Project Update

Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture

Program and Organization

Mission

The Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture, or CTSA, is one of five regional aquaculture centers funded by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The mission of CTSA and the other regional aquaculture centers is to support aquaculture research, development, demonstration and extension education to enhance viable and profitable U.S. aquaculture. Research projects span the American Insular Pacific, using the area's extensive resource base to meet the needs and concerns of the tropical aquaculture industry.

CTSA is jointly administered by the University of Hawaii and The Oceanic Institute. The Center's administrative office and staff are located at The Oceanic Institute's Makapu`u Point site on windward Oahu.

Organization

CTSA funds aquaculture research, development and demonstration projects. Each year's program is the result of several groups working together for many months. A Board of Directors oversees the programmatic functions of CTSA and an Executive Committee oversees the administrative functions of the Center. In addtion, CTSA has two working groups. The Industry Advisory Council (IAC) members comprise representatives from aquacultural and agricultural enterprises, financial institutions, government agencies and other business concerns. The Technical Committee (TC) members comprise researchers, extension agents and fisheries officers.

The members of the Board of Directors, the IAC and the TC come from American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Belau.

The Center funded 114 projects in its first ten years of operation. Following is a brief summary of the objectives of the projects covered in this set of Project Updates. Details on the accomplishments of these projects are given in the individual Project Update.

Development of Improved Growout Culture for Chinese Catfish Through Ploidy and Feed Applications

The objectives for this project were to:

develop methods to reliably produce tripoid catfish using cold shock treatment of fertilized eggs;
compare survival, growth, FCR and condition of normal diploid catfish to those of triploid catfish;
determine intrinsic feeding patterns of diploid and triploid catfish during growout to market size using demand feeders and data loggers;
compare growth rates, survival and FCR of catfish from feeding trials that will allow catfish to feed either in synchrony with their intrinsic feeding patterns or at times that differ significantly from those times;
compare growth rates, survival, FCR and disease resistance of Chinese catfish fed with Rangen floating trout chow, Rangen sinking trout chow and a Moore-Clark mahimahi chow formula, the chemical composition of which will be analyzed;
transfer the technology to the Hawaii aquaculture community.

Development of Pacific Threadfin and Milkfish Growout Technology Transfer and Production of Live Feeds and Seedstock

The objectives for this project were to:

determine growout requirements for Pacific threadfin by evaluating various growout facilities, identifying appropriate stocking densities, loading rates, commercial feeds and market potential;
determine growout requirements for milkfish by identifying suitable commercial feeds and assessing the animals'potential as baitfish;
provide commercial farmers with live feed cultures and threadfin and milkfish seedstock.

Differential Growth Rate Studies in Cultured Commercial Sponges

The objectives for this project were to:

improve the efficiency and productivity of commercial sponge farms by determining the factors responsible for variable growth rates in cultured sponges;

obtain addtional biological data;

maintain the existing demonstration nursery.

Disease Management for Hawaiian Aquaculture

The objectives for this project were to:

provide diagnostic support to the CTSA-funded project titled "Expansion and Diversification of Freshwater Tropical Fish Culture";
investigate the role of contributing factors and identify control options for the rickettsia-like organism disease in cultured tilapia;
produce an operational manual for the application of probiotic technology for shrimp hatcheries in Hawaii;
continue work on vaccination protection for control of bacterial disease in cultured Chinese catfish.

Diversification of Species for Aquaculture in Guam

The objectives for this project were to:

develop commercial seedstock production techniques for hard corals;
develop an artificial settling substrate for hard corals;
determine the growth rates of cultured hard corals and transport methods that provide the highest survival rates;
develop extension publications and videos to transfer the technology to the aquaculture industry.

Expansion and Diversification of Freshwater Tropical Fish Culture

The objectives for this project were to:

expand production and distribution of tropical fish species and add new farms to production in Hawaii;
operate an incubator hatchery for the production of 2-week-old larvae of selected egg-layers for distribution to Hawaii farmers;
expand technical assistance to more demonstration farm sites and include small-scale commercial breeders to increase production and diversification of species;
expand the current number of farms/individuals commercially producing freshwater ornamentals and diversify tropical fish culture by incorporating an additional five species into the inventory being supported by CTSA;
collaborate with the private sector and the state aquatic veterinarian on the importation of additional fish species by providing facilities and maintenance during the quarantine period and by providing diagnostics to screen the fish for pathogens;
introduction production and marketing infrastructure scenarios to tropical fish growers;
conduct extension activities in the form of three technical workshops, site visits, verbal consultations and literature to support development of additional Hawaii farms culturing freshwater tropical fish.

Extension and Training Support in the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands

The objectives for this project were to:

conduct training courses in culture techniques and general biology of aquaculture species;
provide extension support to private aquaculturists and government fisheries and aquaculture staff to develop commercial and subsistence aquaculture crops within the region;
help develop and support hatcheries and growout farms for giant clams and other aquatic plant and animal species, including sponges, pearl oysters, seaweed, trochus and green snails;
assist in reef reseeding programs and surveys for giant clams, sponges and other species as requested by local authorities;
continue to act as the scientific and aquaculture advisor to the FSM National Aquaculture Center in Kosrae.

Library Aquaculture Workstation

The objectives for this project were to:

expand the existing dial-up remote access information network in the Pacific Islands;
evaluate the effectiveness of the dial-up remote access information network that was expanded to the Pacific Islands during year six;
increase and ensure the continued usefulness of the PRAISE program through the use of CD-ROM database searching, telecommunications and new technologies as they develop, and disseminate information products as needed by the industry;
increase the efficiency of PRAISE through interaction with other information agencies;
establish a cooperative project to gather and disseminate Pacific Islands gray literature on aquaculture;
increase the support base for the project through cooperative agreements with other agencies;
transfer the technology to users and develop programs for user education.

National Coordinator for Aquaculture New Animal Drug Applications

The objectives for this project were to:

serve as an information conduit between INAD and NADA applicants and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM);
identify and encourage prospective INAD participants to become involved in specific investigational studies and NADA approval-related research;
seek the support and participation of pharmaceutical sponsors for INAD studies and NADAs and coordinate with INAD and NADA sponsors to achieve CVM approval more quickly;
guide prospective and current INAD holders on the format for INAD exemption requests and related submissions to CVM;
identify existing data and remaining data requirements for NADA approvals;
review, record, and provide information on the status of INADs and NADAs;
act as liaison and provide coordination among all the federal agencies involved in the INAD/NADA process; and
provide public education related to training and guidance in obtaining INAD exemptions and pursuing NADA approval.

Public Policy Impact on Aquaculture Development in Guam

The objectives for this project were to:

prepare a case study of permitting problems experienced by Guam aquaculture farmers;
develop policy and regulatory solutions to those problems and present those solutions to decision makers;
educate existing and prospective farmers about the permitting process with a forum, a video and extension activities.