离出来;最后,采用改进的Hough圆变换检测出鱼眼的瞳孔,并计算得到瞳孔直径。对100条金鲳鱼进行试验,鱼眼分类精度达97.1%,瞳孔正确检测率达94.2%,相比改进前分别提升了1.7个百分点和10.5个百分点,与人工测量瞳孔直径值的平均偏差为6.5%,比改进前低了5.9个百分点,总的平均测量时间为324.371 ms,比改进前减少了10.707 ms。试验证明:该文提出的方法能够精确、实时、自动地测量出鱼眼瞳孔的直径,有效避免了传统测量方式的复杂性和测量数据的主观性,可为鱼体生长状况评估、良种选育提供重要参考。