How to determine the appropriate mortality in experimental larval rearing?

Survival in larval rearing experiments is difficult to estimate due to accidental losses and periodic sampling. The number of sampled fish can be a large proportion of the stocked ones, making it difficult to calculate the overall survival rate and mortality coefficient as this is based on the initial number. Here, a new method of calculating survival is proposed using the mortality coefficient. When the initial stocking density and sampled and final numbers are known, and assuming that mortality coefficient is constant, the final number of fishes can be represented by the formula N _t = e^−mt (N ₀ − ΣN _Sne ^mdn), where t is rearing period (days), N ₀ indicates initial number, N _t indicates the survival number at t days of rearing, m is the natural mortality coefficient, N _Sn is the sampled number in the nth sampling, and dn is the rearing period until removal of the nth sample. The provisional mortality coefficient is calculated from initial and final stocking numbers. Then values for the natural mortality coefficient are substituted into the formula with successive approximation. The coefficient, which most closely approximates the actual survival, is determined as the best fit natural mortality coefficient. Examples of larval experiments are provided to demonstrate the method and show that survival is often underestimated using traditional methods.     

Does sand content in spawning substrate result in early larval emergence? Evidence from a lithophilic cyprinid fish

The spawning success of lithophilic salmonids is strongly influenced by the fine sediment content (“fines”) of spawning substrates, yet knowledge on the impacts of fines on the spawning of non‐salmonid lithophiles remains limited, despite their ecological and socio‐economic importance in European rivers. Consequently, the aim here was to use an ex‐situ experiment to investigate the impact of sand content on egg survival and timing of larval emergence of the surface‐spawning cyprinid European barbel Barbus barbus. Thirty incubator boxes within a recirculating system were filled with one of five experimental sediment mixtures (0%–40% sand by mass) that each contained 300 fertilised eggs at a depth of 50 mm. Emerged, free‐swimming larvae were captured and counted daily to assess grain‐size effects on larval survival and emergence. Specifically, total proportion of emerged larvae, cumulative daily proportion of emerged larvae and time required to reach 50% emergence were measured during the study. Whilst the proportion of sand in the sediments did not have a significant impact on egg‐to‐emergence survival (mean survival per treatment 75%–79%), it significantly affected the timing of larval emergence to the water column; early emergence was detected in treatments with elevated sand content (on average, 50% emergence after 12–13 days versus 19 days in the control). Similar to findings from salmonid studies, these results suggest high sand content in spawning gravels can influence timing of larval emergence and potentially cyprinid lithophilic fish survival.     

Does fishing dismantle fish culture and ecosystem structure? Questions about the implications of social learning among fish and fishers

Scientific awareness of social learning, especially among vertebrates, has expanded rapidly in recent decades. That literature suggests that social learning may be a second adaptive mechanism that interacts with and refines genetic adaptation. For an individual fish, learning from others reduces the costs of acquiring experience-based behaviours and minimizes the hazards that arise from imperfect knowledge of local regularities. For a group of fish, social learning facilitates the evolution of time and place behaviours that work in its locality. It spreads those behaviours within the group and to subsequent generations. Thus, social learning enables persistent adaptation at a finer scale than might be possible through genetic processes alone. Strong evidence of genetic differentiation at less than a panmictic scale and persistent local depletions suggests regular, fine-scale system structure. Social learning may play an important role in creating and maintaining this finer-scale structure. Fishers' learned adaptations to the market and natural system usually lead them to target larger/older fish and fish aggregations at familiar times and places. However, older fish are likely to be the principal repository of the time-and-place experience required for local growth, survival, and reproduction, while social aggregations are important schools in which younger fish acquire the experience of older fish. Consequently, if adaptation through social learning is important among fish, there is reason to be concerned that heavy fishing of social learners reduces their abundance, as usually assumed, and impairs the inheritance of the socially learned experience required for persistent local adaptation.     

Does the presence of microalgae influence fish larvae prey capture?

The green water technique has been widely shown to improve fish larvae growth, survival and feed ingestion. Therefore, fish larvae (Sparus aurata L. and Solea senegalensis Kaup) feeding behaviour was studied through gut content analysis, when using different species of microalgae, as the ‘green water’ technique. Six treatments were used: Stain – food green stain; Tetra – microalgae Tetraselmis chuii; Iso – microalgae Isochrysis galbana; Tetra Sup –T. chuii supernatant (obtained from centrifugation); Phyto – a microalgae paste, Nannochloropsis oculata, (Phytobloom^®); and C water – clear water, as control. At 9, 16 and 23 days after hatching (DAH) for S. aurata, and 4, 9 and 14 DAH for S. senegalensis, 40 unfed fish larvae were transferred to 3 L experimental tanks, filled with the different ‘green water’ technique. Fish larvae were sampled 2 h after being fed with live prey, anaesthetized and fixed in buffered formaldehyde for posterior gut content determination. Feeding was evaluated by the feeding rate, percentage of larvae with prey items in the digestive tract and feeding intensity, number of prey in each larva digestive tract. Fish larvae feeding ability was influenced by the interaction between light conditions and substances provided by the presence of microalgae during fish larvae development. Sparus aurata was more dependent on microalgae addition than S. senegalensis larvae, which may be related to the type of prey, larval behaviour, ontogeny and physiology. The presence of microalgae influenced the selection of larger prey (Artemia over rotifers) by S. aurata aged 23 DAH.     

Fish navigation in the vertical dimension: can fish use hydrostatic pressure to determine depth?

Fish live in complex volumetric habitats, and as such, face a challenging environment through which to navigate. This problem might be simplified if fish could monitor their depth and determine their position within the water column. One possible cue that they could use to ascertain their vertical position is hydrostatic pressure, which varies linearly with depth. Until recently it was assumed that fish were incapable of using hydrostatic pressure to measure depth as they do not possess a mechanism to sense absolute pressure. However, in a recent article by G. Taylor et al., we describe a novel mechanism whereby fish could determine their depth by using the rate in change of pressure mediated by changes in swim‐bladder volume, together with their vertical speed. This mechanism requires fish to be able to sense changes in pressure using their swim‐bladder. Here, we examine fish sensitivity towards hydrostatic pressure by reviewing the literature from behavioural and physiological experiments. This research suggests that fish are acutely sensitive to the magnitude and sign of hydrostatic pressure changes, via changes in the volume of the swim‐bladder. We argue that fish have the necessary physiological measurements to sense the rate in change of pressure, meaning they are able to use the mechanism proposed by Taylor et al. to determine their vertical location. This has profound implications for the study of navigation through volumes, by providing a reliable global cue that fish can use to determine their depth.     

Does marine fish farming affect local small‐scale fishery catches? A case study in the NW Mediterranean Sea

Fish farms have been shown to aggregate large numbers of wild fish in their surroundings. Although little is known about how this affects the local fishery, two hypotheses have been put forward; a trapping and a protecting effect on wild fish. This study provides the first monitoring of commercial and recreational fishing activity at a fish farm. We assessed the effect on the small‐scale fishery analysing the differences between fishing in farm proximity and away from the farm (in terms of catch rate, income and catch composition). Moreover, we estimated the biomass removal from fishing activities by farm employees inside the farm. The study was conducted from January 2011 to June 2012 at a Gilthead seabream farm in the NW Mediterranean. The findings revealed a relevant amount of commercial and recreational fishing effort in farm proximity. Yet, the results showed no benefit or difference of fishing in close proximity to the farm compared with areas away from the farm. Thus, we conclude that farm‐aggregated fish are protected from the commercial fleet by the farm leasehold area, but remain vulnerable to hidden fishing practices inside the farm, where farm employees harvest more than 4 t of wild fish annually.     

Life cycle assessment of aquaculture systems: Does burden shifting occur with an increase in production intensity?

Life cycle assessment (LCA), a tool used to assess the environmental impacts of products and processes, has been used to evaluate a range of aquaculture systems. Eighteen LCA studies were reviewed which included assessments of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), flow-through systems, net cages, and pond systems. This review considered the potential to mitigate environmental burdens with a movement from extensive to intensive aquaculture systems. Due to the diversity in study results, specific processes (feed, energy, and infrastructure) and specific impact categories (land use, water use, and eutrophication potential) were analyzed in-depth. The comparative analysis indicated there was a possible shift from local to global impacts with a progression from extensive to intensive systems, if mitigation strategies were not performed. The shift was partially due to increased electricity requirements but also varied with electricity source. The impacts from infrastructure were less than 13 % of the environmental impact and considered negligible. For feed, the environmental impacts were typically more dependent on feed conversion ratio (FCR) than the type of system. Feed also contributed to over 50 % of the impacts on land use, second only to energy carriers. The analysis of water use indicated intensive recirculating systems efficiently reduce water use as compared to extensive systems; however, at present, studies have only considered direct water use and future work is required that incorporates indirect and consumptive water use. Alternative aquaculture systems that can improve the total nutrient uptake and production yield per material and energy based input, thereby reducing the overall emissions per unit of feed, should be further investigated to optimize the overall of aquaculture systems, considering both global and local environmental impacts. While LCA can be a valuable tool to evaluate trade-offs in system designs, the results are often location and species specific. Therefore, it is critical to consider both of these criteria in conjunction with LCA results when developing aquaculture systems.     

Interannual variability of larval fish assemblages associated with water masses in winter in the Taiwan Strait during 2007–2013

Fisheries Science - In this study, the interannual variations of ichthyoplankton assemblages in the Taiwan Strait (TS) during the winters of 2007–2013 were determined. The cold China Coastal...     

What is the optimal density of larval seeding in Acropora corals?

In situ larval seeding is a low-cost technique that is currently under development for the large-scale restoration of coral populations. One problem that still needs to be solved is the preparation of coral larvae for seeding, i.e., how many larvae are required to restore a certain area? In this study, we focused on the relationship between the numbers of larvae, settlers, and survivors for three?months post-settlement to determine the optimal larval seeding density. A comparison of three different larval densities (low, middle, and high) indicated that the number of settlers was proportional to the larval density, suggesting that settler density is determined by the number of larvae supplied. However, the survival rate of settlers on high-density plates was much lower than the corresponding rates on low- or middle-density plates during the first month after settlement. Moreover, most of the seeded corals had not survived on the low-density plates at three?months after settlement. Therefore, the middle larval density (i.e., 5000?larvae?m^?2) appears to be optimal for seeding on grid plates.     

The aquarium hobby: can sinners become saints in freshwater fish conservation?

The aquarium hobby is popular worldwide, but it has positives and negatives for freshwater fish conservation. The most damaging impacts of the aquarium trade on ecosystems are overharvesting and invasive species. Consequently, many conservationists and academics have the perception that aquarium hobbyists are generally harmful to species conservation. Without overlooking these major drawbacks of the aquarium hobby, we aim to establish common ground between hobbyists and conservationists by correcting some misconceptions and showing the benefits of serious aquarium hobbyists in the conservation of freshwater fishes and their habitats. Our overview illustrates that the aquarium hobby is not insensitive to the pernicious effects of this enduring hobby on natural systems and that serious aquarists and their associations can directly assist and fund scientific research, increase conservation awareness among the general public and even participate in ex situ and in situ conservation programmes for native fish species at national or international levels. Whilst the relationship between conservationists and the aquarium hobby has often been antagonistic in recent years, ultimately most biologists and aquarists share a love of the species they study or maintain, and this common interest could be the basis for a more positive and productive relationship.     

Towards interactive fish farming governance? a comparison of Finland and Sweden

The neighbouring countries, Finland and Sweden, compete in the same market with their aquaculture. Both countries have had, until recently, stringent environmental policies limiting production volumes. During recent years, however, Swedish fish farmers have been able to increase their production volume, and Finnish fish farmers have also redirected their investments to Sweden. Thus, the strict Finnish environmental permit policy has not benefited the Baltic Sea environment, but has moved the production volumes and employment opportunities to other locations in the Baltic Sea and its drainage basin. By comparing the Finnish and Swedish fish farming governance systems, we found that in Sweden, various types of formal and informal interaction and practice have enhanced the achievement of balanced decisions. This has only rarely been the case in Finland, which features a more authoritative decision-making culture. On the other hand, increased communication across the Finnish administrative sectors raises future prospects for more holistic fish farming governance, which balances economic, social and environmental goals.     

The solution to pollution? The value and limitations of environmental economics in guiding aquaculture development

Abstract

The notable increase of aquaculture production in recent decades has in many instances been matched by growing concern for its impacts. Environmentalists, consumers and members of the general public are increasingly demanding to account for its resource use and to balance its proposed benefits with its environmental sustainability. Although conventional financial and economic analyses have demonstrated a broadly positive impact for many forms of aquaculture, including the more intensive resource‐demanding systems, the use of economic tools embracing wider measurements of social and environmental costs and benefits might provide different and possibly more critical perspectives. However, although these techniques hold promise for such analyses, their development and application in sectors such as aquaculture are as yet limited. This paper reviews the relevant issues, considers the tools and applications of environmental economics and proposes ways in which these may be more effectively be applied in strategic and local decision‐making for aquaculture development.     

Is the use of turmeric in the diet safe for fish?

With this study, we aimed to assess the safety of using Curcuma longa in fish feed. Juvenile Astyanax aff. bimaculatus (0.83 ± 0.04 g) were kept in 24 80‐L aquaria, at a density of 0.5 fish L^?1 for 60 days. Six diets supplemented with 0.0, 20.0, 40.0, 60.0, 80.0 and 100.0 g kg^?1 were evaluated. Histopathological analysis of the gills showed that there was an increasing linear effect of turmeric on the frequency of lamellar aneurysm, hypertrophy of mucous cells, oedema and necrosis. There was a quadratic effect of turmeric supplementation on the frequency of fusion and disruption of secondary lamellae, vacuolation and hypertrophy of the epithelial cells, and the estimated values to minimize these variables were 4.63, 25.93 and 24.46 g kg^?1 respectively. There was a quadratic effect of turmeric on the gills index (I_BRA), and the estimated value to minimize this index was 30.23 g kg^?1. No effect of turmeric on the frequency of histopathological changes and organ index in fish liver was observed. Thus, we conclude that turmeric is not hepatotoxic for A. aff. bimaculatus; however, its use is safe at concentrations up to 30.23 g kg^?1 diet as a function of its gill toxic effect at higher doses.     

Environmental and spatial processes: what controls the functional structure of fish assemblages in tropical rivers and headwater streams?

In this study, we investigated functional structure patterns of tropical headwater and river fish assemblages. We hypothesised that environmental conditions are primarily structuring headwater streams leading to functionally clustered assemblages, whereas processes that favour functional overdispersion would guide river assemblages. For 27 headwater streams and 22 rivers, we used eight functional traits for calculating two functional indexes: mean pairwise distance (MPD) and net relatedness index (NRI). We performed linear regressions between indexes and species richness, a multiple regression between NRI and eight environmental variables and a variation partitioning to disentangle the role of environment and space on NRI. Our findings indicate that fish assemblages of headwaters are structured by environmental conditions as most assemblages in this habitat displayed a tendency to clustering and MPD/NRI were not correlated with species diversity, whereas the opposite pattern was observed for river habitat. Four environmental variables (channel depth, water velocity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity) explain 56% of functional structure variation. These variables seem to function as selective filters in headwaters, whereas channel depth may be determinant for functional overdispersion of river fish assemblages. Components associated with space are also influencing the functional structure. Limitations of species dispersal through space (between both habitat types) appear as a possible cause to this. In this sense, both environmental conditions and processes linked with space are capable of influencing the functional structure of tropical headwater streams and river fish assemblages.     

Dry or wet? What is the best choice to determine gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indexes in females of Macrobrachium amazonicum?

The gonadosomatic (GSI) and hepatosomatic (HSI) indexes are widely used for the evaluation of reproductive biology in crustaceans. However, the use of either wet or dry weight for estimating these indexes is not standardized in the literature. Here, we compare the GSI and HSI indexes based on wet and dry samples of females of Macrobrachium amazonicum from populations with different phenotypes (large and small‐size prawns) as a model. In our analysis, for GSI, the application of wet weight tended to overestimate the values recorded in the initial (I‐II) and intermediate (III) stages of ovarian development, and underestimate the results in the final (IV‐V) stages when compared to the use of dry weight. This could be attributed to the reduction in cytoplasmic organelles and water content of the cytosol due to the increase in yolk and lipids in the oocytes throughout ovarian development. For HSI, no significant differences were detected between wet and dry samples. However, the dry HSI computed at all stages of development was overestimated when compared to the use of wet samples, and only the hepatopancreas of females at the final stage (V) showed a significant decrease in water content. Thus, our results indicate that M. amazonicum females maintain constant hepatopancreatic reserves throughout ovarian development. In this way, the use of dry weight is more adequate to estimate GSI and HSI in this species.     

Stressing fish in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS): does stress induced in one group of fish affect the feeding motivation of other fish sharing the same RAS?

As a consequence of water re‐use and high stocking densities, Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) may lead to an accumulation of substances released by the fish into the water, e.g. cortisol and alarm pheromones. This study investigated the effect of stressing fish on the feeding motivation of other fish not subjected to stress but sharing the same water of stressed fish. Two identical RAS were used (operated at 30 L kg feed^?1 day^?1) and contained grouped (stressed fish) and individually (receiving water from stressed fish) housed Nile tilapia. A stress test was applied in grouped housed fish on days 17 and 55. Feeding behaviour (intake and latency) was recorded in the individually housed fish 3 days before, during and 3 days after the stress test. The results showed no effect on feeding behaviour in fish receiving the water from stressed fish. These results could be a consequence of insufficient cortisol/alarm cues' release by the stressed fish into the water or inactivity of such substances, either due to a trapping effect of humic acids or due to degradation in the nitrification and denitrification processes. Future research is needed to clarify how these processes may affect the water concentration of cortisol and alarm pheromones and should be extended by measuring other behavioural and physiological traits.     

Production and application of on‐grown Artemia in freshwater ornamental fish farm

Abstract

This paper describes a pilot culture system for the production of on‐grown Artemia in freshwater ornamental fish farms. The system had 21 culture units, each consisting essentially of three components: an oval‐shaped raceway, an air‐water lift system and two waste collectors. Using artificial seawater at 20 ppt for culture and at a mean production rate of 3 kg/m³ of water in a 12‐day cycle, the system had a production capacity of 8 metric tons of on‐grown Artemia a year. Biochemical analyses were preformed to evaluate the nutritional value of the on‐grown Artemia against three conventional live feeds, viz. live Artemia nauplii, live Moina and frozen bloodworms. Cost‐benefit analysis showed that with a capital investment of US$ 82,000 and an annual cost of production of US$ 81,000, the system achieved a high internal rate of return of 88% over a 10‐year period and a short payback period of 1.23 years. The availability of on‐grown Artemia would not only offer farmers and exporters a better alternative live food organism for feeding to their fish, but more importantly the possibility of enhancing the fish performance and quality through bioencapsulation.     

Is it good or bad to fish with FADs? What are the real impacts of the use of drifting FADs on pelagic marine ecosystems?

The use of fish aggregating devices (FADs) by purse seine fisheries has come under increasing criticism for its potential deleterious impacts on tuna stocks, for high levels of by‐catch and threats to the biodiversity of tropical pelagic ecosystems. Here, we review the current state of scientific knowledge of this fishing technique and current management strategies. Our intent is to encourage objective discussion of the topic and highlight areas worthy of future research. We show that catching juvenile tuna around FADs does not necessarily result in overfishing of stocks, although more selective fishing techniques would likely help obtain higher yield. Levels of non‐tuna by‐catch are comparable to or less than in other commercial tuna fisheries and are primarily comprised of species that are not considered threatened. Accordingly, to minimize impacts on ecosystem balance, there is merit in considering that all species captured in purse seine fisheries (excluding vulnerable species such as turtles and sharks) should be retained, but the consequences of such a measure should be carefully examined before implementation. The take of vulnerable species could be further reduced by introduction of additional mitigation measures, but their potential benefits would be limited without parallel efforts with other gears. Finally, there is no unequivocal empirical evidence that FADs represent an ‘ecological trap’ that inherently disrupts tuna biology although further research should focus on this issue. We encourage RFMOs to expand and improve their FAD management plans. Under appropriate management regimes, FAD fishing could be an ecologically and economically sensible fishing method.     

Does motor noise from recreational boats alter parental care behaviour of a nesting freshwater fish?

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Conservation of Mediterranean habitats and biodiversity countdowns: what information do we really need?

• 1. The relentless increase in both human activities and exploitation of marine resources is a threat to marine habitats and species.
• 2. For marine systems, several protection initiatives have been outlined over the past decade to significantly reduce the current rate of biodiversity loss at global, regional, and national levels, and to establish representative networks of marine protected areas with the aim of protecting 10–30% of marine habitats.
• 3. Reliable estimates of the total area occupied by each habitat are crucial to set adequate protection initiatives. Habitat mapping requires a sound habitat classification. Many classification schemes have been developed in different areas of the world, sometimes based on questionable criteria.
• 4. A critical analysis of the most recent marine habitat classification list produced for the Mediterranean Sea from the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA) showed that (i) 39% of habitats and associated species considered in the list are scarcely covered by scientific knowledge from Web‐based resources; (ii) 62% of the species/genera included in the list are primary producers; (iii) quantitative information about the geographical distribution of selected habitats and associated species is scant; and (iv) when available, information is largely unbalanced and biased towards the shallow western Mediterranean Sea.
• 5. Improved inventories of marine habitats are needed to support accurate and consistent mapping activities. The combination of large‐scale mapping and sound habitat classifications will allow better estimates of biodiversity distribution, to reverse regional/global habitat loss rates through the achievement of conservation targets and deadlines that, for the moment, are systematically not met. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.