Squamous cell carcinoma of the corneoscleral limbus in a dog.

Squamous cell carcinoma is an uncommon tumor of the cornea in dogs. A 12-year-old Shih Tzu with a history of chronic keratoconjunctivitis sicca was diagnosed as having squamous cell carcinoma of the corneoscleral limbus. The lesion was treated by surgical resection and cryotherapy. One year after surgery, multiple tumors, apparently unrelated to the first tumor, appeared on the same cornea. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca may have predisposed the dog to corneal squamous cell carcinoma development.     

Large-scale experiment shows that nylon leaders reduce shark bycatch and benefit pelagic longline fishers

We assess the performance of wire leaders, which some jurisdictions have banned to reduce shark mortality from pelagic longline fishing. Experiments were conducted off northeastern Australia on commercial vessels that deployed equal numbers of wire and nylon monofilament leaders randomly along their longlines. Catch rates of several species, including sharks, were lower on nylon than on wire leaders, probably because those animals often escape by biting through the nylon leaders. High bite-off rates indicate that as many animals escape from nylon leaders as are caught on nylon leaders. The fate of escaped animals is not known, although large sharks are more likely to survive than are small animals. By contrast, catch rates of valuable bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) were higher on nylon than on wire leaders. Bigeye tuna are probably able to see wire leaders and avoid those hooks. The financial benefits of increased bigeye tuna catches outweigh the costs associated with banning wire leaders, such as increased rates of gear loss. Thus, banning wire leaders is an effective way of reducing shark catches that fishers should be keen to adopt.     

Thirty years of change and the future of Alaskan fisheries: Shifts in fishing participation and diversification in response to environmental,regulatory and economic pressures

Heterogeneity in human responses and decision‐making can contribute to the resilience of social–ecological systems in the face of environmental, political and economic pressures. In fishery systems worldwide, the ability of harvesters to maintain a diverse portfolio of fishing strategies is important for building adaptive capacity. We used a case‐study approach to examine the complexity of factors that inhibit or promote diversification in fisheries of Alaska, one of the major fishing regions of the world. Through a combination of harvest records and literature review, we explored shifts in participation and portfolio diversity in Alaskan fisheries over three decades. The four case‐studies examined the responses of fishers, fleets and communities to multiple, intersecting pressures, including biological declines, market and price dynamics, fishery privatization and the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. These cases illustrate how stressors acting at multiple scales can encourage or constrain opportunities for diversification, and that these opportunities may be spread inequitably across participants. Overall, we found evidence for reduced participation and increasing specialization in Alaskan commercial fisheries. While numerous factors explain these trends, policies like individual quota systems and the increasing cost of entry into fisheries are forcing consolidation at local to regional scales. A portfolio approach to managing fisheries that reduces barriers to diversification and includes broad representation of resource users and communities in management may help to maintain opportunity and choice for fishers.     

Effects of different dietary copper sources on the growth and intestinal microbial communities of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

An 8‐week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary copper sources on growth performance and intestinal microbial communities of juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Four isonitrogenous (420 g/kg crude protein) and isolipidic (70 g/kg crude lipid) experimental diets were formulated to contain different copper sources, Diet NSC (no‐supplemented copper), Diet CS (copper sulphate), Diet Availa (copper amino acid complex from Availa^®Cu100) and Diet M (1:1, copper sulphate + copper amino acid complex). A total of 360 Pacific white shrimp juveniles (initial weight: 1.86 ± 0.03 g) were randomly allocated into four groups, with three replicates per group and 30 shrimps each replicate. An Illumina‐based sequencing method was used to analyse the intestinal bacterial composition of shrimp juveniles. The results revealed that shrimps fed Diet M had significantly higher percent weight gain (PWG) than that fed Diet NSC and Diet CS, while there were no significant differences between Diet M and Diet Availa. Survival was not affected by the dietary copper sources. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were dominant in the intestines of Pacific white shrimp. Shrimps fed Diet M and Diet Availa had higher bacterial richness and diversity than those fed Diet NSC and Diet CS with no significant differences among all treatments. Furthermore, Diet M and Diet Availa which contained copper amino acid complex reduced the relative abundance of Vibrionaceae in shrimp intestinal tract. This study indicated that dietary copper sources could affect the intestinal microbial communities and diets supplemented with Availa^®Cu100 could have a positive impact on the growth performance and decrease the potential risk of disease in Pacific white shrimp.