|
Center for Tropical and Subtropical |
Regional Notes Vol. 13 No. 1 March 2002
ISSN: 1053-590X The Oceanic Institute and the
University of Hawaii |
Ms. Alcian
Clegg wrote the HTML code to prepare this document for the World Wide Web
April 3, 2002. Hard copies are available for distribution while supplies last.
Stocking the
fish for fishing
When
thinking about a vacation of freshwater sport fishing, the average person might
envision going to places in the deep South, like Louisiana, but go a bit more
south and lot more west and that’s where they intend to revitalize the
sport. Twenty years ago large-mouth
bass were caught in abundance in Lake Wilson in a little town called Wahiawa on
the island of Oahu. Today although
little is known about what is actually living in the 500-acre reservoir,
fishermen like Jason “Brock” Brockington, Hawaii Freshwater Fishing Association
Vice President, can tell by their catches that there are very few game fish
left. It was Brock, along with the 40
other members of their association that originally came up with the concept of
restocking the lake. And now every day
he, as just one of many volunteers committed to help the reservoir get back to
the way it used to be, drives from his home in Waikiki to a fruit of their
labor – a brand new hatchery facility in Wahiawa.
Working
with the Department of the Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), James Chow, a
science teacher at Wahiawa Middle School, and a coordinator of this state- and
federally-funded initiative, feels the future of Wahiawa could lie in the
success of this project. Its focus is
to raise large-mouth bass to be released into Lake Wilson. Restocking the lake could introduce the
increasingly popular eco-tourism industry into the stagnant economy of
Wahiawa. With the scaling back of the
military bases there, the halting of Dole field operations in 1992, and the
closing of the sugar mill in Waialua in 1996, Wahiawa residents have suffered a
tremendous economic downturn.
In
addition to the economic benefits the project may create, tremendous
educational gains are also anticipated.
Science classes at Wahiawa Middle School may not currently be
integrating the project into its curriculum, but once definite protocols are
established, Chow feels that many of the daily tasks can be taken on by the
students like similar programs have done at other schools. The hope is for the students to become
acquainted with the program while in intermediate school and then to be able to
fuel their interest with vocational education programs they look forward to
implementing at Leilehua High School.
If students go through the whole program, they will have seven years of
hands-on training by the time they graduate from high school. For now, the middle school students
volunteer to clean tanks and are helping with a population study of the
reservoir. And, although the bass
project may not be a part of their curriculum at this point, students have been
using extra space in the hatchery facility to experiment with hydroponics and
raising chickens and quails.
For
the past five years, Chow kept several of the bass in 15-ft round swimming
pools in his backyard in anticipation of approval and funding of their
initiative. And now with the state and
federal funding, Wahiawa Middle School finally has its own hatchery
facility. As part of DLNR’s
participation, it has made the staff and resources of Anuenue Fisheries
Research Center available for the resources of Anuenue Fisheries Research
Center available for the project. Since
they get all of their feed and supplies directly from Anuenue, operation
expenses are very low. However, by the
time this article is published, all monetary funding will have run out. Chow is unsure of what this will mean for
the project and is currently looking for other funding, but feels that things
should proceed as planned for now.
All funding issues
aside, Chow feels that one of the most important issues the project faces is
that they do not know what currently lives in Lake Wilson. A preliminary study has shown that the
reservoir is filled with approximately 32 species of aquarium fish. The lack of information on large-mouth bass
in tropical environments has also been a hindrance for Chow. He found it to be even more daunting to
actually track down and glean information from the authors of the publications
he did find especially since they were all outside of Hawaii. Fortunately for Chow, the old adage that if
you ask enough you’ll get an answer was right.
Chow recently met someone that has given him great encouragement. He has worked with large-mouth bass in the
past, has agreed to take part in the effort and he is not far away – Dustin
Moss, a researcher at The Oceanic Institute, a freshwater fisherman from
Georgia and most importantly, a resident of Oahu did his master’s thesis on
population dynamics of large-mouth bass at Auburn University. Moss has agreed to help Chow determine the
populations that presently exist in Lake Wilson, which will help ascertain the
size of the bass that can be released into the lake. Currently the State has asked that 1,500 1-lb or 8-10-in fish be
released per year, but if the pond’s populations can feed the bass at a smaller
size, they can be released at a smaller size, which would cut down on labor and
feed costs and likely increase production levels. The population study will also determine if the physical changes
to Lake Wilson will make the existence of a thriving population of large-mouth
bass feasible. The sugar fields used to
be irrigated with water from the reservoir every summer creating a flooded
plain, a situation similar to the Amazon Basin. This would cause all the small ornamental fish hiding in the
reeds along the lake to be flushed out into the mouths of the hungry game
fish. Chow remembers that the river
running under the bridges in Wahiawa would be dry six months of the year. For the other six months, the large fish
would essentially starve while the fish they fed on hid in waters too shallow
or overrun with foliage for the larger fish to swim through. With irrigation no longer occurring since
the sugar mill closed in 1996, the reservoir creates perpetually flooded banks
and may make it nearly uninhabitable for large fish. Chow contends that in fact, this may be the reason that they are
no longer found there in abundance.
The project hit a wall last year when all but 4 of 5,000 1 ½-in fingerlings died last year. The death toll spanned over two months, during which tank by tank all of the fingerlings would die within 15 minutes to a maximum of two hours from each other. With no indication prior to death of disease or weakness, Chow was stumped. Dr. Jim Brock, the State veterinarian at the time, could not understand the phenomenon either. He performed some pathology work and took some water samples and still was not able to offer any clues. So, with many of the females in the tank gravid now, Chow is hoping that a fertile spawn will happen any day now. And so he waits with his fingers crossed and the town of Wahiawa behind him.
Letter from the director - Cheng-Sheng Lee
Efficiently addressing the problems industries in the region face requires a strong commitment from both the industry itself and the CTSA administration. To guarantee this happening, the industry must voice its needs to us and we will work to find the most appropriate project working group to address each issue. This year, the Industry Advisory Council (IAC) met on February 26th and 27th to discuss what will go into the 16th Annual Plan of Work. This is the second IAC meeting we have had since we implemented our new prioritizing process and this year was definitely an improvement from years passed. I would like to thank everyone who attended the meeting and helped to make it a successful and productive two days. Of course, the process still has room for improvement. It seems that we must evaluate our concept selection process to ensure that good concepts are not overlooked because of lack of knowledge or understanding of the concept. We will use the time before the next cycle begins to continue to work with those concerned in the region. As always, please contact me if you have any comments or suggestions.
AQUA
CLIPS
MISS sees sea cuke potential
In
The Marshall Islands Journal - Friday, November 23, 2001
The Marshall
Islands Science Station -- the College of the Marshall Island’s research [center]
-- has produced substantial research during the past year on sea cucumber
growth that can be used to support re-stocking and future commercial
development in the RMI. [Marine
scientists Jean-Francois Hamel and Annie Mercer] believe the key for the [RMI],
if it wants to pursue what for other countries has been a bery lucrative trade
in sea cucumber exports, is to set in motion a system of sustainable use of the
cucmbers. Generally speaking, it takes
12-18 months to grow a sea cucumber in the wild. Millions can be produced annually “if there is dedication and
interest from local people to do it,” Hamel said.
NELHA abalone farm is poised for success
By
Paula Helfrich, West Hawaii Today - Sunday, December 23, 2001
Abalone is
raised on Hawaii Island at Big Island Abalone Corp, (BIAC), located at
[NELHA]. The company specializes in
commercial aquaculture and research of California red abalone and Japanese
northern (Ezo) abalone. In April, BIAC
completed construction of a 10-acre, state-of-the-art abalone aquafarm at
NELHA, the largest single abalone production facility in the world outside of
China, designed to produce up to 100 tons of abalone per year. At the site the company has been raising Ezo
abalone. It currently has more than 1
million growing, with the first shipment planned in first quarter 2002. Red abalone drives the company’s sales and
is currently shipped to Asian and U.S. markets as well as sold to local
clientele. This nursery boasts one of
the highest abalone yields in the world.
Surviving saltless streams
By
Jan TenBruggencate, The Honolulu Advertiser - Monday, December 24, 2001
The tasty
saltwater Pacific white shrimp, [can] survive quite well in fresh water. While the shrimp requires salinity in the
water in which it reproduces, it can grow up and apparently thrive in fresh
water, according to new research conducted in Hawaii. Kathleen McGovern-Hopkins, the Windward Oahu extension agent with
the Sea Grant program, said it was known that the shrimp could survive in low
salinity and that they grew in hard water.
McGovern-Hopkins found they grow just fine in fresh water, even when
it’s soft water. Among issues [in her
investigation] is whether they grow faster or slower in fresh water, whether
their flavor and appearance changes, and whether freshwater growth affects the
keeping quality of the shrimp when they go to market.
Biologist score breakthrough in raising reef
fish
By
Jan TenBruggencate, The Honolulu Advertiser - Wednesday, January 23, 2002
Researchers
working with Charles Laidley and Robin Shields at the Oceanic Institute have
raised angelfish entirely in captivity, overoming a major barrier by developing
a food source for its tiny larvae. At
the same time, biologist Karen Brittain at the Waikiki Aquarium has reared
Hawaiian masked angelfish for the first time, also by finding a food source for
its larval form. And Andrew Baensch at
the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology has raised Fisher’s angelfish.
Caviar farming starts to hatch here
By
Timothy Hurley, The Honolulu Advertiser - Sunday, January 26, 2002
Kevin
Hopkins, a professor of aquaculture at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, and
retired UH extension agent Howard Takata are proving that Russian sturgeon can
be raised here and grow much bigger than in the Caspia Sea. [Russian] sturgeon caviar eggs [sell] for
about $1,300 a pound, and the meat of the fish for more than $50 a pound. What [Hopkins and Takata] found was that the
local sturgeon not only grow three times as fast as the Caspian fish but mature
twice as fast, after only five years.
[At] least five Hawaii fish farms are raising sturgeon and another is
posed to start up in Ukumehame, Maui.
< < #
The Industry
Advisory Council (IAC) met on February 26th and 27th and put forth the following areas as
priorities for funding. They are listed
as they were prioritized by the IAC.
The level of funding corresponds to the following:
Low = $0-$35k Medium
= $35k-$75k High = $75k-$100k
Please
contact the project working group leader if you would like to be included in the
project working group or would like to participate in the meeting. Pre-proposals will be due to the CTSA
administrative office on April 12, 2002, so please plan accordingly.
Disease – Medium Funding Project Working Group Leader: Dr.
Robert Bullis, rbullis@oceanicinstitute.org
1. What are the effective dosages of formalin
& hydrogen peroxide needed to treat the ecto parasites Gyrodactylus sp.
and Trichodina
sp.
infecting fishes of different life stages in the region?
2. Can cell lines be developed for two marine
fish species that are growing in demand; the Kahala and the Yellow tang?
3. Provide diagnostic support and remediation
for the aquaculture sector in the region.
4. Can a health certification process for
ornamentals (freshwater) be established?
Web/Library Resources – Low Funding Project Working Group
Leader: Ms. Kristen Anderson, krisa@hawaii.edu
1. Can we develop web page(s) for aquaculture
(e.g. linking producers, market info, ongoing research bulletin board and
existing resources)?
2. Can we devise and develop a single source
search engine to allow users to “pull” research resources through PRAISE
system?
3. How do we provide outreach and extension of
these products?
Marine Ornamentals – High Funding Project Working Group Leader: Dr. Anthony
Ostrowski, aostrowski@oceanicinstitute.org
1. What are the best ways of applying lab
scale first feeding results to production at a commercial scale be determined?
Black Pearls – Medium Funding Project Working Group
Leader: Dr. Maria Haws, haws@aol.com
1. Can we use selective breeding to improve
spat quality/survivability?
2. What are the quality and survival
differences between using land-based versus lagoon-based nursery systems?
Extension Agent – Medium Funding Project Working Group
Leader: Mr. Simon Ellis, sellis@mail.fm
1. How can we support the development of new
aquaculture industries at existing facilities with knowledgeable professionals within
the Pacific Region?
2. How can we develop training and better
communication between the island extension agents?
Freshwater Ornamentals – Low Funding Project Working
Group Leader: Dr. PingSun Leung, psleung@hawaii.edu
1. Is it economically viable for producers to
directly market their product(s)?
Singly? Cooperatively?
2. Why do published research results differ
greatly from those experienced in the commercial sector? (ie. Survival rates,
stocking density,
profit)
Ogo – Low Funding Project Working Group Leader:
TBD. Contact Kai Lee Awaya, kawaya@oceanicinstitute.org
1. How can the shelf life of seaweed be
extended so that growers can expand to export markets industry growth of
current shelf-life 3-7
days? Initial goal is 2 + weeks.
Marine Food Fish – High Funding Project Working Group
Leader: Mr. Tom Iwai, tomi@hawaii.rr.com
1. Develop culture techniques for a target
species. Suggested target species are
kahala, opakapaka or omilu.
Criteria for selecting target
fish: a) Captive spawning, b) Favorable
growth rate, c) Rapid commercialization potential, d) Suit
able for mass culture, e)
Marketability, f) Suitable for culture both on-shore and off-shore
Freshwater Food Fish – Medium Funding Project Working
Group Leader: TBD.
Contact Kai Lee Awaya, kawaya@oceanicinstitute.org
1. How can species for development be
determined?
2. Provide culturing data.
Sturgeon – Low Funding Project Working Group Leader:
TBD. Contact Kai Lee Awaya, kawaya@oceanicinstitute.org
1. How can mortality be lowered during the
first feeding stage for sturgeon (other than white)?
2. How can we lower losses during the
transition to dry pellets?
3. What are the temperature requirements for
sac fry and larvae?
4. How can we lower differential growth rates
within a single cohort during growout?
5. What is a less invasive method for
determining sex?
This project
will need to expand on Year 1 results.
Featherdusters –- Low Funding Project Working Group
Leader: Dr. Clyde Tamaru, ctamaru@hawaii.edu
1. Diversify marine ornamental invertebrates
of those species that are conducive to low-tech production systems.
This project
will need to expand on Year 1 results.
Fish Transport – Low Funding Project Working Group
Leader: TBD.
Contact Kai Lee Awaya, kawaya@oceanicinstitute.org
1. How can fry larval fish be transported
economically? The initial goal is 200 miles.
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Back to Publications List
AQUA
TIPS
The Reduced Impact of Taura Syndrome Virus on Litopenaeus
vannamei Held Under Hyperthermic Conditions
Dee Montgomery-Brock, Hawaii State Aquaculture Development Program
Ron Y. Shimojo, Hawaii State Aquaculture Development Program
Robert A. Bullis, The Oceanic Institute
This article was written as part of the work for the project titled “Disease Management for Hawaiian Aquaculture, Year 8,” which was funded in part by the Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture under a grant from the U. S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.
Introduction
Taura
Syndrome (TS) was first noted in shrimp populations that were farmed near the
mouth of the Taura River in the Gulf of Guyaquil, Ecuador (Jiminez 1992 as
cited in Hasson et al. 1999). Initially thought to be caused by toxicity, TS
was eventually shown to be a result of a virus, which was thereafter named
Taura Syndrome Virus (TSV) (Hasson et
al. 1995). This virus has since been classified in the family Pocornaviridae
(Hasson et al. 1995, Lightner 1996a, Bonami et al. 1997). Over the next five years,
TSV caused catastrophic crop losses of Litopenaeus vannamei in South,
Central and North America and in Hawaii (Lightner 1996b). In late 1998 TSV was
also found to be the cause for shrimp mortalities in Taiwan (Tu et al. 1999).
There are three distinct disease phases
associated with TSV infection. The first is the peracute/acute phase, where the
shrimp are moribund. The shell is soft with a reddish coloration. The red
coloration is caused by expanded chromatophores (Nunan et al. 1998). Shrimp
mortality from TSV usually occurs in the acute phase. The survivors of this
first stage of the disease then progress into the second, or recovery,
phase. Shrimp in this phase are
characterized by multifocal, melanized cuticular lesions (Lightner 1996). Mortalities are generally not high during
this phase. The third phase is the chronic phase. Shrimp in this stage of the
infection appear normal, but are often asymptomatic carriers of TSV (Brock et
al. 1995). Mortalities from TSV during the chronic phase are extremely rare.
Once
TSV is found to be the cause of mortalities on a shrimp farm, the most
frequently used management tool is to stock with a species of shrimp that is
less susceptible to disease, such as Litopenaeus stylirostris. Another
option is to acquire post-larval L. vannamei that have been selected for
TSV-resistance. (Poulos et al. 1999). Other less attractive alternatives are to
destroy all the shrimp, clean up and re-stock after an extended dry-out or
without initiating a cleanup, continue to stock L. vannamei in the
presence of the virus and hope that mortalities are not excessive.
This
paper documents a trial where the use of higher water temperature was applied
in an attempt to control shrimp mortalities from exposure to TSV. Researchers
at the CENIACUA group in Colombia recently discovered that L. vannamei
shrimp held in warmer water (32.0° C) did not die when exposed to the otherwise
lethal White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) (Vidal et al. 2001). The purpose of
this trial was to compare the survival of L. vannamei held in warm (32.0°
C) and ambient (27.0-28.0° C) water when exposed to TSV.
Materials and Methods
Seven, 10-gallon
aquariums were set up with seawater, which was adjusted with tap water to a
reduced salinity of 11 ppt. Each
aquarium was stocked with 10 L. vannamei. The shrimp ranged in size from
1 to 1½ g. The seven aquariums were set up in the following manner:
• Two
aquariums with no heaters and the shrimp were fed approximately 1 g of
TSV-infected tissue for 2 days, and commercial shrimp feed for the next 15 days
(exposed, non-heated group). The temperature in these aquaria ranged 27.0 ±
0.9° C.
• Two other aquaria were set up, with
heaters to maintain an elevated water temperature. The temperatures in these
aquaria ranged 32.0 ±
0.7° C. Shrimp in this heated group were fed approximately 1 g of TSV-infected
tissue for 2 days, then commercial shrimp feed for the next 15 days
(exposed, heated group).
• Three control aquaria were set up.
Ö
One
aquaria was set up with a heater to maintain an elevated water temperature (non
-exposed, heated group). The temperature in this aquaria ranged 32.0 ± 0.7° C.
Ö The other two aquaria
did not have heaters and were maintained at room temperature (27.0 ± 0.8°
C). Shrimp in the
three
non-TSV-exposed aquaria were fed only commercial shrimp feed for the duration
of the trial.
Temperatures
were recorded once daily and any dead shrimp were removed daily from the
aquaria. The trial was terminated 16 days after the first feeding. Surviving
shrimp were injected with R-F (RNA friendly) fixative. After 48 hours in R-F
fixative, the samples were processed for histology, using the methods
recommended by Bell and Lightner (1988 as cited in Hasson et al. 1999).
Results and Discussion
Shrimp
survival was 20% and 40% in the non-heated, TSV-exposed aquaria, 80% and 90% in
the two heated, TSV-exposed aquaria, 90% and 100% in the two control aquaria
held at room temperature, and 90% in the one heated control aquarium. (Table
1).
|
Tank Description |
% Survival |
|
Non-heated, Exposed |
20 |
|
Non-heated, Exposed |
40 |
|
Heated, Exposed |
80 |
|
Heated, Exposed |
90 |
|
Non-heated, Control |
90 |
|
Non-heated, Control |
100 |
|
Heated, Control |
90 |
|
Table 1. |
|
Histopathology
changes, suggestive of TSV-infection were found in the surviving shrimp
examined from the TSV exposed, non-heated group. These changes included multi focal areas of necrosis in the
cuticle epithelium and spheroid formation (severity grade 2.5–3) in the
lymphoid organ (Figure 1). Lymphoid spheroids are proliferative nodules of pale
staining vacuolated cells. As stated in Hasson et al. 1995, shrimp in both the
recovery and chronic phase will usually have spheroid formation in the lymphoid
organ. The reduced survival and the histology changes are indicative that the
shrimp in the TSV exposed, non-heated group were infected and undergoing
disease caused by TSV.
The
surviving shrimp examined from the exposed/heated group and from the three
control aquaria were free of areas of necrosis in the cuticle epithelium,
cuticular melanization and spheroid formation in the lymphoid organ. These
histology results suggest the shrimp in these groups had not been infected with
TSV.
Conclusion
It appears
that maintaining shrimp in higher temperatures may offer a large degree of
protection against TSV infection. The exact reason for this is unknown. Further
studies are being carried out to better determine how warmer water protects L.
vannamei from TSV.
Regardless
of the mechanism for the protection, it would appear that shrimp farmers would
want to raise their shrimp in warmer water temperatures if at all possible.
While it is not feasible to heat an entire pond in the same manner that
aquariums are heated, there are ways to optimize the use of warmer water when
raising shrimp. The use of dark liners in the ponds, along with reduced water
depth might help to increase the water temperature in the pond. The use of enclosed growout raceways instead
of ponds, would give the shrimp producers more control over water temperature.
Also, it would be advisable to seed the ponds or raceways during the months of
the year that coincide with the warmer growing season.
Literature Cited
Bell, T.A. and D.V. Lightner. 1988. A handbook
of normal penaeid shrimp histology. World Aquaculture Society, Baton Rouge.
Bonami, J.R., K.W. Hasson, J. Mari, B.T.
Poulos and D.V. Lightner. 1997. Taura syndrome of marine penaeid shrimp:
Characterization of the viral agent. Journal of General Virology 72:313-319.
Brock, J.A., R.B. Gose, D.V. Lightner and
K.W. Hasson. 1995. An overview on Taura syndrome, an important disease of
farmed Penaeus vannamei. IN: Brody, C.L. and J.S. Hopkins (editors)
Swimming through troubled water. Proceedings of the special session on shrimp
farming. Aquaculture ’95. World Aquaculture Society, Baton Rouge, p 84-94.
Hasson, K.W., D.V. Lightner, B.T. Poulos,
R.M. Redman, B.L.White, J.A. Brock and J.R. Bonami. 1995. Taura Syndrome in Penaeus
vannamei: Demonstration of a viral etiology. Dis Aquat Org 23:115-126
Hasson, K.W., D.V. Lightner, L.L. Mohney,
R.M. Redman, B.T. Poulos and B.M. White. 1999. Taura syndrome virus (TSV)
lesion development and the disease cycle in the Pacific white shrimp Penaeus
vannamei. Dis Aquat Org 36: 81-93.
Jimenez, R. 1992. Sindrome de Taura
(Resumen) Acuaculturael Ecuador. Rev Especial Camara Nac. Acuacult1,
1-16.
Lightner, D.V. 1996a. A handbook of
shrimp pathology and diagnostic procedures for disease of cultured penaeid
shrimp. World Aquaculture Society, Baton Rouge.
Lightner, D.V. 1996b. The penaeid shrimp
viruses IHHNV and TSV epizootiology, production impacts, and role of
international trade in the Americas. Rev Sci Tech OIE (Offi Int Epizoot) 15(2)
579-601.
Nunan, L.M., B.T. Poulos, D.V. Lightner.
1998. Reverse tran-scription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) used for the
detection of Taura Syndrome Virus (TSV) in experimentally infected shrimp.
Dis Aquat Org 34:87-91.
Poulos, B.T., R. Kibler, D. Bradley-Dunlop,
L.L. Mohney and D.V. Lightner. 1999. Production and use of anti-bodies for the
detection of Taura Syndrome virus in penaeid shrimp. Dis Aquat Org 37: 99-106.
Tu, C., H.T. Huang, S.H. Chuang, J.P.
Hsu, S.T. Kuo, N.J. Li, T.L. Hsu, M.C. Li and S.Y. Lin. 1999. Taura Syndrome in
Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei cultured in Taiwan. Dis Aquat Org
38: 159-161.
Vidal, O.M., C.B. Granja, F. Aranguren,
J.A. Brock and M. Salazar. 2001. A profound effect of hyperthermia on survival
of Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles infected with White Spot Syndrome
Virus. Journal of WAS 32:364-372.
CTSA welcomes
new Board of Directors Chair
Dr. Jo-Ann Leong, Director of the Hawaii
Institute of Marine Biology, was recently appointed by UH President, Evan
Dobelle, as the representative of the University to the CTSA Board of
Directors. Dr. Leong will take on the
role of Chair of the Board immediately.
Dr. Leong recently returned home to
Hawaii. As a native of Kapahulu, she
went to the University of Hawaii for two years before transferring to the
University of California at Berkeley for her B.A. She completed her doctoral thesis work at the University of
California School of Medicine in San Francisco where she worked on retroviruses
and reverse transcriptase.
After
completing her postdoctoral training in Biochemistry and Cancer Research at
UCSF, Dr. Leong took a position as Assistant Professor in the Department of
Microbiology at Oregon State University (OSU).
When she started
there, 6 million steelhead trout fry had just died from infection by Infectious
Hematopoietic Necrosis virus. No
molecular studies had been conducted on the virus and she devoted much of her
career to studying it, developing vaccines for salmon, and using molecular
tools to understand the immune response in fish. She and her team developed the first recombinant vaccine and DNA
vaccine for fish. They are now in the
process of testing the technology as a general transient expression system in
fish. Dr. Leong also serves on the
Board for the Western Regional Aquaculture Center as part of her joint
appointment with OSU, so she is no stranger to the way the Regional Aquaculture
Centers work. We are excited to have
her become a part of CTSA.
As we welcome Dr.
Leong, we would also like to thank Dr. Dean Smith for his past dedication to
CTSA and bid him a kind farewell. Dr.
Smith served as Chair since 1995 and has always been an asset to CTSA. Best of luck to him in the future.
# # # # #
New publications available!
The arrival
of A Manual for Commercial Production of the
Swordtail, Xiphophorus helleri, has long been awaited and it has finally come! The manual, written by several contributors
from the University of Hawaii Sea Grant Extension Service (UHSGES), discusses all
aspects of culturing the Xiphophorus helleri for commercial
production, from breeding to bagging and shipping. Methods described in the manual are also applicable to other
livebearers such as mollies, guppies and platies.
Our
second coral manual put out in recent years, written by regional extension
specialist, Simon Ellis and Eileen Ellis, reports on research conducted in
Pohnpei on the culture of eight species of commercially valuable hard and soft
corals. By examining growth and
attachment rates, Recent Advance in Lagoon-based Farming Practices for Eight
Species of Commercially Valuable Hard and Soft Corals - A Technical Report, helps the interested culturist determine
which species is the most economically viable.
The manual also includes a survey conducted with a few retailers in the
U.S. on customer interest and expected retail prices.
Through extensive field research and a literature review, Bob Howerton of UHSGES, was able to compile a manual for Best Management Practices or Hawaiian Aquaculture. By utilizing the suggestions put forth by Bob, farmers may be able to “manage their facilities more efficiently and more profitably [and at the same time] help to alter the negative perception of aquaculture and mitigate the potential for impact on an already delicate aquatic environment.”
If you are
interested in receiving one or more of these manuals please contact Kai Lee
Awaya at mailto:kawaya@oceanicinstitute.org
or (808) 259-3167 or you can download it off our website at http://library.kcc.hawaii.edu/CTSA/index.html.
On the web . . .
For information and updates on the activities of the
Joint Subcommittee for Aquaculture’s Effluent Task
Force (AETF), visit http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/jsa/index.htm
The AETF is assisting the
EPA develop science-based aquaculture effluents limitations guidelines for
aquaculture facilities nationwide. The
site also provides information on EPA presentations, announcements for meeting
and the members and participants on the AETF.
In
an effort to develop aquaculture education programs, the Massachusetts
Department of Food and Agriculture and the New England Board of Higher
Education (NEBHE) announce the release of the Aquaculture
Curricula Resource Guide: A Resource
Tool for the Aquaculture Educator. The guide describes instructional materials
for educators interested in integrating aquaculture into existing programs or in
establishing new aquaculture programs.
Hard
copies of the Aquaculture Curricula Resource Guide are available free of
charge. Electronic copies can be
downloaded from the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture’s
Aquaculture Program webpage at (http://www.state.ma.us/dfa/aquaculture/education_curricula.pdf). For more information or a hard copy of the
publication, please contact Fenna Hanes at the NEBHE at (617) 357-9620 or email
mailto:fhanes@nebhe.org.
The Aquaculture Curricula Resource Guide was
funded by the Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center.
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