Ethel Tettey, Masters student, attends to her thesis experiment studying the dietary protein requirements of Claroteid catfish (Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus) at the KNUST aquaculture lab (photo courtesy of Emmanuel Frimpong).

FEED THE FUTURE INNOVATION LAB FOR COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH ON AQUACULTURE & FISHERIES

Volume 29, Number 2/Summer 2014 Contact us at aquafish@oregonstate.edu ISSN 1062-4996

Sustainable Aquaculture andFisheries for a Secure Future

Visit our website: aquafishcrsp.oregonstate.edu

• Educating the Next Generation 1of Aquaculture Scientists

• Management and Value-Added 2Efforts for Black Cockles in Nicaragua

• Goings-On in the Pond 2

• AquaFish Innovation Lab Annual 3 Meeting

• AquaFish Research presented at 3WAS Aquaculture America 2014: “Low-Cost Feeds and Low-Cost Solutions for Small-Scale Sustainable Aquaculture in Developing Countries”

• AquaFish Student Corner 6

• AquaFish Alumni Corner 7

• Creating Synergies: 8Asia Regional Meeting

• PONDerings 10

• AquaFish Attends Feed the 11Future Innovation Lab Council PartnersMeetinginNepal

• Notices of Publication 12

• Meetings and Events 17

IN THIS ISSUE... EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AQUACULTURE SCIENTISTS IN GHANA

Educating continued on page 5....

By Susan Johnson, UC Davis

WhenEmmanuelFrimpongwasapost-graduatestudent at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science

andTechnology(KNUST)inKumasi,Ghana,hespenthisfirstyearaccomplishingverylittleinaquaculture.Atthe time, fourteen years ago, there were no advanced coursesinaquacultureorfisheries,noongoingresearch,no textbooks or journals, and only two lecturers in the fisheriesandwatershedmanagementdepartment.TopursueaqualityeducationinaquacultureandfisheriesFrimponghadtoleaveGhanatostudyabroad.

Now,thankstosupportfromtheAquaFishInnovationLab,KNUSToffersnotonlyanundergraduateprogram

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Goings-On In the Pond...

On Thursday 27 February 2014, Kat Goetting, the Outreach and Communication

Manager of the AquaFish Management Team,presentedatalkataU.S.PeaceCorpsRecruitingEventatOregonStateUniversity.BothgroupsplayavitalroleinFeedtheFuture,theU.S.Government’sGlobalHungerandFoodSecurityInitiativethatbeganin2009.AquaFishandPeaceCorpsbothcurrentlyworkinKenya,Ghana,Tanzania,Uganda,Nepal,and Cambodia, all of which are Feed the Futurefocuscountries.

AquaFish Innovation Lab welcomes new members to the External Program Advisory

Council (EPAC): Nancy Gitonga from FishAfrica inKenya,andLipingLiuofShanghaiOceanUniversityinChina.EPACprovidesadvicetotheDirectoronprogramdirection,inputforRFPs,andevaluationsofprojectperformance.

The AquaFish Regional Center for Excellence (RCE) coordinators work to

buildcommunityamongAquaFishpartners,identifypotentialadditionalpartnerships,andbridgetheknowledgegapfromlocal-regionalperspectivestoglobaldevelopment.The AquaFish RCE coordinators are:

•Latin America: Wilfrido Contreras (Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Mexico), and Maria Celia Portella (Sao Paulo State University, Brazil)

•Africa:HéryCoulibaly(DirectionNationalede la Peche, Mali), and Charles Ngugi (MinistryofFisheriesDevelopment,Kenya)

•Asia: Remedios Bolivar (Central Luzon State University,Philippines),andYuanDerun(Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific,Thailand)

The AquaFish Management team is excited to have new staff members Caleb Price and

ParisEdwardsastheOutreachandCapacityBuilding Coordinator and the Research and GenderCoordinator,respectively.

The AquaFish Management Team participatedinOregonStateUniversity’s

(OSU) Earth Day Fair, teaching OSU students and Corvallis, Oregon, community members about aquaculture and the work that AquaFish doestopromotesustainablepractices.

The Central American University (UCA) has been working with communities on

thePacificCoastofNicaraguaforsevenyearstofindwaystobetterprotectakeyfisheries resource and determine howfisherscanderivemorevaluefromtheirefforts.Blackcockles(Anadaraspp.)areavaluablefisheryresourceinmuchofthetropicalworld,includingthecoastsofLatinAmerica. They are particularly importantto women, children, and the elderly as these stakeholders generally do not have theabilitytofishforfinfish.Cocklesareamainstay for these stakeholders and very often their only source of income. AquaFishunderstandstheserealities,andsupportedresearch on black cockles and further developmentofthefisheryinpartnershipwith UCA and coastal communities in Nicaragua.

MANAGEMENT AND VALUE-ADDED EFFORTS FOR BLACK COCKLES IN NICARAGUA

By Maria Haws, University of Hawaii at Hilo

Woman collecting cockles in the mangrove forests of Nicaragua (photo courtesy of Maria Haws).

Nicaragua continued on page 9....

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AQUAFISH INNOVATION LAB ANNUAL

MEETING

AquaFishpartnersfrom14countriesgathered in Seattle on 8-9 February 2014

todiscussAquaFishresearchandprojects.TheAquaFish Management Team organized two workshops,anannualprogrammeeting,anda meeting for SIRTD Associate Award Project participants.OneworkshopwasontheGlobalExperiment,theotheronImpactAssessment.Additionally,researchpresentationsweregiven in two AquaFish-organized sessions attheWorldAquaculatureSociety’s(WAS)Aquaculture America, titled “Low-Cost Feed andInputSolutionsforSustainableSmall-ScaleAquacultureinDevelopingCountries,”and“Low-Cost Solutions for Sustainable Small-Scale AquacultureinDevelopingCountries.”

AquaFish Innovation Lab Annual Meeting participants in Seattle, Washington (photo credit Morgan Chow).

The Global Experiment Workshop (photo credit Morgan Chow).

AQUAFISH RESEARCH PRESENTED AT WAS AQUACULTURE AMERICA 2014: “LOW-COST FEEDS AND LOW-COST SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL-SCALE SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES”

TheproductionofNiletilapiainNepalwasfound to increase when given a half ration

offeedalongwithfertilization,asopposedtoall-feedorall-fertilization,reportedNarayanPandit,ofNepal’sAgricultureandForestryUniversity.DanielAdjei-BoatengofPurdueUniversitypresentedresultsthatshowedthattilapiaproductiondidnotdiffersignificantlybetween that half-feed/fertilization regime versusfull-feedandnofertilizationinGhana.

These were just some of the insights shared duringtwoAquaFish-sponsoredsessionsinSeattleattheWorldAquacultureSociety’sAquaculture America conference, in February2014.Thesessionsbroughttogetherresearchersworkingontopicsfrombiofloctechnologytogeneticstomarketing.

NorthCarolinaStateUniversity’sRussellBorskitold attendees that alternate-day feeding couldreducefeedcostsformilkfishby50%forpondsand32.9%forseacages.Althoughdailymilkfishgrowthslowedslightlyinbothseacagesandpondsonthealternate-feedschedule, he said, survival rates rose slightly in both, and the savings on feed translated into15-20%moreprofitforfarmers.Thesefindingsarepromising,asmilkfishfarming–anddemandformilkfishfeed–continuestogrowinthePhilippines.Md.AbdulWahab,of Bangladesh Agricultural University, found similarresultsinastudyonstingingcatfish(Heteropneustes fossilis), which had highest productionwithdailyfeedingathalf-rationlevels.

The session featured many other research findingsonincreasinginputefficiency:1. TestingInductionofPeriphytonGrowthas

a Low-Cost Possibility for Sustainable Small-

WAS continued on page 4....

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Otherpresentationsincluded:1. Production Performance of Dedhuwa

(Esomus danricus) in Monoculture and PolyculturewithCarpinChitwan,Nepal(SunilaRaietal.)[pdf]

2. Sustainable Strategy for Controlling Fish Disease Conditions Using Banana (Musa sp.) Leaf Extracts in Uganda (John Walakira et al.)[pdf]

3. Role of Collaborating Programs in AquacultureDevelopmentinMali(HéryCoulibalyetal.)[pdf]

4. Pond Aquaculture Best Management PracticesinGhana:ToAdoptOrNotToAdopt(YawAnsahetal.)[pdf]

5. UsingOn-FarmExperimentstoUntangletheCausesofLowProductivityofTilapia(Oreochromis niloticus) Grown in Ponds in Ghana(EmmanuelFrimpongetal.)[pdf]

6. Estimating the Actual and Potential ProductionCapacityofAquaculturePondsinGhana(IrisFynnetal.)[pdf]

7. AnEcologicalApproachTowardsOptimizingPond-SpecificFertilizationEfficienciesforSemi-IntensiveAquaculture(ChristopherKnud-Hansen)[pdf]

8. OptimalStockingDensityforSmallIndigenousSpecies,Punti(Punti sophore) and Dedhuwa (Esomus danricus) Large-CarpCultureSystemsinRuralNepal(BaileyKeeleretal.)[pdf]

9. Environmentally Friendly Cage Culture: A Successful Model of Small-Scale Aquaculture for Livelihood of Fishing CommunitiesinNepal(JayDevBistaetal.)[pdf]

10.AquacultureProductDevelopmentandMarketing Innovations for Sustainable Small-ScaleAquacultureinKenya(SammyK.Machariaetal.)[pdf]

11.LowCostProductionSystemsforTropicalGar (Atractosteus tropicus) (Wilfrido Contrerasetal.)[pdf]

12.HowChangesinSeafoodSupplyandDemandinChinaWillImpactAquacultureinAsiaandtheRestoftheWorld(LipingLiuetal.)[pdf]

Moreinformationonpresentationsandotherdetails can be found at www.aquafishcrsp.oregonstate.edu/page/WAS2014and www.was.org/

The Fish Site, a website that features the latest news in the aquaculture and fishing industry,featuredresearchpresentedbyAquaFishpartnersRussell Borski and Sebastian Chenyambuga at AquacultureAmerica2014.Visitthefishsite.com to readthestories.

ScaleTilapiaCultureinYucatan,Mexico(AnaMilsteinetal.)[pdf]

2. Effect of Feeding Level and Frequency on PerformanceofNileTilapia(Oreochromis niloticus) Fed Diets Containing Moringa LeafMealandSunflowerSeedCake(SebastianChenyambugaetal.)[pdf]

3. Mobilization and Recovery of Energy StorageinNileTilapiaSubmittedtoFastingandRefeeding(CarolineNeboetal.)[pdf]

4. Enhancement of Pond Productivity by Organic Manure Fertilization and SupplementaryFeedinginKenya(JuliusManyalaetal.)[pdf]

5. Effect of Fertilization and Feeding Level on theProductivityofTilapiaPondCultureinGhana(DanielAdjei-Boatengetal.)[pdf]

6. Alternate Day Feeding is More Cost Effective than Daily Feeding for Culture of MilkfishinBrackishwaterPondsandSeaCages(RussellBorskietal.)[pdf]

7. Effect of Different Fertilization and Feeding Systems on Water Quality and Growth PerformanceinNileTilapia(Oreochromis niloticus) (NarayanPanditetal.)[pdf]

8. Effect of Different Feeding Regimes on Growth and Production Performance ofAirBreathingStingingCatfish,Shing(Heteropneustes fossilis),andMajorCarpsinPondPolyculture(Md.Wahabetal.)[pdf]

The afternoon session featured a broader rangeoftopicsandfocusedonlow-costsolutions.Similartothemorningpresentations,this session attracted a large, interested audience.Bothsessionsseemedtobevaluable to not only the AquaFish community but other aquaculture researchers searching forwaystodecreaseinputcostswhilemaintaininghighproductionandrevenue.

....WAS continued from page 3.

Aquanews Spring 2014

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“Students are trained to acquire therequisitepracticalskillsinfishfarmingwithoutcompromising

the integrity of the aquatic environment,”saidSteveAmisah.

....Educating continued from page 1.

in Aquaculture and Water Resources Management, but Masters and PhD degrees inAquaculture.Withintheyear,aMastersdegree in Aquaculture Business Management and Aquaculture Economics will be available atKNUST.

“AquaFish has steadily built capacityinallfronts,leadingtothedevelopmentoftheMaster’sprogramwhichisawaitingaccreditation,”commentedDr.Frimpong,nowanassociateprofessorat Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityandanAquaFishUSCo-PrincipalInvestigator.“[Bothprograms]efficientlyintegrate research, extension, and teaching/trainingincapacitybuilding.”

Thenewdegreeprogramshavebeendevelopedthroughthelensoffoodsecuritychallenges,inparticulartheanimalproteindeficiencyandmorethana40%gapbetweendomesticfishproductionandconsumptioninGhana.Theimportanceofresearchreaching farmers, environmental sustainability, andbusinessaspectsofaquaculturewillbeemphasizedinthecurriculum.

“Students are trained to acquire the requisitepracticalskillsinfishfarmingwithoutcompromisingtheintegrityoftheaquaticenvironment,”notedDr.SteveAmisah,Deanof the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources of the College of Agriculture and Natural

ResourcesatKNUSTandAquaFishHostCountryPrincipalInvestigator.“Thustheprogramencouragesbestmanagementpracticesinfishfarmingwithoutsacrificingeconomicbenefits.”

AquaFishhasplayedasignificantrolethroughouttheaccreditationprocess,

providingtechnicalsupportandinput.Inadditiontocurriculumdevelopment,KNUST refurbished its researchfacilities,providedstaff training, built the department’slibraryresources,andpurchased

neededequipmentandresearchsupplies.ThedepartmentnowemploysfivePhD-levelandtwoMS-levelfaculty.Allaspectsofthedepartmentwereimprovedtoprovidehigh-quality facilities and build both human and institutionalcapacity.

AquaFish has a long history of building capacityaroundtheworld.Since2006,AquaFishhassupported351degrees-48%wereearnedbywomen-andforgedpartnershipswithover80institutions.TherecenteffortsinGhanaareaproductoftherichandin-depthcollaborationAquaFishhasfacilitatedbetween Oregon State University, Purdue University,VirginiaTech,andKNUST.ThecollaborativerelationshipsAquaFishhasforgedareproducingbenefitsthatwillgobeyondthelifeoftheprogramandwillhaveasustainableimpactforyearstocome.

KNUST students and participants in the feed trials that were part of the Strategic Investment in Rapid Technology Dissemination (SIRTD) Best Management Practices (BMP) Associate Award (photo credit Hillary Egna).

Aquanews Spring 2014

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Rezwana had long wanted to attend an agricultural university where she would be able to research ways in which Bangladeshi aquaculturecouldbeexpandedandmademoresustainable.Shebelievedthelackofadequateknowledgeaboutfishculture and management technologies wasaprimaryfactorinthelowperunitfishproduction.Rezwanahopedtocontinuethedevelopmentofsustainabletechnologiesinaquaculture that are better suited for rural farmersinBangladesh.UndertheguidanceofDr.Md.AbdulWahab,anAquaFishHostCountryPrincipalInvestigatoratBangladeshAgriculture University (BAU), Rezwana did just that.FromJulythroughOctober2012,thosestudies culminated in four months of AquaFish-supportedresearchonthewaterqualityandgrowthandproductionofNiletilapiaandsilvercarpinpolyculturepondsunderdifferentfertilizerandfeedconditions.Thelessonsandtechniqueslearnedfromthatexperimentalresearch will be disseminated throughout the countrythroughworkshopsandon-farmfieldtrialsoverthenextfewyears.

In four months of data collection and analysis, Rezwana and the research team recorded howwaterqualityandfishproductionwereaffected by three different feeding and fertilizing regimes: 1) fertilizing with no added feed; 2) feeding at full ration level with no

GRADUATE STUDENT PROFILE: REZWANA SHARMIN

AQUAFISH STUDENT CORNER

fertilization; and 3) feeding at half ration levelwithfertilization.Fortilapia,theaverageweightatharvestandspecificgrowthratewassignificantlylowerinthepondsunderthefirsttreatment (only fertilization) than those under thesecondorthirdtreatments.Tilapiagrewfasterandhadhigherfeedefficiencyunderthe third (fertilized/half-feed) treatment than underthesecond(only-feed)treatment.Silvercarpharvestweight,ontheotherhand,didnotdiffersignificantlybetweentreatments,but grew slightly faster under the fertilized/half-feed treatment than the feed only strategy.Thecombinednetproductionwashigher under the fertilized/half-feed treatment than the other two, and that treatment had thehighestbenefit-costratio.Theresultsofthestudy,conductedattheUniversity’sFisheries Field Laboratory in the Mymensingh region, means that a combined fertilizer and supplementalfeedingata50%rationcouldbemoreeconomicalthanraisingthefishonfeedorfertilizeralone.Asaresult,Bangladeshifishfarmersmaybeabletodiversifytheircropswith no loss in harvest biomass or income if theyutilizedthisregimen.

RezwanahopesthisAquaFish-supportedresearch will result in more farmers raising tilapiaandsilvercarpinlow-costoperationswithhigherprofitmargins.“Theproposedsystemwillreducethecostlyfeedinputsandmakeoptimumuseofnaturalfoodorganisms,thus leading to an environment-friendly system withhighereconomicreturn,”shesays.

She sees many areas in which Bangladeshi aquaculturecouldbeimproved:inadequatesupplyofqualityseedfish,lackofqualityfishfeed,uncertainavailabilityofrainwatertofillponds,lackoffundsforfarmerstopurchase

Graduate Student continued on page 11....

By Matthew Berger, AquaFish Innovation Lab

Rezwana Sharmin

Rezwana analyzes samples in the lab at Bangladesh Agriculural University (photo courtesy of Rezwana Sharmin). Bangladesh’saquaculture

operationscontributeoverhalfofthecountry’sseafoodproduction.According to FAO, it ranked 5thintheworldinfarmedfishproductionin2011.ButRezwana Sharmin thinks her country could be doing more.

Aquanews Spring 2014

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AQUAFISH ALUMNI CORNER

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: AQUAFISH ALUMNI WILFRIDO CONTRERAS VISITS OSU

“FISHERY BIOLOGY, REPRODUCTION AND CULTURE OF THE COMMON SNOOK, CENTOPOMUS UNDECIMALIS”

By Caleb Price, AquaFish Innovation Lab

Theword“snook”mayconjureupthoughtsoftheinfamoustelevisionprogram“The Jersey

Shore”.ButtoaroomfulloffisheriesstudentsandprofessorsatOregonStateUniversity(OSU)last February, that word held a much different meaning.

Similar to salmon, the snook is a diadromous species–meaningitmovesbetweenfreshwaterandsaltwaterenvironments.Butunlikesalmon,thesnookisahermaphroditicfish,whichmeansthatitsphysiologyallowsitto change sex from male to female, or vice versa.ThisisonecuriositythatdrewpeopletoaspecialseminaronthetopicgivenbyDr.WilfridoContreras,afisheriesprofessorandVP of Research at the Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco (UJAT) in Mexico -- a long-timeparticipantinAquaFishresearch.

During his talk, entitled “Fishery biology, reproductionandcultureofthecommonSnook, Centopomus undecimalis,”Dr.Contrerasspokeaboutwhathelearnedfromyearsofresearchonsnook.Conversationsafterthetalkprovedinformativetobothspeakerandaudience.“IfounditveryinterestingtohearfromOSUprofessorsthatotherhormonesbesides T3 and T4, (forms of testosterone) arenowbeingusedforlinkingphysiologicalchangesandmigrationsinfish,”saidDr.Contreras.

Buttheresearchtopicwasn’ttheonlythingthatmadethisseminarspecial.Itwasakindof homecoming for Wilfrido, who earned a MastersdegreeandaPh.DinfisheriesscienceatOSU,supportedbyfundingfromtheAquacultureCRSP.Hecompletedhisdoctoral

dissertationin2000,whichfocusedonfindingsafe and reliable masculinization techniques for sexreversalinNiletilapia.

WilfridoreturnedtoUJATaftercompletinghisPh.DandworkedonbuildingcapacityforaquacultureproductionandresearchinMexico.HehasservedasaprincipalinvestigatoronAquaFishprojectsthathavesupportedtheeducationofmorethan30students,andhelpedpromoteaquacultureforconservationandfoodsecurity.HerecentlyassumedthepositionofVicePresidentofResearch at UJAT, where he guides research effortsatalargeagriculturaluniversity.Currently,Dr.ContrerasservesasaCoordinatorfor the AquaFish Regional Center for Excellence(RCE)inLatinAmerica.

DuringhisvisittoOSU,Dr.ContrerasmetwithagroupofprofessorsinterestedincollaboratingonfisheriesresearchinMexico.HewaspleasedtoreturntoOregon.“TheUniversityisgrowingalot.Iamsurprisedwiththenumberofprogramsofferedonline.”Thetripwasalsonostalgic,saysWilfrido.“ImissthepizzafromAmerican Dream, the Thai food, the rain (just kidding!), and the many friends that I had the chancetoseewhilevisiting”.

Wilfrido Contreras (photo courtesy of the AquaFish Innovation Lab).

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CREATING SYNERGIES: ASIA REGIONAL MEETING

Aligningresearchpriorities,coordinatinglinkages, enhancing regional collaboration,

andevaluatingpastsuccessesweretheprioritiesofthefirstAquaFishAsiaRegionalMeeting, held on 9-10 December 2013 at the InlandFisheriesResearchandDevelopmentInstitute(IFReDI)inPhnomPenh,Cambodia.

A shared focus on gender, human nutrition, USAID’smissionofinteractionandgeneraloutreach,capacitybuilding,technologydevelopment,andimpactassessmentopenedupopportunitiesforcollaboration

By Morgan Chow, AquaFish Innovation Lab

Nen Phanna (left) and Jay Dev Bista (right) in discussion during the AquaFish Innovation Lab Asia Regional Meeting (photo courtesy of Chheng Phen).

Asia Regional Meeting participants engaged in discussions between sessions. Top (left to right): Hillary Egna and Md. Abdul Wahab. Bottom (left to right): May Myat Noe Lwin and Md. Ashraful Islam (photos courtesy of Chheng Phen).

AquaFish Asia Regional Meeting participants (photo courtesy of Chheng Phen).

amongstresearchers’projectsinBangladesh,Nepal,Cambodia,Vietnam,Burma,China,andthePhilippines.

Dr.HillaryEgnaintroducedPhaseIIFocusAreas for Asia, as well as information frompastresearcheffortssuchastheGlobalExperiment,ExperimentalPondUnitAnalysis,andValue-ChainAnalysis.USLeadProjectandHostCountryPIsgavesummarypresentationsontheirworkthusfar,detailingwheresynergieswillhappenontheground.Projectsincludeenhancinghouseholdconsumptionofindigenousfish,linking trade and markets for aquaculture development,andpromotingtheintegrationoffinfishandshellfishintopondpolyculturesystems.OtherdiscussionscoveredtheFeed the Future Monitoring System (FTFMS) andthebesttechnologiesfromPhaseI.Dr.Egnaclosedthemeeting,andparticipantshadtheopportunitytoobservefishingandaquacultureactivitiesintheTonleSapregion.

Aquanews Spring 2014

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Cockle collectors have been adversely affected by regulations and establishments ofmarineprotectedareas(MPAs)thatprohibitthemfromcollectingcocklessincetheyhavefewalternatives.Cocklepopulations have also dramaticallydeclined,despitestringentlawsandaclosedseason.WhenUCAstartedworkingwith cockle collectors, the situation seemeddiresincethecocklepopulationwas continuing to decline while cockle collectorsremainedinpoverty.Thissituation is not unique to Nicaragua; it is playedoutoncoastsaroundtheworldashumanpopulationsincreaseandresourcesare threatened by multiple factors.

UCAtookamulti-prongedapproachtosearch for viable, long-term solutions that wouldbenefitboththecockleresourceas well as those that are dependentuponit.First,effortsweremadetoassessthe situation, working closely with the stakeholders.Researchersgatheredaccurate information while building trust with the stakeholders, which providedopportunitiesforinteractionsthathelpedbuildcapacityintheregion.UCAalsobegan working with the communities to conductsurveysofcocklepopulationsandtest the concept of community-based no-takezones.

At the same time, a survey of cockle collecting communities in Nicaragua showed that at least 37.2 million cocklesarecollectedannuallydespitedecliningpopulations,yetthecocklecollectorsearnonlyafewcentsperdozen.Marketstudiesand a value-chain analysis revealed that prices for the collectors had improved verylittle over the years and most of the value accruestothefinalretailersinlargerurbanareas.

Improving the management of the cocklepopulationisonepotentialsolution.UCA

worked closely with cockle collectors tofirsttesttheconceptofvoluntaryno-take zones as a way to help maintainorpossiblyrestorecocklepopulations.ThefirstcommunitytoworkwithUCAwas Asseradores, where 78 cockle-collectingfamiliesestablished,protected,and monitored four no-take zones in mangroveareasforsevenyears.Atthistime, monitoring results show that cockle populationsinsideandadjacenttotheno-takezonesincreasedby266%.Resultswere readily observable within the firstyear,inspiringthecommunitytocontinuethis work and to begin other management efforts.

....Nicaragua continued from page 2.

The community-based, solar-electric powered depuration center in Asseradoes, Nicaragua (photo courtesy of Maria Haws).

Nicaragua continued on page 10....

Location of the community of Aserradores in the Department of Chinandega, Nicaragua.(Source:www.ineter.gob.ni.)

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Anumberofoptionswereconsideredfor adding value to the cockles at the communitylevel.Thesewerefairlylimitedgiven the isolation of the communities and their lack of resources and technical training.Oneideawasadepurationcenter.Depurationisarelativelysimpleprocesswherebyshellfisharelefttopurgethemselves of pathogens in clean waterforafewdays.Previousstudieshadshownthat the cockles were contaminated with coliformbacteria,presentingahealththreat serious enough that consumers indicated that they might be willing to payahigherpriceforcleanercockles.Establishingacommunity-operateddepurationsystemwasachallengingeffortgiven the isolation of the area, low level of community education, and costs. ButUCA was able to leverage the initial USAID/AquaFish investment with other donors, includingJapan,theEuropeanUnion,the Alliance for Energy and Environment, and the CIDEA Institute, to come upwith$155,000todesign,build,andtraincommunitymembersinitsoperation.Thesmalldepurationcenterispoweredbysolarelectricpowerandoperatedbycommunity members who have been trainedinpost-harvesthandlingmethods.Cockle collectors in the community harvest

....Nicaragua continued from page 9. anaverageof100dozencocklesperday. Thedepurationcentercandepurateabout100dozeneveryfivedays,lessthantheharvestingcapacitybutstillsignificant.Thereareplanstoaddmunicipalpowertoincreasethedepurationcapacity.Thiscommunity-operateddepurationcenteris believed to be the only one of its kind in LatinAmerica.

Itisprojectedthatonceoperatingatfullcapacity,theconsolidation,depuration,and sales of cockles will generate about $68,000 in added value if only half of the cocklecollectingfamiliesparticipate.Thiswill representanannualincomeof$1,800perfamily,asignificantcontributiontothevillageeconomy.

Thedepurationcenteralsofunctionsasameetingplaceforthecocklecollectors.This allows them to meet on a regular basis and continue their management and commercializationactivities.Manyothercoastal communities can learn from the co-managedprotectedareasandthedepurationcenterinAsseradoresforbestpracticesinnaturalresourcemanagement.

PONDERINGS...

Women and children in Asseradores have benefitted from the community-based Cockle management project in Nicaragua (photo courtesy of Maria Haws).

Fish, at their own sweet whimSoftly glide, move and swim,

Colors feasting frenzied eye, MakealsofineattiresimplyCreatingbubblesthefishplaywellLeavingonlookersinBeauty’sspell!Exotic hues dots and linesOffishdashinaquashines!ThusfullofpatternscharmingArrest us in mood enchanting, AquatransparentscreensthedanceOffish,leavingusinwordlesstrance.Thepetal-likefish,softandmellowFormtrafficintubtoandfro.

-Minnoor Srinivasan

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AQUAFISH ATTENDS FEED THE FUTURE INNOVATION LAB COUNCIL PARTNERS MEETING IN NEPAL

AquaFishHostCountryPI,MadhavShresthafrom the Agriculture and Forestry University

inNepal,andRamaNandaMishrafromtheDirectorateofFisheriesDevelopmentinNepal,representedDr.HillaryEgnaandAquaFishatthe Feed the Future Innovation Lab Council andAquaFishPartnersMeetinginNepal,10-14March2014.DuringtheAnimals in Production Systems session,Dr.ShresthapresentedonFishProductionSystemsinNepal.

Themeetingfocusedonscalinguptechnologiesandemphasizedthefocusonnutrition.Therewasalsodiscussionofcollaboratingmorewiththeprivatesectorandfindingbetterwaysofcommunicatingresearchresults.Daytwooftheworkshopfocusedoninterventionsinvariousprojectsthatwillimprovewomen’slivelihoods.Aftertheworkshop,someparticipantsvisitedsiteswithin the Knowledge-based Integrated Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrition (KISAN) Projectinthemid-westernregionofNepal.

ThisisthefirsttimethismeetinghasbeenheldinAsia.PreviousmeetingswereheldinGhana,Tanzania,andUganda.ThefirstmeetingtookplaceinKampala,Uganda,in 2011, when the Collaborative Research SupportPrograms(CRSPs)metwithUSAIDandotherregionalpartners.Themeetingsservetobring together Innovation Labs and USAID to focusonregionalissues.

....Graduate Student continued from page 6.

bring together Innovation Labs and USAID to

developedmarkets.Butthemostpressingissueshepointstoisaknowledgegapregardingbestmanagementpractices,particularlyasrelatedtopoor,ruralfishfarmers.

Rezwanahopesherresearchwillhelpfillthatgap,andcreditsAquaFishanditsin-countryresearchteamforhelpingtoaddresstheseissues.“AquaFishalways[supports]newfishculturetechniques,”shesays.“Theirfundingsystemisbetterthanotherorganizations.Whenmy research was going on, I was so excited abouttheupcomingresultsbecauseitwasanewtechnologyinourcountry.”

Sheisalreadyseeingsignsofpositivechange.Polycultureoperationsraisingcarp,pangasius,catfish,tilapia,air-breathingfishes,crab,andmarineorfreshwatershrimparegrowing,anddemandforfarmedfishbothin Bangladesh and abroad is continuing to expand.Combinedwithincreasingnumbersofyoungpeopleenteringtheindustryandnew,developingprogramsinaquaculturepracticesandresearch,thefuturelooksbrightforBangladeshiaquaculture.ShehopesthatwithAquaFish’shelpshecanbepartofcontinuedresearchtodevelopnewaquaculturetechnologiesthatareappropriateforBangladesh.

Rezwana’sresearchontilapiaandsilvercarppondsresultedinaMaster’sinFisheriesManagement in June 2013 that was funded byAquaFish.SheiscurrentlyworkingasaResearch Fellow in the Water Quality and PondDynamicsLabatBAU.Shehopestosee more funding for research in her country, “sothatmorestudents,especiallymyfemalefriends,canparticipateinaquacultureandfisheriesresearchandcancontributetotheeconomy of our country through increasing thefishproductioninasustainablemanner.”Rezwana noted the increasing numbers of womenpursuingFisheriesandAquacultureMaster’satBAU.Sheishopefulthatmoreprofessionaldevelopmentandresearchopportunitiesforthesestudentswillallowforevenmorewomentojointhefield.

Cage cum pond in rural Nepal (photo courtesy of AquaFish Innovation Lab).

By Morgan Chow, AquaFish Innovation Lab

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Notices of PublicationNotices of Publication announce recently publishedworkcarriedoutunderAquaFishsponsorship.Toreceiveafullcopyofapublication,pleasecontacttheauthor(s)directly. AllpastandpresentNoticesofPublication can be found on the AquaFish website at: aquafishcrsp.oregonstate.edu/nops.php

Economically Feasible Options for Increased Women Participation in Kenyan Aquaculture Value Chain (13-17)

L.Z.B.Ndanga,K.K.Quagrainie,andJ.H.Dennis

ThispaperusedvaluechainanalysistodetermineeconomicallyviableopportunitiesforincreasedfemaleparticipationintheaquaculturevaluechainsinKenya.Themainopportunitiesforwomenareasfishmarketersandasfishfarmers,especiallyintheWesternProvinceofKenya.Fishmarketingiseconomicallymoreviablethanfishfarmingwithanoverallbenefit–costratioofover1.00whilethebenefit–costratiosforfishfarmerswerelessthan0.5.Thewesternregionhadthestrongestfishproductionsectorcomparedtothe Central Province and the Rift Valley and providesrelativelybetteropportunitiesforwomenparticipationinfishproduction.IntheRiftValleyProvince,womencouldworkaspaidlaborersonfishfarmsasthisregionshowedthelargestemploymentimpactonthecommunityfromagrowthinfishfarmingactivities.

Thisabstractwasexcerptedfromtheoriginalpaper,whichwaspublishedinAquaculture(2013),414-415:183-190.

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Budget Analysis of Carp Based Polyculture Ponds in Chitwan, Nepal (13-18).

S.Gurung,M.K.Shrestha,andN.P.Pandit

Anexperimentwasconductedin12earthenpondsof200m2 at Kathar VDC, Chitwan, Nepalfor270daystoanalyzetheproductivityandnutrientbudgetinsomecarpbasedpolyculturesystems.Theexperiment

wasconductedinacompletelyrandomizeddesignwithfourtreatmentsintriplicateeach:a)Carpsonlyorcontrol(7000fish/ha)(T1);b)Carps(7000/ha)+tilapia(3000/ha)(T2);c)Carps(7000/ha)+tilapia(3000/ha)+sahar(500/ha)(T3);andd)Carps(7000/ha)+tilapia(3000/ha)+sahar(1000/ha)(T4).Silvercarp(Hypophthalmichthys molitrix),bigheadcarp(Aristichthys nobilis),commoncarp(Cyprinus carpio),grasscarp(Ctenopharyngodon idella), rohu (Labeo rohita) and mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) of mean stocking size 3.0,4.2,10.0,18.8,10.5,2.2g,respectivelywerestockedinallpondsattheratioof4:2:1:1:1:1.ThemeanstockingsizeofNiletilapia(Oreochromis niloticus) and sahar (Tor putitora)were9.7and3.4g,respectively.Thepondswerefertilizedweeklywithureaanddi-ammoniumphosphate@4gNand1g P/m2/day.Fishwerefedwithlocallymadepelletfeed(20%CP)onceinanalternatedayat@2%bodyweight.Atharvest,theextrapolatedfishyieldrangedfrom1.5to1.7t/ha/yearindifferenttreatments,withoutsignificantdifferencesamongtreatments(P>0.05).InclusionofsaharinNiletilapiapondsdecreasedrecruitsby63to72%.Therewerenosignificantdifferencesinwaterqualityparametersamongtreatments,exceptdissolved oxygen concentration, which was significantlylowerinT1andT3thanT2andT4(p<0.05).Bothnitrogenandphosphorousweregainedfromfishspeciesandlostfromsoilandwater.Therewerenosignificantdifferencesinnitrogenandphosphorouscontentsofallinputsandoutputsamongtreatments.Theunaccountednitrogenandphosphorouslossrangedfrom9.8--17.1%and51.2--64.4%,respectively.Thenitrogenandphosphorousrequiredforproducing1kgfishrangedfrom337.5--375.9gand130.3--150.9g,withoutsignificantdifferenceamongtreatments.Thenitrogenandphosphorousdischargedforproducing1kgfishrangedfrom1.59--4.35gand1.6--9.3g,respectively.

Thisabstractwasexcerptedfromtheoriginalpaper,whichwaspublishedinOurNature(2013),11(2):116-125.

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Genetic Variability of the Common Snook Centropomus undecimalis (Perciformes: Centropomidae) in Connected Marine and Riverine Environments (13-319).

U.Hernández-Vidal,J.Lesher-Gordillo,W.M.Contreras,andX.Chiappa-Carrarra

The Common Snook, Centropomusundecimalis, inhabits riverine and marine areas of the Southern Gulf of Mexico, where it is subject to intense use andexploitation.Ithasbeenreportedthatthegeneticidentificationoffishstocksconstitutesavaluabletoolforwildpopulationmanagement;nevertheless, there is no available information onthegeneticidentificationonfishstocksofthisspeciesintheregion.TheaimofthisstudywastodeterminethegeneticrelationshipbetweenC.undecimaliscapturedinmarineandfreshwaterenvironments of the Gulf of Mexico and the SanPedroRiver.Forthis,muscletissuesamplesof79specimenswereobtainedfromareaslocatedmorethan300kmapart.Thegenotypeof each individual was determined using seven microsatelliteprimerpairs.Fiveprimersamplifiedefficientlypresentingbetweensixand28allelesperlocus.Highlevelsofheterozygosiswereobservedinsamplesfrombothenvironments.DeviationfromHWEduetoanexcessofheterozygoteswasobserved.Thevaluesofgenetic difference indicate an absence of populationstructure(FST=0.0075andRST=0.016,p=0.051)andsimilarityintheallelefrequencies,definedbyNei’sindex(0.805).Datashowedtheexistenceofahighgeneflowduetothenumberofmigrants(Nm=18.7).Ourresultssuggestthatindividuals living in these environments belong tothesamegeneticpopulation.Wesuggestthedevelopmentofmanagementandprotectionplansforthisfishspeciespopulationinthewild.

Thisabstractwasexcerptedfromtheoriginalpaper,whichwaspublishedinRevista de Biologia Tropical(InternationalJournalofTropicalBiology)(2014),62(2):627-636.

Circulating Levels of Plasma IGF-I During Recovery from Size-Selective Harvesting in Menidia menidia (13-320).

T.A.Duffy,M.E.Picha,R.J.Borski,andD.O.Conover

Selection for growth-related traits in domesticatedfishesoftenresultsinpredictablechangeswithinthegrowthhormone-insulin-likegrowthfactor(GH-IGF-1)axis.Littleisknownaboutthemechanismscontrollingchangesingrowthcapacityresultingfromfishery-inducedevolution.Wetook advantage of a long-term study where Menidia menidia were selected for size at ageovermultiplegenerationstomimicfisheries-inducedselection.Thisselectionregimeproducedthreepopulationswithsignificantdifferencesinintrinsicgrowthrate.Thesegrowthdifferencespartiallyrebounded,butpersistedevenafterselection was relaxed, resulting in fast, intermediate,andslow-growinglines.PlasmaIGF-1wasmeasuredinthesepopulationsasapotentialtargetofselectionongrowth.IGF-1wassignificantlycorrelatedwithcurrentlengthandmass,andwaspositivelycorrelated with growth rate (g d-1) in two lines,indicatingitmaybeanappropriateindicatorofgrowthcapacity.Theslow-growing line exhibited higher overall IGF-1 levelsrelativetothedepressedIGF-1seenin the fast-growing line, contrary to our prediction.Weofferpossibleexplanationsforthisunusualpatternandarguethatsomatic growth is likely to be under control of mechanism(s) downstream to IGF-1.IGF-1providesaninterestingbasisfor understanding endocrine control of growthinresponsetoartificialselectionandrecovery.

Thisabstractwasexcerptedfromtheoriginalpaper,whichwaspublishedinComparativeBiochemistry and Physiology Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology (2013), 166(2):222-227.

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Characterization of Membrane Receptor Binding Activity for Cortisol in the Liver and Kidney of the Euryhaline Teleost, Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) (13-321).

W.M.JohnstoneIII,K.A.Mills,R.A.Alyea,P.Thomas,andR.J.Borski

Glucocorticoids (GCs) regulate an array ofphysiologicalresponsesinvertebrates.Genomic GC actions mediated by nuclear steroidreceptorsrequirealagtimeonthe order of hours to days to generate anappreciablephysiologicalresponse.ExperimentalevidencehasaccumulatedthatGCscanalsoactrapidlythroughanongenomic mechanism to modulate cellular physiologyinvertebrates.CausalevidenceintheMozambiquetilapia(Oreochromis mossambicus) suggests that the GC cortisol exertsrapid,nongenomicactionsinthegills,liver,andpituitaryofthiseuryhalineteleost,butthemembranereceptormediatingtheseactionshasnotbeencharacterized.RadioreceptorbindingassayswereconductedtoidentifyaputativeGCmembranereceptorsite in O. mossambicus.Thetissuedistribution,bindingkinetics,andpharmacologicalsignature of the GC membrane-binding activitywerecharacterized.Highaffinity(Kd=9.527±0.001nM),low-capacity(Bmax=1.008±0.116fmol/mgprotein)[3H]cortisolbindingwasidentifiedonplasmamembranespreparedfromtheliversandaloweraffinity(Kd=30.08±2.373nM),lowcapacity(Bmax=4.690±2.373fmol/mgprotein)bindingwasfoundinkidneymembranepreparations.CompetitorswithhighbindingaffinityfornuclearGCreceptors,mifepristone(RU486),dexamethasone, and 11-deoxycorticosterone, displayednoaffinityforthemembraneGCreceptor.Theassociationanddissociationkineticsof[3H]cortisolbindingtomembraneswereordersofmagnitudefaster(t1/2=1.7–2.6min) than those for the intracellular (nuclear) GCreceptor(t1/2=10.2h).Specific[3H]cortisol membrane binding was also detected inthegillandpituitarybutnotinbraintissue.ThisstudyrepresentsthefirstcharacterizationofamembraneGCreceptorinfishesandoneofonlyafewcharacterizedinvertebrates.

Thisabstractwasexcerptedfromtheoriginalpaper,whichwaspublishedinGeneralandComparativeEndocrinology(2013),192:107-114.

Endocrine Regulation of Compensatory Growth in Fish (13-322).

E.T.WonandR.J.Borski.

Compensatorygrowth(CG)isaperiodofaccelerated growth that occurs following the alleviation of growth-stunting conditions duringwhichanorganismcanmakeupforlostgrowthopportunityandpotentiallycatchupinsizewithnon-stuntedcohorts.Fishshowaparticularlyrobustcapacityfortheresponseand have been the focus of numerous studies thatdemonstratetheirabilitytocompensateforperiodsoffastingoncefoodismadeavailableagain.CGischaracterizedbyanelevated growth rate resulting from enhanced feedintake,mitogenproduction,andfeedconversionefficiency.Becauselittleisknownabout the underlying mechanisms that drivetheresponse,thisreviewdescribesthesequentialendocrineadaptationsthatleadtoCG;namelyduringtheprecedentcatabolicphase(fasting)thattapsendogenousenergyreserves,andthefollowinghyperanabolicphase(refeeding)whenacceleratedgrowthoccurs.InordertoelicitaCGresponse,endogenousenergyreservesmustfirstbemoderatelydepleted,whichaltersendocrineprofilesthatenhanceappetiteandgrowthpotential.Duringthiscatabolicphase,elevatedghrelinandgrowthhormone(GH)productionincreaseappetiteandprotein-sparinglipolysis,whileinsulin-likegrowthfactors(IGFs)aresuppressed,primarilyduetohepaticGHresistance.Duringrefeeding,temporalhyperphagiaprovidesaninfluxofenergyandmetabolic substrates that are then allocated tosomaticgrowthbyresumedIGFsignaling.Under the right conditions, refeeding results inhyperanabolismandasteepenedgrowthtrajectoryrelativetoconstantlyfedcontrols.Theresponsewanesasenergyreservesarere-accumulatedandhomeostasisisrestored.Weascribepossiblerolesforselectappetiteand growth-regulatory hormones in the

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contextoftheprerequisiteofthesecatabolicandhyperanabolicphasesoftheCGresponseinteleosts,withemphasisonGH,IGFs,cortisol,somatostatin,neuropeptideY,ghrelin,andleptin.

Thisabstractwasexcerptedfromtheoriginalpaper,whichwaspublishedinFrontiersinEndocrinology(Lausanne)(2013),4:74.

Genetically-Improved Tilapia Strains in Africa: Potential Benefits and Negative Impacts (14-323).

Y.B.Ansah,E.A.Frimpong,andE.M.Hallerman.

Twogeneticallyimprovedtilapiastrains(GIFTand Akosombo) have been created with Oreochromis niloticus(Niletilapia),whichisnativetoAfrica.Inparticular,GIFThasbeenshowntobesignificantlysuperiortolocalAfricantilapiastrainsintermsofgrowthrate.WhiledevelopmenteconomistsseethepotentialforfoodsecurityandpovertyreductioninAfricafromcultureofthesenewstrainsoftilapia,conservationistsarewaryofpotentialecologicalandgeneticimpactsonreceivingecosystemsandnativestocksoftilapia.ThisstudyreviewsthehistoryoftheGIFTtechnology,andidentifiespotentialenvironmentalandgeneticrisksofimprovedandfarmedstrainsandtilapiaingeneral.WealsoestimatethepotentialeconomicgainsfromtheintroductionofgeneticallyimprovedstrainsinAfrica,usingGhanaasacasecountry.EmployingacombinationoftheEconomic-Surplusmodeland Monte Carlo simulation, we found the mean netpresentvalue(NPV)oftheintroductionoftheGIFTstraininGhanatobeapproximately1%ofthecountry’sgrossdomesticproduct.Sensitivityanalysis indicated that the difference in growth or yield between the GIFT and locally-available strainshasthelargesteffectonmeanNPV.Weconcludethatimprovementsinmanagementpracticesandinfrastructurecouldincreasetheyieldandprofitabilityofthelocalstrainsevenifgenetically-improvedstrainsarenotintroduced.Theseimprovementsalsowillensuretherealizationofthefullpotentialofintroducedstrains.

Thisabstractwasexcerptedfromtheoriginalpaper,whichwaspublishedinSustainability(2014),6:3697-3721.

Effects of Dietary Protein Levels on Growth Performance of Claroteid Catfish, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, Fingerlings (14-324).

N.W.Agbo,S.Amisah,E.Tettey,andE.A.Frimpong

A10-weekexperimentwasconductedtodeterminetheoptimalproteinrequirementof Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, claroteid catfishintwelve60-Lindoorflowthroughrectangularglasstanksprovidedwithaeratedundergroundwater.Fourisoenergetic diets were formulated to containvaryingcrudeprotein(CP)levelsof32.1%,34.6%,42.8%,and47.1%usingfishmeal/soybeanmealasproteinsources.Eachdietwasfedtotriplicategroupof12fingerlings(initialweight16.30±0.07g,mean±SE)inacompletelyrandomizeddesign.A digestibility trial was conducted with all thedietsafterthegrowthtrial.Resultsafterten weeks of feeding showed an increase inbodyweightgain(BWG%)andspecificgrowth rate with increasing levels of dietary proteinupto42.8%(P<0.05)butadeclineat47.1%CP.Proteinefficiencyratiofollowedsimilartrendbuttherewerenosignificantdifferencesbetweenthetreatments.Feedconversion ratio (FCR) reduced as dietary proteinlevelincreased,withtheminimumFCRinthe42.8%proteindiet,althoughthiswasnotsignificantlydifferentfromthe34.6%and47.1%proteindiets.Analysisofdose(proteinlevel)-response(BWG%)withpolynomialbrokenstickregressionsuggestedthattheoptimaldietaryproteinrequirementfor the juvenile of C. nigrodigitatus was42.8%.Keywords:Dietaryproteinrequirement,growthperformance,feedutilization, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, weight gain.

Thisabstractwasexcerptedfromtheoriginalpaper,whichwaspublishedinAnnalsofBiologicalResearch(2014),5(4):17-22.

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Overcompensation of Circulating and Local Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 During Catch-Up Growth in Hybrid Striped Bass (Morone chrysops×Morone saxatilis) Following Temperature and Feeding Manipulations (14-325).

M.E.Picha,P.R.Biga,N.Galt,A.S.McGinty,K.Gross,V.S.Hedgpeth,T.D.Siopes,andR.J.Borski

Teleosts and other aquatic ectotherms have theabilitytowithstandprolongedperiodsoflowwatertemperatures(cold-acclimation)andfasting,andcanoftenrespondwithphasesofaccelerated(compensatory)growthwhenfavorableconditionsarerestored.Weassessedwhethercompletefeedrestrictionpriorto(24°C,days0–23)and/orduring(14°C,days24–114)asimulatedperiodofcold-acclimationcouldelicitepisodesofcompensatorygrowth(CG)andcatch-upgrowthuponwarm-upto24°Candsatiationfeeding(days115–148).Controlhybridstripedbass(HSB: Morone chrysops × Morone saxatilis) were fed to satiation throughouttheentireexperimentunderthesetemperaturefluctuations.Compensatorygrowthandultimatelycatch-upgrowthwereachievedingroupsofHSBthatweredeprivedoffeedduringeithertheinitialperiodat24°C(days0–23),duringthecold-acclimationperiod(14°C,days24–114),orduringbothoftheseperiods(days0–114).Further,itappearsthatHSBarebetterabletocompensateforweightlosswhenskeletallengthisnotsignificantlycompromisedduringthetreatmentperiod,whichoccurredinHSBfeedrestrictedduringcold-acclimationonly.ThemostdramaticCGresponsesweredefinedbyspecificgrowthrates(SGRs)upto4.2timesthatofcontrolsandwereaccompaniedbyhyperphagiaandimprovementsintemporalandoverallfeedconversion.Levelsofplasmainsulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and muscle IGF-1mRNAweresignificantlycorrelatedtogrowthrateforallgroupsthroughouttheexperiment(R2=0.40,0.23,respectively),withanovercompensationofbothobservedinHSBwith the most elevated SGRs during the CG response.Interestingly,opposingtrendswere

observedbetweenmusclemRNAexpressionofgrowthhormonereceptor(GHR)-1and-2,withfastingat24°Cand14°CresultingindepressedlevelsofGHR-1andelevatedlevelsofGHR-2relativetocontrols.Levelsofmusclemyostatin(MSTN)-1mRNAweresignificantlydepressedinHSBfastedat24°Cand/or14°CwhileMSTN-2mRNAwaslowerfollowinginitialfeedrestrictionat24°C.Likewise,levelsofunprocessedpro-MSTN(precursor)andmatureMSTNproteinwerebothdepressedinfastedfishat24°C.Thisstudydemonstratesthatapreviousperiodoffeedrestrictionandcold-acclimation followed by realimentation atmorefavorablewatertemperaturesproducesastrongCGresponseandcatch-upgrowthinfish.Thesestudiesalsosuggestthatanovercompensationofcirculatingand local IGF-1 along with changes in MSTN mRNAandproteinexpressionmaycontributeto accelerated growth rates characteristic ofCG.Furthermore,ourstudiesindicatethatoverallfeedconversioncanimprovebyasmuchas30%withCGinducedthroughtemperatureandfeedingmanipulationswithnoadverseeffectsongrowthofHSB.ThisraisesthepossibilitythatCGprotocolscanimproveproductionefficiencyofHSBandothertemperateteleostsinpondortankculture.

Thisabstractwasexcerptedfromtheoriginalpaper,whichwaspublishedinAquaculture(2014),428-429:174-183.

Combined Effects of Stocking Density and Background Colour on Growth Performance and Survival of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, L.) Fry Reared in Aquaria (14-326).

M.A.Opiyo,C.C.Ngugi,andJ.Rasowo

The effect of tank background colour and stocking density on growth rates and survival ofNiletilapia(Oreochromis niloticus)fry(0.32g)wereinvestigated.Thefishwererearedin aquarium with blue, black and clear backgrounds at two stocking densities of 2 fishL-1and4fishL-1.Theoutsidewallsandbottomsofeachaquariumwerepaintedtoachieve one of two colours (blue and black), while non-coloured (clear) aquarium served

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UpcomingMeetingsandEvents...

TheAquaFishInnovationLabisproudtosupportworkshopsandmeetingsdesigned

to facilitate increased knowledge and communicationinaquaculture.Upcomingmeetingsandworkshopsinclude...

Formoremeetingandemploymentopportunities,visitourEducation&EmploymentOpportunitiesNetwork(EdOpNet)databaseonline, at aquafishcrsp.oregonstate.edu/edop.php

Latin American & Caribbean Aquaculture 2014 4-7 November 2014Guadalajara, Mexico www.marevent.com/LAA2014_MEXICO.html

Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries 5 201412-15 November 2014genderaquafish.org/gaf5-2014-lucknow-india/gaf5-organization/

The 10th Indian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (10ifaf)12-15 November 201410ifaf.in/

2nd International Symposium on Aquaculture and Fisheries Education (ISAFE2)22-24April2015Shanghai, Chinawww.aarm-asialink.info/isafe-committee.html

World Aquaculture 201526-30May2015Jeju Island, South Koreawww.was.org/eventCalendar.aspx

asacontrol.Thefishwerefedacommercialdiet(40%crudeprotein)atadailyrateof5%oftheirbodyweighttwiceadayfor70days.Thebestgrowthrates,weightgain,specificgrowthrate,food conversion ratio and survival were achieved inlarvaerearedunder2fishL-1stockingdensityintheblueback-ground.Fishperformancewassignificantly(P<0.05)retardedinlarvaerearedinaquariumwithblackbackground.Increasedaggression was observed under high density or whenthefishwererearedinclearbackgrounds.Fish reared on black backgrounds were distinctivelydarkercomparedtothoserearedintheblueandclearbackgrounds.Theseresultssuggest O. niloticusshouldberearedat2fishL-1inaquariawithbluebackgrounds.

Thisabstractwasexcerptedfromtheoriginalpaper,whichwaspublishedintheJournalofFisheriesScience(2014),8(3):228-237.

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AquaFish Innovation LabOregon State UniversityCorvallis OR 97331 USAaquafish.oregonstate.edu

AquaFishInnovationLabandAquaculturepublicationscan be accessed online at aquafishcrsp.oregonstate.edu/publications.php

Director:Dr.HillaryS.EgnaAquanews Editor: Kat GoettingAquaNews Assistant Editors: Morgan Chow and StephanieIchien

AquanewsispublishedbytheAquaFishInnovation Lab, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR,97331,USA. aquafish@oregonstate.edu

ThecontentsofthisnewsletterarecopyrightoftheAquaFishInnovationLab©2014.Allrightsreserved, including mechanical and electronic reproduction.

Mention of trade names or commercial productsdoesnotconstituteendorsementorrecommendationforuseonthepartofUSAIDortheAquaFishInnovationLab.

AquaFish Innovation Lab activities are funded by GrantNo.EPP-A-00-06-00012-00fromtheUnitedStatesAgencyforInternationalDevelopment(USAID),andbyparticipatingUSandHostCountryinstitutions.

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