Recipient Organization
ICHTHUS UNLIMITED, LLC
109 S 32ND ST
WEST DES MOINES,IA 50265
Performing Department
Marine Aquaculture
Non Technical Summary
Tuna ranching is dependent on wild-captured fish and the current operational model is largely unsustainable as it increases fishing pressure on the Pacific bluefin tuna (PBFT) wild stock. Recent ISC (International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean) assessments indicate that this stock is "alarmingly overfished", while experiencing high exploitation rates. Regulatory measures alone do not work well in protecting endangered populations of fish.This proposal is a proactive private-public partnership between Ichthus Unlimited, Texas A&M University, the Unified Port of San Diego (SD) and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, which will collaborate to address this fundamental problem with a practical approach. Specific objectives are: 1. Establish a brood stock population of PBFT at the North Coronado Island, 2. Use fertilized eggs for production of larvae and juvenile fish, 3. Establish a PBFT hatchery in the Port of SD and 4.Grow PBFT from early juvenile to advance juvenilein a protected environment. In addition, this proposal has the potential to assist in population restoration efforts which are desperately needed.The hatchery will be established in southern California, likelyin the SD Bay area. Target customers are tuna ranchers, initially, those located south of SD (export market). The Mexican tuna ranching industry is the initial aim for several reasons: it is a well-established, sizeable, niche market that can be easily serviced from the US. Due to the present fishing limitations and stringent quota system the product of PBFT hatchery technology would find eager buyers in tuna ranchers. Preliminary estimates of the market size are $22 - 44 M/y. However, when permitting policy catches up with the federal legislation and tuna ranching can be pursued in the US (expected before the completion of this project), this research would provide an exceptional opportunity for the US to culture this highly-valued fish.
Animal Health Component
70%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
70%
Developmental
20%
Goals / Objectives
*Because information in this formis public-facing we have been instructed to withholdsensitive portions which were providedin the proposal*This proposal is a partnership between private (IU), public (SDPA) and academic institutions (TAMU and IEO), which will collaborate to address this problem with a practical approach.The overarching goals of this project are meant to demonstrate feasibility (proof-of-concept) on:A. Maturation and spawning induction in adult Pacific bluefin tuna (PBFT) held in oceanic cagesB.Larviculture of PBFT from fertile eggsC.Husbandry of early PBFT juveniles size (5 months old)Specific objectives are:To deploy oceanic cages and establish a brood stock population of PBFT at the North Coronado IslandUse fertilized eggs for production of PBFT larvae and juvenile fishEstablish a PBFT hatchery in the Port of San DiegoGrow PBFT from early juvenile stages (< 40 dph) to advance juveniles in a protected environmentAlthough, we will have a head start on the establishment of a brood stock PBFT population (1), acclimation to the special cages and new environment will take some time and production of fertilized eggs from these fish likely will not be achievable until year 3.Also, SDPA will initiate permitting procedures with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in April 2018. However,this process typically takes 18 - 24 months. Therefore, we have agreed to conduct the proof-of-concept research in an interim hatchery, operating with recirculating systems,which requires no such permit.Because fertile PBFT will not be available until year 3, mock larval rearing trials will be conducted at TAMU with imported ABFT eggs. Fertilized ABFT eggs will be obtained from the Spanish IEO and used to determine the technical feasibility and develop refined hatchery technology for production of juveniles.Therefore, attainable objectives within Phase I of this SBIR project are 1, and significant advancement will be gained for 2, 3and 4, with a closely related species (ABFT).By the end of phase II of this project all goals and specific objectives will have been attained and we will be ready for the commercial launch.
Project Methods
This research will be a multi-year effort which will start with SBIR phase I (year 1) and later be augmented and expanded to address other important research elements previously listed. The estimated progress throughout the course of the project is summarized in a time table made available in the initial proposal.Capture of brood fish and husbandryTuna farmers will actively participate in the procurement of up to 400 candidate PBFT brood fish (≥ 3-year old) which will be maintained in conventional net pens until verification of oceanographic resilience and stability of internal environment is confirmed for thermal cages. Then, as during harvest, fish will be seined, measured, weighed, tagged and a fin clipping will be secured for gender determination, before being released into a thermal cage. Husbandry in this cage will resemble that of de la Gandara et al. (2016). Procedures for assessment of gonadal maturation will be those outlined by Seoka et al. (2007) with modifications.?Assessment of gonadal maturationBriefly, the age of the PBFT will be assessed based on Masuma (2006). Ovary and testis of individual fish - four per sampling period - will be collected by catching fish in the thermal cage with hook and line. After euthanasia, target tissues will be dissected and fixed in 10% formalin. For this purpose, a total of 36 PBFT will be sampled from year 2 - 4 (every 4 months) during 9 sampling events. For histological observation, gonads will be embedded in paraffin, cut into 4 µm-thick cross sections, and stained with hematoxylin-eosin solution. Gonadal maturation will be evaluated using the classifications of Sarasquete et al. (2002) for ovaries, and Abascal et al. (2004) for the testis. The gonad-somatic index (GSI %) will be calculated using the following formula: gonad weight x 100/body weight.Egg collectionWhile the above-mentioned population adapt to the new cage system, reproductive populations of ABFT are already available through our collaborators in Spain (IEO). This partnership will allow us to obtain fertilized ABFT eggs which will be collected with a 400-μm mesh box secured along a tank wall just below the surface of the water and near the tank sump. Spawning events occur regularly during the twilight hours of the evening, allowing counted eggs from the egg collector to be immediately shipped to San Diego, CA and College Station, TX for mock larval runs with this closely related species. We will comply not only with established regulations in these states, but also will screen every batch of fish at origin, prior to the occurrence of actual shipments.Receiving facilities and larval rearingLarval rearing techniques developed by Co-PIs Seoka and Buentello have been tested successfully on PBFT and ABFT larvae and are partially described in Buentello et al. (2016). These day-by-day protocols were made available in the initial proposal. We will modify, upgrade and utilize larval rearing facilities at TAMU and San Diego.Phytoplankton/zooplankton communities will be used to raise juvenile tuna in indoor tanks by harvesting planktonic organisms from fertilized outdoor tanks. Unicellular microalgae, DHA-enriched rotifers (3 dph), copepods (8 dph) and Artemia nauplii (11 dph) will be supplemented as well as live fish larvae (Sciaenops ocellatus [TX] or Atractoscion nobilis [CA]) from day 15 - 25 after hatching (Buentello et al. 2016). Improved protocols based on Y1-3 experiences will be used on PBFT in San Diego. We have developed artificial diets which will be used for weaning larval tuna from day 25 dph and on. Experiments with ABFT will be terminated at this point; whereas, larvarl trials with PBFT in San Diego will continue with the nursery phase within oceanic pens.Transfer to protected nurserySwimming power increases substantially from 30 dph as well as light sensitivity. Fish will be fed every 15 min with three periods of increased ration size and transferred to nursery cages at 35 dph. Here, a protected environment will be provided for about 5 - 6 months until advance PBFT juveniles can be accustomed to conditions prevalent in Southern California.