Source: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA - WILMINGTON submitted to NRP
CONTROLLED BREEDING, LARVICULTURE AND INTENSIVE GROWOUT OF HIGH-VALUE MARINE FISH SPECIES FOR U.S. AGRICULTURE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0204471
Grant No.
2005-38854-02355
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
2005-06222
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2005
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2007
Grant Year
2005
Program Code
[NQ]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA - WILMINGTON
601 SOUTH COLLEGE ROAD
WILMINGTON,NC 28403
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
As worldwide demand for seafood expands and more restrictions are placed on harvesting wild populations, it is clear that mariculture, or farming of fish and shellfish, will be needed to conserve the commercial and recreational fisheries and to create new high-value high-demand seafood products for domestic consumption and for export. Commercial marine finfish aquaculture has been impeded by inadequate hatchery technologies for marketable species and inadequate growout technologies that are cost-effective and environmentally and socially sound. At UNCW, significant progress has been made in developing artificial mass propagation methods for southern flounder and for black sea bass, two candidate species for mariculture in the US. The proposed research will address pertinent research issues aimed to make culture technologies cost effective. The purpose of this research effort is to optimize broodstock, larval and juvenile nutrition to improve egg and larval quality, fingerling availability and quality, and growth of juveniles to full marketable sizes. We will also develop a pilot scale marine RAS facility in conjunction with the city of Jacksonville, NC as a basis for outreach projects. Finally, we will evaluate captive spawning and larval culture characteristics of a new species, the red porgy, another commercially important marine finfish being depleted by overharvesting.
Animal Health Component
80%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
80%
Developmental
10%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3013719100010%
3013719101010%
3013719102010%
3013719105010%
3023719100020%
3023719101020%
3023719102010%
3023719105010%
Knowledge Area
302 - Nutrient Utilization in Animals; 301 - Reproductive Performance of Animals;

Subject Of Investigation
3719 - Other cultured finfish;

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism; 1000 - Biochemistry and biophysics; 1020 - Physiology; 1050 - Developmental biology;
Goals / Objectives
The goal of UNCW's aquaculture program is to develop and to transfer to commercial users safe and effective methods for marine food production. Research focuses on three candidate species for aquaculture: southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma), summer flounder (P. dentatus) and black sea bass (BSB; Centropristis striata), and addresses the main technical constraints to mass propagation and commercial cultivation: controlled reproduction, larviculture and live feeds production, growout to marketable sizes, effluent management and economics and marketing. The FY 2005 objectives are as follows: Controlled breeding (1) Determine the effects of dietary lipid level on reproductive performance in BSB; Larviculture and live feeds production (2) Optimize techniques for essential fatty acid (EFA) and protein enrichment of live prey in larval southern flounder and BSB; (2.1) Investigate optimal levels of arachidonic acid (ARA), and (2.2) Evaluate enrichment products that boost both protein and EFA levels; (3) Replace live feeds with formulated artificial microdiets for southern flounder and BSB; (4) Evaluate broodstock management and larviculture for new marine fish species (i.e., red porgy Pagrus pagrus); Growout (5) Determine optimum dietary protein requirements for southern flounder and BSB; (6) Outreach: develop a pilot-scale marine finfish recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for research, education and commercial demonstration in Jacksonville, NC (Sturgeon City Project). Large-scale production of flounder or BSB will create economic opportunities in both coastal and inland areas where fisheries and traditional agriculture are in decline, replace declining harvests of wild fish, conserve the commercial and recreational fisheries, and make possible the restoration of natural populations. This project will support higher education in technologies and applications necessary to enhance the competitiveness of US aquaculture.
Project Methods
Numbers relate to objectives above: (1) Broodstock will be fed two isonitrogenous (45% CP) diets with different lipid levels (8% and 18%) and a natural diet of frozen fish (Menidia menidia). Females from each group will be implanted with LHRH-a to induce spawning. Fecundity, egg morphology and size, fertilization and hatching success, egg lipid and fatty acid (FA) composition and survival to the first-feeding stage will be monitored. (2.1) Optimal levels of arachidonic acid (ARA): Newly-hatched larvae will be fed live prey enriched to contain 10% DHA and five different levels of ARA: 0, 6, 8, 10, and 12 % total FA. In addition, one group of larvae will be fed live prey enriched with a commercial product containing 26% DHA and 0.6 % EPA and 0% ARA. Larval performance, including growth, survival, stress resistance, and lipid and FA profiles will be monitored until metamorphosis. (2.2) Larvae will be fed live prey enriched with five different practical media: concentrated microalgae, including N. oculata (0.22% DHA, 31.4% EPA, 3.94% ARA), Tetralselmis sp. (0.0% DHA, 9.30% EPA and 0.4 % ARA) and Isochrysis sp. (10.2% DHA, 2.5% EPA, and 0.52% ARA) and the commercial products Algamac (26% DHA and 0.6% EPA and 0% ARA) and DHA Protein Selco, which are designed to boost DHA and both protein and DHA levels, respectively. Larval performance and FA profiles will be determined. (3) Two isonitrogenous and isocaloric test microdiets will be prepared using different protein sources. Commercial microdiets will also be evaluated. Larvae will be stocked into aquaria and five dietary regimes will be compared as follows: (1) Live food (LF) rotifer and artemia; (2) Commercial MBD (CMBD), (3) MBD-1, (4) MBD-2, (5) 1/2 LF + 1/2 MBD-1 (1/2 rotifers and/or artemia + 1/2 MBD-1), (6) 1/2 LF + 1/2 MBD2 (1/2 rotifers and/or Artemia + 1/2 MBD-2). Larval performance, proximate composition, whole-body AA and FA profiles, and digestive enzymes will be determined through metamorphosis. (4) Embryos of red porgy will be obtained following natural spawning of captive broodstock. Larvae will be cultured through metamorphosis using protocols developed at UNCW for BSB. (5.1) Lab studies: Juveniles (approx. 2 g wet wt.) will be fed isocaloric diets with a fixed dietary energy level (20 kJ/g) and with six different protein levels of 35, 41, 47, 53, 59, 65%. Standard growth and feed utilization parameters will be monitored. (5.2) Pilot-scale studies: Juveniles (10-20 g wet wt.) will be fed diets with a fixed dietary energy level (20 kJ/g) and with different protein levels selected based on the results of the lab studies above. Standard growth and feed utilization parameters will be evaluated through marketable sizes. (6) UNCW will collaborate with the city of Jacksonville, NC to retrofit parts of a former municipal wastewater treatment plant for a marine finfish aquaculture research, education and commercial demonstration project. High value marine finfish species such as flounder and BSB will be produced in this system to evaluate economic viability.

Progress 09/01/05 to 08/31/07

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Organized by proposal objectives as follows: (1) Determine effects of dietary lipid level on reproductive performance in BSB. Presentation entitled "The effects of dietary lipid level on spawning performance and egg quality in black sea bass Centropristis striata", by C.D. Bentley, T.C. Rezek, and W.O. Watanabe, at World Aquaculture 2007, San Antonio, Texas. Presentation entitled "Marine finfish aquaculture in North Carolina: update on research, education and technology transfer", by W.O. Watanabe, at the North Carolina Aquaculture Development Conference, Jan. 2008, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina (2) Optimize techniques for essential fatty acid and protein enrichment of live prey in larval southern flounder and BSB (2.1) Optimal levels of arachidonic acid. Presentation entitled " The effects of dietary arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) on growth, survival, and hypersaline stress resistance in larval southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma), T.C. Rezek, W.O. Watanabe, M. Harel, and P.J. Seaton, at Aqua America 2006, Las Vegas, Nevada. Presentation entitled "The effects of dietary arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) on growth, survival, stress resistance and Na,K,ATPase expression in larval black sea bass (Centropristis striata), by J.K. Carrier, W.O. Watanabe, M. Harel, T. C. Rezek, T.H. Shafer, P.J. Seaton, and R.D. Roer, at World Aquaculture 2007, San Antonio, Texas. (2.2) Enrichment products that boost both protein and EFA levels; Presentation entitled "Evaluation of protein and fatty acid enrichment of live food for black sea bass larvae (Centropristis striata)", by T. C. Rezek, W.O. Watanabe, J.K. Carrier III, and O. Ottesen, at World Aquaculture 2007, San Antonio, Texas. (3) Replace live feeds with formulated artificial microdiets for southern flounder and BSB Presentation entitled "Growth performance and survival of larval southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) fed commercial microdiets or formulated zein bound microdiets containing different protein sources", by M.S. Alam, W.O. Watanabe, and K.A. Copeland, at World Aquaculture 2007, San Antonio, Texas. Presentation entitled "Evaluation of practical microdiets for replacement of live Artemia for culture of larval black sea bass Centropristis striata, by M.S. Alam, W.O. Watanabe and K.A. Copeland, at World Aquaculture 2006, Las Vegas, Nevada. (4) Evaluate broodstock management and larviculture for new marine fish species (red porgy Pagrus pagrus) Presentation entitled "Aquaculture of the Atlantic red porgy, by T.C. Rezek, W.O. Watanabe, J.A. Morris and N.A. McNeill, at Aqua America 2008, Orlando, Florida. (5) Outreach; develop pilot-scale marine finfish recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for research, education and commercial demonstration. Presentation entitled "Development of a pilot recirculating aquaculture system for marine finfish production in North Carolina: a private-public partnership for research, education and technology transfer,", by W.O. Watanabe, P.M. Carroll, T.M. Losordo, D.P. DeLong, J.P. McCann and G..Hargett, presented at World Aquaculture 2008, Busan, Korea. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals who worked on this project: Full-time staff of the UNCW Aquaculture Program participating in this project: Wade O. Watanabe (Project Coordinator), Md.Shah Alam (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow) Patrick M. Carroll (MS, Research Associate), Kimberly A. Copeland (MS, Research Associate), Christopher A. Woolridge (MS, Research Associate). Part-time staff who provided assistance for this project: Jennifer Gabel. Graduate students who received their Master's degrees in Biology or in Marine Science at UNCW supported by this project: Troy C. Rezek (MS, Marine Biology, 2006), Joseph K. Carrier (MS Biology, 2006), Christopher D. Bentley (MS, Biology, 2007). Undergraduate students who provided assistance for this project (Gennifer Miller, Walker Wright-Moore, Robert Friley, Kate Tolley). Partner organizations, collaborators, contacts: Dr. Thomas Losordo and Mr. Dennis DeLong (North Carolina State University) were involved in design of the Sturgeon City Project in Jacksonville, NC. Dr. Moti Harel (Advanced BioNutrition Corp., Columbia, MD) collaborated in providing enrichment products for bioencapsulation studies with live prey. Drs. Pamela J. Seaton, Thomas H. Shafer and Robert D. Roer (UNCW) collaborated in fatty acid analyses and provided expertise in mRNA expression of Na,K,ATPase Dr. Oddvar Ottesen (Nordland Research Institute, Bodo, Norway) collaborated on bioencapsulation studies on live prey for larval black sea bass. Mr. James A. Morris and Mr. Neil A. McNeill (National Ocean Service, Beaufort, NC) collaborated on studies to determine aquaculture potential of red porgy. Mr. J.P. McCann and Mr. Glenn Hargett (Sturgeon City, Jacksonville, NC) collaborated to develop a MOU between UNCW and the City of Jacksonville NC to build a pilot scale recirculating aquaculture system for marine finfish. Opportunities for training or professional development provided: This project supported Master's thesis research for 3 graduate students above (T. Rezek, J. Carrier, and C. Bentley). Two students are now full-time state of NC employees in the UNCW Aquaculture Program, while one is pursuing a Ph.D. degree. The results of this project have advanced knowledge of aquaculture methods for southern flounder and black sea bass, and private practitioners are currently undertaking startup commercial companies in North Carolina, including Mr. Ted Davis (Aqua Plantations) and Mr. Shawn Longfellow (Blue Ocean Farms). The Sturgeon City project has provided a unique opportunity for a commercial practitioner (Shawn Longfellow, Blue Ocean Farms) to produce marine finfish (flounder and black sea bass) in a state-of-the-art RAS, while receiving training. This is an example of a public-private partnership for sustainable marine finfish culture development in the U.S. TARGET AUDIENCES: The results of this project have been presented to following world, regional and local conferences: World Aquaculture Society, the US Aquaculture Society, International Sustainable Marine Fish Culture Conference, and the North Carolina Aquaculture Development Conference. Results are now being prepared for publication in peer-reviewed journals and international trade magazines. Results and finding project will be utilized by commercial aquaculturists in NC. Outcome of the Sturgeon City project in Jacksonville, NC will be of significant interest to prospective commercial aquaculturists, government policy makers, and to researchers and educators. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: No significant project modifications were made during the course of this project.

Impacts
(1) Dietary lipid and reproduction in black sea bass (BSB): Dietary lipid (L) influenced spawning and egg DHA profiles in BSB. A diet of Atlantic silversides (SS) yielded higher fertilization success, egg DHA levels, and numbers of larvae per female than fish fed 12% and 20% L formulated diets. Fish fed the 12% L produced eggs with high LA levels and poor fertilization success, suggesting that high dietary LA impaired performance. Results will be applied toward an efficient broodstock diet. (2) Optimize FA and protein enrichment of live prey in larval southern flounder (SF) and BSB: No differences in performance (growth or survival) were observed for SF larvae fed live prey (rotifers and artemia) enriched with 10% DHA (% TFA) and 5 different levels of ARA (0, 1, 2, 4, and 6%), or enriched with N. oculata (0% DHA, 3.94% ARA). SF larvae fed prey enriched with N. oculata performed equally to larvae fed DHA-enriched prey up to metamorphosis. In BSB, larvae fed live prey enriched to contain 10% DHA and 5 different levels of ARA (0, 6, 8, 10 and 12% TFA), or Algamac (26% DHA, 0% ARA), also showed no differences in performance on d24ph. Larvae fed diets supplemented with 6-12% ARA showed an increase in relative mRNA expression of Na,K,ATPase after 24 h, but larvae fed 0% ARA and Algamac did not. ARA supplementation promoted hypo-osmoregulatory ability in larvae. Na,K,ATPase mRNA expression is a novel and sensitive index of stress resistance. Performance of BSB larvae fed live prey enriched with concentrated microalgae (N. oculata, T. chuii and I. galbana) as well as commercial products DHA Protein Selco (high DHA + high protein) and Algamac (high DHA) was compared. Growth was highest in the DHA Protein Selco, I. galbana and N. oculata-fed larvae, with no differences in survival or hypersaline stress resistance. N. oculata and T. chuii- enriched prey contained no DHA, but larvae contained DHA at 2.3 and 3.0%, respectively, indicating biosynthesis from EPA, or the retention of DHA in yolk. (3) Formulated artificial microdiets for SF and BSB: BSB larvae were able to use a menhaden meal-based zein microbound diet (MBD) with growth and survival equal or better than commercial diets Gemma Micro and Otohime when co-fed with live prey. A zein MBD containing a mixture of menhaden, herring and squid meal was more effective than these protein sources used individually. This advances the development of MBDs for replacing live feeds and more cost-effective rearing protocols. (4) Aquaculture of red porgy (Pagrus pagrus, RP): Captive, wild-caught RP broodstock produced up to 300,000 eggs per d from Jan-Mar 2005. A total of 1,200 d35ph juveniles were produced (2.4% survival). Juveniles raised in a RAS reached 158 g at d313ph. RP is a good candidate for culture in N.A. (5) Outreach: UNCW is collaborating with the city of Jacksonville (NC) to retrofit a defunct waste water treatment plant to install a state-of-the-art pilot-scale recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for marine finfish. SF and BSB will be grown by a commercial practitioner to test economic viability and to integrate research, education, and technology transfer.

Publications

  • Bentley, C.D. T.C. Rezek, and W.O. Watanabe. 2007. The effects of dietary lipid level on spawning performance and egg quality in black sea bass Centropristis striata. Book of Abstracts. World Aquaculture 2007, San Antonio, Texas.
  • Carrier, J.K., W.O. Watanabe, M. Harel, T. C. Rezek, T.H. Shafer, P.J. Seaton, and R.D. Roer. 2007. The effects of dietary arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) on growth, survival, stress resistance and Na,K,ATPase expression in larval black sea bass (Centropristis striata). Book of Abstracts, World Aquaculture 2007, San Antonio, Texas.
  • Rezek. T. C. , W.O. Watanabe, J.K. Carrier III, and O. Ottesen. 2007. Evaluation of protein and fatty acid enrichment of live food for black sea bass larvae (Centropristis striata). Book of Abstracts. World Aquaculture 2007, San Antonio, Texas.
  • Alam, M.S., W.O. Watanabe, and K.A. Copeland. 2007. Growth performance and survival of larval southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) fed commercial microdiets or formulated zein bound microdiets containing different protein sources. World Aquaculture 2007, San Antonio, Texas.
  • Rezek, T.C. Rezek, W.O. Watanabe, J.A. Morris and N.A. McNeill. 2008. Aquaculture of the Atlantic red porgy. Aqua America 2008, Orlando, Florida.
  • Watanabe, W.O. , P.M. Carroll, T.M. Losordo, D.P. DeLong, J.P. McCann and G..Hargett, 2008. Development of a pilot recirculating aquaculture system for marine finfish production in North Carolina: a private-public partnership for research, education and technology transfer. Book of Abstracts. World Aquaculture 2008, Busan, Korea.
  • Alam, M.S., W.O. Watanabe and K.A. Copeland. 2006. Evaluation of practical microdiets for replacement of live Artemia for culture of larval black sea bass Centropristis striata. Book of Abstracts. World Aquaculture 2006, Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Rezek, T.C., W.O. Watanabe, M. Harel, and P.J. Seaton. 2006. The effects of dietary arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) on growth, survival, and hypersaline stress resistance in larval southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma). Book of Abstracts. Aqua America 2006, Las Vegas, Nevada.