Recipient Organization
UNIV OF HAWAII
3190 MAILE WAY
HONOLULU,HI 96822
Performing Department
Human Nutrition, Food & Animal Sciences
Non Technical Summary
The proposed revised project is as platform for research and outreach in focused topics within five "project areas" that address issues to enhance and expand current Hawaii aquaculture industries and develop new ones: news species development, genetic tracking and optimization, management optimization, system implementation and demonstration, and outreach and work force training. Research work objective focuses on: (1) assessment the larval culture potential of Hawaiian lobsters, (2) development of sex reversed brood-stock for all female mono-culture in marine shrimp and freshwater prawns, (3) development of genetic, DNA "Barcoding", markers for tracking marine shrimp genetics groups in genetic selection and assessment of Tilapia hybrids for production superiority, (4) development of biofloc culture systems for increased production in fish and shrimp culture systems, (5) establishment of Tilapia and Zebrafish culture systems for research, industry support and training, and (6) outreach to provide on-line web based information dissemination and technical training. The long term goal of the proposed project is to develop economically viable and informed sectors of the Hawaii aquaculture industry in order to position it more favorably with foreign competitors. The near term goal is to provide the aquaculture industry with potential
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The long term goal of the proposed project is to develop economically viable and informed sectors of the Hawaii aquaculture industry in order to position it more favorably with foreign competitors. The near term goal is to provide the aquaculture industry with potential new species, improved management techniques, and an informed stakeholder and trained work force. These goals are supported in the following project areas with focused work in the following specific objectives.1. News species development: Hawaiian lobstersTo assess the larval cycles of the Hawaiian Scyllarid slipper lobsters (Scyllarides haanii and S. squammosus) for a development term that has potential commercial application. Success in this objective will be assessed by having one Hawaiian slipper species lobster develop to a stage III phyllosoma in a time that projects to less than a two month larval cycle, a term that has commercial potential.To assess the growth pattern of laboratory-held slipper lobsters under simulated commercial conditions. Success will be assessed as the projected ability of the slipper and spiny lobster to reach market size in less than two years.2. Genetic tracking and optimizationTo develop DNA Barcoding markers for shrimp and Tilapia brood stock tracking and selective breeding.To produce high potency bioactive native marine shrimp Androgenic Hormone (nAH) using eyestalk ablation methods in marine shrimp males to reduce the inhibitory effects of the AH inhibitory/regulatory eye-stalk neuro-hormone.To develop a reliable in vitro bioassay system for the shrimp Androgenic hormone (nAH) based on its on its inhibitory effect on protein synthesis in living ovary explants.3. Management optimization: bioflocTo design and operate a tank based Biofloc testing and demonstration systemTo conduct experimental trials on Tilapia as a proof-of-concept first effort to determine the Biofloc regimen that produce optimum (cost-effective) production. Other species, e.g. shrimp will be tested in subsequent follow-on work as funds become available4. System implementation and demonstration To establish and operate a Zebrafish culture system for research support and technical trainingTo establish and operate Tilapia hatchery and nursery culture system for industry and research support and technical training5. Outreach and work force trainingTo develop a web based on-line real time instruction program and a web based webinar program for results dissemination, information transfer, and workforce training
Project Methods
1. News species development: lobstersSlipper lobster larvae rearing. A collecting permit will be renewed for the proposed work. Collected gravid females will be brought back to the St. John aquaculture laboratory where they will be placed in incubation/hatchery tanks to await the release of their first stage larvae. Newly hatched phyllosoma will be placed in individual rearing-static and small scale mass rearing tank systems - simulating the drifting patterns of phyllosomas in the ocean - modified based on the results from our preliminary work. The individual rearing containers will be used to obtain specific, accurate records of the instar and stage to stage molting pattern of the larvae according to standard protocols. The small scale mass reared systems will be used to obtain baseline information on the behavior, growth and survival of populations of larvae.Growth Pattern of Lobsters. Lobsters collected from the wild will be grown in large (50 gallon) aquaria that simulate commercial sea cage density conditions where ocean temperature and salinities will be maintained. Water quality parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, dissolved ocean, pH, conductivity) will be measured. The animals will be fed reduced diet of mussels and dry food and observed for behavior reaction and tolerance to density.2. Genetic tracking and optimization a. DNA bar codingThe development of DNA barcodes for Tilapia and shrimp genetic groups will be outsourced to collaborating associates: Dr. David Haymer, Professor of Genetics, Dept. of Cell and Molecular Biology form JABSOM, UH, Dr. Gulab Khehkar and Paul Hebert Centre for DNA Barcoding and Biodiversity Studies, Department of Zoology, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada, Aurangabad, India. Dr. Ron as chairman of the Middle East FISH-BOL working group will oversee this.For Tilapia, various species of putative Tilapia species and hybrids, and cryptic stocks of unknown provenance, will be located and their tissues sampled. In addition, as judged appropriately in the field, live samples will be collected, brought back to the UH and housed for further work. The tissue sample will be sent to the cooperator and typed. The species groups and stock will then be identified and catalogued.For marine shrimp relationships will be established with private growers and hatcheries. Live animal and tissue samples of the stocks at these facilities will be obtained. The tissue samples will be sent to the collaborators for DNA Barcoding. Live animals will be maintained at the UH aquaculture labs.labb. Sex reversal Production of High Potency Bioactive Native Androgenic Hormone (nAH). Our approach will be to induce high Androgenic Hormome (AH) output of the marine shrimp Androgenic Gland (AG) in reproductively mature shrimp male by maintaining them under optimal husbandry conditions and ablating their eyestalks to reduce the blood circulating titre of an AG inhibitory neuro-hormone. The latter is produced in the X-Y endocrine organ complex located in crustacean eyestalks. Adult female shrimp are routinely eye-stalk-ablated to increase ovarian development by reducing the titreof an ovarian inhibitory hormone produced by the X-Y organ complex for spawning larvae in the commercial industry. But, the husbandry systems for male ablates have to worked refined. The AGs from ablatees and non-ablatees will be examined by histology and the high potency AG/AH material will be used in the bioassay development.Development of a bioassay system for shrimp Androgenic Hormone (AH) using metabolic inhibition in ovary ex-plant tissue culture. Our approach will advantage the known inhibitory effects of the Androgenic Gland (AG) explants in vitro, homogenates, and implants on ovarian development. Active ovarian tissue from adult female marine shrimp (Litopenaeus vannemei) will comprise the treatment groups and similar tissue from adult female prawns (Macrobrachium rosenberghii) will be used as a controls because of the well documented successful sex-reversing and ovarian depressing effects of nAG explants and AG cell-free extracts in prawns. In addition the AH that is secreted into a defined medium from live AG explants[1], or freshwater prawns, will be also be bioassayed. We expect both the prawn control and the marine shrimp treatment groups to show positive reactions indicating the presence of bioactive AH.3. Management optimization: Tilapia production using Biofloc systemApproach. The study will follow the guidelines and protocols suggested by Dr. Yoram Avnimelech (Technion, Israel) ad will be conducted in cooperation of Dr. Jha of HNFAS. The; results will be published as peer-reviewed manuscript and extension article of CTAHR/UH Manoa.Experimental trails. A replicated study will be conducted at the outdoor tanks of located at the UH/HNFAS Small Animal Facility (SAF) to assess the effect of biofloc concentrations on Tilapia growth. The purpose will be to show increased production and/or lower cost to fish production using biofloc systems. A summary of the experimental details are as follows.4. System implementation and demonstration a. Tilapia hatchery and nursery systemA Tilapia hatchery and nursery system will be established at the HNFAS Small Animal Facility (SAF). This will consist of the current outdoor tank located in the rear of the SAF that will be used to house brood stock Tilapia. The latter will be re-plumbed with air and drainage systems and electrical hook-up to bring it into safety compliance. In addition to this, SAF room 123 will be used to house smaller aquarium sized tanks for keeping individual Tilapia stock. . Other smaller tanks will set-up in the fenced area adjacent to the large tank. These "nursery" tanks will house the nursed Tilapia fry and the individual stocks collected for the project will be housed in tanks. The Tilapia system will be operated year round and supervised by a student help hire.b. Zebrafish culture SystemA commercial Zebrafish system will be purchased from a supplier after a canvas of the available systems . A system appropriate in cost and design for the project will selected. The system (example shown in figure right) will be set-up in SAF room 123 and operated year round and supervised by a student help hire. The system will be used in the training course and in the outreach effort described herein.[1] Malecha, S. & Sun, P.S. 2004 Methods of isolating the androgenic sex hormone from crustacean and marine shrimp and methods of use. Patent no. 6,740,794 B1 issued May 25, 2004.