Progress 08/01/14 to 07/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences include school groups, individuals, fishermen, farmers, resource owners, private entrepreneurs, businesses, government agencies, and non-government organizations. Traditional leaders were also a very important target audience Changes/Problems:In Micronesia, there were many storms of different categories that develop and pass through Pohnpei, Yap. This affected the work as most of the work is ocean based and at the mercy of the nature. Diseases due to these storms destroyed and killed lots of sea cucumbers in different stages of their lives and affected quality of data. Theft, community land and water tenure issues were challenges for the project every year especially in Yap. Yap has private ownership on the land and water area where brood stock collection and farming sites are located. In order to access these areas, permission from the chiefs or the area is needed. To do an activity in the area, member of the community should be attached all the time otherwise activity would not be allowed. Logistics problems and shipping delays and lack of materials on hand locally was also a challenge faced by the project this year as well. In Pohnpei there is a big controversy in the public domain on wild sea cucumber harvesting and this was an unnecessary distraction and negative press for anything to do with sea cucumbers including the implementation of the current project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Four College of Micronesia- FSM Marine Science graduates just before their graduation interned with the aquaculture program for two months hands-on training to learn skills in aquaculture, research and extension methodologies and participated in this project and were trained on all aspects of sandfish sea cucumber hatchery and farming technology development, experimental design and implementation and monitoring, data collection etc. Communities and farmers, Fisheries staff in Yap were shown the entire hatchery process during the hatchery run there. Farmers in Pohnpei were taught best management practices during nursery and ocean grow-out phases so that they are aware on site management practices which need to be done during the experimental grow-out phase in their areas. The project has been very instrumental in giving out trainings on sites. Students from Yap Fisheries Maritime Institute (FMI) were given a hands-on training in setting up farm, community members in Yap, especially Tamil were given training in all aspects of sea cucumber hatchery and farming. P.I, Co- PI and supporting staff attended World Aquaculture Conferences in the USfor Professional Development. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Communities, farmers and Fisheries agency staff and others were shown best management practices during hatchery, nursery and ocean grow-out phases They were made aware on site management practices which need to be done during the experimental grow-out phase in their areas. Students and interns were hands on shown the process of spawning, larval rearing and ocean grow-out methodology for sea cucumber farming. Community meetings were held at different municipalities in Yap to disseminate the preliminary findings of the hatchery work. Community and participating farmer meetings were held in Pohnpei and in Yap to disseminate the preliminary findings of the developed technologies of this project. Adio Video presentations were also used to communicate to the stakehodlers the results of the project. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the reporting period, for Objective 1 Several successful spawning were conducted during the project period producing 422,603 2- 5 g juveniles were produced in Pohnpei and Yap. Due to improvements in the rearing technology, 51.4% of the total larvae were at the stages of Doliolaria and Pentactula which are the settlement stages. However, challenges still persists to achieving consistently significant numbers of juveniles from spawning to Nursery -2 sized (2-3 g) juveniles even though the project experiments helped to improve the production survival from 1-5 %. Experiments were conducted to find out the feed preferences ( inert / live ) during larval stage ( hatchery) and settlement stage ( nuersery-1). Several feeding trials were conducted to find out the optimum food required by the larvae and early juveniles. Among all the feeds tested a mixture of inert and live feeds performed the best. Chaetoceros muelleri at 80 % and in combination with dry Spirulina powder included 20 % gave the best results. However, a commercial algal paste: Shellfish Diet as 100 % replacement diet has some promise. Larvae metamorphosed in a short period of time compare to larvae feed on other diet or in combination of Chaetoceros muelleri. It was observed that Chaetoceros muelleri is necessary for the optimal growth and survival of larvae during the larval growing trials. However, this does not mean Shellfish Diet cannot be used for larval rearing. Feeding on 100 % Shellfish Diet (total live algal replacement ((Cm) 100 %) showed promise. Shellfish Diet 100 % took longer time for the larvae to metamorphose into juveniles with a decent survival rate meaning they can still be used in situations when live feed production is a problem or facilities are not available for love algal feed culture. Experiments were also conducted during the early Nursery -1 phase. Different substrates orientation (vertical v horizontal) , substrate feed materials Live benthic diatoms namely: Navicula sp , Cocconeis sp, Amphora sp. and inert Spirulina powder coating in singular and in mixed combinations were used for settlement The experimental results showed tri coating of larval plates with Navicula, Cocciones species and Spirulina enhanced settlement rates by at least 10 % No significant results were obtained with the orientation of plates in the tank Growth of the early juveniles and mid stage juveniles found to be significantly enhanced when the tanks were supplementary fed with Naviculasp. Supplementary feeding trials during nursery -1 phase with no feeding, mixture of sea grass fish meal and mud and feeding inert food like Algamac , Spirulina powder, Shellfish Diet, live benthic diatoms like Navicula sp were undertaken during nursery -1 phase to find out what type of feed is ideal for better growth and survival. During nursing stage of juveniles in the raceway tanks, fed Spirulina powder mixed with Algamac also compare to Navicula sp., showed two different results in two sites. It was observed in Yap that juveniles feeding on Navicula sp. grow better than the one feeding cocktail mix of Spirulina powder and Algamac powder while feeding sea grass , fish meal + mud feeding in equal combination did significantly better in Pohnpei. Here too Shellfish Diet showed some promise but the duration of culture was very long and growth very slow. As part of Objective 2, experiments to optimize the site specific stocking densities of juveniles in ocean floating hapas were carried out and repeated to find out if we can come to a consistent balance of a stocking density which is economically and biologically viable. Its inferred that a stocking to a maximum of 50- 100 animals per Hapa as the optimum number for stocking Nursery -2 grow-out again suggested that we can get almost 100% survival of juveniles for the bottom farming provided proper management measures are undertaken.. It was confirmed through repeated experimentation that 20-25 g is the optimum individual weight to transfer juveniles from Nursery -2 to the farm for final grow-out to market size of 400 g individual wet weight . In Pohnpei an experiment was conducted in triplicates whether daily supplementary feeding of sea grass fish meal and mud and Spirulina powder combination did significant increase in the growth and survival of juveniles in the Nursery -2 phase in the ocean floating hapas. Results showed that there was significant increase in body length and wet weight of juveniles supplementary fed than controls. Moreover, it was found out that the time for nursery -2 ocean hapa duration can be cut to half to 1.5 months than 3 months when supplementary feeding was done. Data interpretations from four years of experimentation showed that that we can first start introducing 20-25 g wet weight juveniles to grow-out culture farms after around 6 months after spawning them i.e., 3 months in the hatchery Nursery -1 system and 3 months in the ocean floating Nursery -2 hapa system making a total of 6 months. However, the repeated trials with supplementary feeding in Nursery-2 decreased this time significantly. Objective 3: Experiments on grow-out of juveniles to market sized (400g) was carried out in lagoon / ocean based bottom set pen structures. Animals were stocked at 1, 2 and 3 late juveniles 20-25 g per meter square to find out the effect of stocking density on growth and survival.. The results showed that juveniles stocked at 2 per meter square performed significantly better than the others. More juveniles from different spawning from 2014- 2019 were stocked in bottom farms for grow-out as per standard stocking densities of 1 per meter square to monitor their growth and survival to market size for site specific data for Pohnpei and Yap. Growth and survival data collected showed that it was found from data of 2014 and 2015 that market sized animals are reached by 12-15 months after introduction to juveniles from Nursery -2 in the farm and 18-28 monthsafter spawning. Survival ranged from 60-65 %. Objective 4: After lots of consultations, a lease was obtained for converting two spare rooms at the Yap State Marine Resources building in Colonia , Yap. In late 2014 necessary equipment and supplies for the hatchery were ordered. In 2015 the construction of the hatchery started and despite many challenges it was completed. The Yap Hatchery was functional by late 2016 and the first spawning was conducted in July 2017. The hatchery further conducted three successful spawning's during the project period. Experiments on feeding larval settlement and nursery rearing were validated in Yap to see if they were matching with those in Pohnpei. It was mostly following the same results as that was obtained in Pohnpei as part of developing site-specific protocols for hatchery based sandfish sea cucumber farming technology development . Three Floating Hapa Nursery -2 farms and a 100 x100 feet bottom grow-out farm was set up in Tamil municipality in Yap. Objective 5: In Palau, due to the delays in the completion of the hatchery building, no hatchery and farming activity was undertaken. However, broodstock surveys and awareness programs were organized. Palau hatchery staff were trained in Pohnpei on protocols for hatchery and farming of sandfish sea cucumber.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Quilan Cantero, Manoj R. Nair & Justino Smith (2015) EFFECT OF STOCKING DENSITY ON THE GROWTH, SURVIVAL AND SETTLEMENT OF SANDFISH SEA CUCUMBER (Holothuria scabra) LARVAE . Abstract Book; UH STEP UP PROGRAM, 2015
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
EdiMark Martinez & Manoj R. Nair (2016) The effect of stocking density on the growth and survival from a hatchery produced juveniles of a sandfish sea cucumber Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabra (Jaeger, 1833) . Abstract Book; UH STEP UP PROGRAM, 2016
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Maureen Jano & Manoj R. Nair (2018) EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING ON THE GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF SANDFISH SEA CUCUMBER (Holothuria scabra) JUVENILES IN HAPA NURSERY SYSTEM II. Abstract Book; UH STEP UP PROGRAM, 2018
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Elias Sladen & Manoj R. Nair (2019)EFFECT OF STOCKING DENSITY ON THE GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF SANDFISH SEA CUCUMBER (Holothuria scabra) JUVENILES IN AN OCEAN GROW OUT SYSTEM. Abstract Book; UH STEP UP PROGRAM, 2019
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Progress 10/01/18 to 07/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences include individuals, fishermen, farmers, and resource owners, private entrepreneurs, businesses, government agencies, non-government organizations and traditional leaders Changes/Problems:Like the last reporting period. There were many storms of different categories passing through Pohnpei, Yap. This slightly affected the work as most of the work is ocean based and at the mercy of the nature. Theft, community land and water tenure issues were challenges for the project this year. especially in Yap. Yap has private ownership on the land and water area where brood stock collection and farming sites are located. In order to access these areas, permission from the chiefs or the area ownership should be inquired. To do an activity in the area, member of the community should be attached all the time otherwise activity would not be allowed. Logistics problems and shipping delays and lack of materials on hand locally was also a challenge faced by the project this year as well. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Like every year, four College Marine Science graduates just before their graduation interned with the aquaculture program for two months hands-on training to learn skills in aquaculture, research and extension methodologies. Communities and farmers, were taught best management practices during nursery and ocean grow-out phases so that they are aware on site management practices which need to be done during the experimental grow-out phase in their areas. The project has been very instrumental in giving out trainings on sites. Students from Yap Maritime College were trained hands-on in setting up farms In addition, community members in Yap, especially Tamil were given training by participating in the setting up of the farm, spawning and measuring the juveniles. P.I and Co- PI attended a World Aquaculture Conference in the US for Professional Development. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Communities and farmers were shown best management practices during nursery and ocean grow-out phases Community and participating farmer meetings were held in Pohnpei and in Yap to disseminate the preliminary findings of the developed technologies of this project. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the reporting period, for Objective 1, two successful spawning were conducted during the reporting period producing 3600 5 g juveniles. Experiments were repeated to find out the settlementpreferences for sea cucumber larvae. For increasing the growth, survival and settlement of the larvae. The experimental results showed tri coating of larval plates with Navicula, Cocciones species and Spirulina enhanced settlement rates by at least 10 % No significant results were obtained with the orientation of plates in the tank Growth of the early juveniles and mid stage juveniles found to be significantly enhanced when the tanks were supplementary fed with Naviculasp. As part of Objective 2, Experiments to optimize the site specific stocking densities of juveniles in ocean floating hapas were repeated out and repeated and again like in previous year findings, a stocking density of 50 to a maximum of 100 animals per Hapa as the optimum number for stocking with almost 100 % survival with proper management. It was again confirmed that the time taken for the juveniles in the Nursery -2 Hapa phase takes three months to reach the 25-30 g is the optimum weight to transfer juveniles from nursery to the farm. However, it was found out that the Nursery-2 phase could be significantly reduced by more than half the time if supplementary feeding was done in the Hapas. In Objective 3, experimentsto find out optimum stocking density for bottom farm grow-out to market sized. Animals were stoked at 1, 2 and 3 animals per meter square to find out the effect of stocking density on growth and survival. The results showed that 2 per meter square performed significantly better than the others. The Grow-out to market sized experiments for Objective 3 was continuing and being monitored. with several batchers being monitored from 2014- to the reporting period. Growth and survival data collected from earlier 2014 - to date showed that it was found from data of 2014 and 2015 that market sized animals are reached by 12-15 months after introduction to juveniles from Nursery -2 in the farm and 18-28 months from spawning Survival ranged from 60- 65 %. Objective 4 and Objective 5.Two successful spawning were conducted in Yap hatchery. Experiments on feeding larval settlement and nursery rearing were validated in Yap to see if they were matching with those in Pohnpei. It was mostly following the same results as that was obtained in Pohnpei. 2800 juveniles were transferred for Grow -out culture in the farms and was being monitored. The preliminary data on the growth and survival was highly promising. In Palau as part of the Objective 5,nothing to report during this reporting period.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences include school groups, individuals, fishermen, farmers, and resource owners, private entrepreneurs, businesses, government agencies, and non-government organizations. Traditional leaders and organized community groups were given special focus. Changes/Problems:Like the last reporting period, theft, community land and water tenure issues were challenges for the project this year especially Yap which is situated in an area where storms and bad weather occurred most of the time during November to mid-February. Heavy rainfall, storms or sometimes super typhoons occur during this season. There were many storms of different categories passing through Pohnpei and Yap this year. This slightly affected the work in Pohnpei but devastated our works in Yap as most of the work is ocean based and at the mercy of the nature. During farming stage in Yap, Yap received several bad weather days with excessive and heavy rain with couple of storms passing by. month after this surge of rough seas and heavy rainfall, skin ulceration had seen on our juveniles in Tamil area. The infected ones were removed from the hapas. Three days after this incident of infection, majority of the juveniles in Tamil hapa were all infected that some of them were dissolving from the posterior part of the sea cucumber. Logistics problems and shipping delays and lack of materials on hand locally was also a challenge faced by the project this year as well. Aquaculture production in Yap is a new phenomenon to many people. Land / water tenure particularly in Yap was a major issue this year and would be for the next as well. Yap has private ownership on the land and water area where brood stock collection and farming sites are located. In order to access these areas, permission from the chiefs or the area ownership should be inquired. To do an activity in the area, member of the community should be attached with the project team at all the time otherwise activity cannot be carried out. In Pohnpei there is a big controversy in the public domain on wild sea cucumber harvesting and This was an unnecessary distraction and negative press for the project in the proper implementation of our programs What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Four College Marine Science graduates just before their graduation interned with the aquaculture program for two months hands-on training to learn skills in aquaculture, research and extension methodologies. Communities and farmers, Fisheries staff in Yap were shown the entire hatchery process during the hatchery run there. Farmers in Pohnpei were taught best management practices during nursery and ocean grow-out phases so that they are aware on site management practices which need to be done during the experimental grow-out phase in their areas. The project has been very instrumental in giving out trainings on sites. Students from Yap Fisheries Maritime Institute (FMI) were given a hands-on training in setting up farm, community members in Yap, especially Tamil were given training in all aspects of sea cucumber hatchery and farming. During one of the hatchery runs in Yap this reporting year, 6 high school students from Yap SDA school were assigned to the project to do their internships by participating in the setting up of the farm, spawning and measuring the juveniles. These students were coached and mentor by the project's technician in doing the hatchery detailed work and other field work. The project staff in Yap and Pohnpei conducted meetings with the community and provided essential information through power point about the entire process of the project. During one spawning, two staff from the Yap Fisheries (MRMD) was trained on all aspects of hatchery, floating nursery and bottom demonstration farm. The bottom demonstration grow-out farm was set up by. MRMD staff, students from Yap Maritime Institute and some community members who assisted the project staff for the construction and at the same time got trained from the PI and Co-PI on how to do the farming. P.I and the assigned hatchery technician (nominated in place of Co-PI) attended a World Aquaculture Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada for Professional Development. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Communities and farmers were shown best management practices during nursery and ocean grow-out phases so that they were aware on site management practices which need to be done during the experimental grow-out phase in their areas. Students and interns were hands on shown the process of spawning, larval rearing and ocean grow-out methodology for sea cucumber farming. Community meetings were held at different municipalities in Yap to disseminate the preliminary findings of the hatchery work. As a result of the trainings and the slowly successes of the project, some other community members are expressing their interest to partake in this endeavor. In fact, in Yap, project staff will be meeting with the chiefs and community members of Dulkan community to discuss the project with them and its purpose and potential. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Due to erratic results this year in survival of juveniles in different sites, in the next reporting period, more spawning would be undertaken to improve the survivability of larval rearing from the current 1 -2 % to 5 % or more through better feeding protocols or management as part of the Objective 1. Nursery experiments would be conducted repeatedly with different batches to see the reliability of nursery grow-out phase in Objective 2. The juveniles in the current reporting period that are already being trialed for Objective 3 experiments of stocking density studies for ocean grow-out would conducted more and animals monitored monthly and data collected for monitoring their grown till market size. Attempts would be made to add more test sites in the next reporting period to enhance the reliability of results and test the animals grow-out capabilities in different environments (Yap State and Pohnpei State). Objectives 1-3 would be also continued in Yap to compare results with those at the Pohnpei site. More community consultations would be undertaken in Yap to secure more research test sites as land and waters in Yap belong to private parties and not the Government. All attempts would be made to set up the Palau hatchery , the first step in the technology demonstration objective in that country as part of Objective 5.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the reporting period, for Objective 1, three successful spawnings each were conducted in Pohnpei and Yap during the reporting period producing 153, 985 early and 18,218 late juveniles for Nursery -2 stage. Due to improvements in the rearing technology, 51.4% of the total larvae were at the stages of Doliolaria and Pentactula which are the settlement stages. However, challenges still persists to achieving consistently significant numbers of juveniles from spawning to Nursery -2 sized (2-3 g) juveniles. Experiments were repeated to find out the feed preferences ( inert / live ) during larval stage and settlement stage. Feeding trials were conducted with control feed Chaetoceros muelleri (Cm) and combinations of Spirulina included 20%, a commercial algal paste: Shellfish Diet as 100 % replacement diet. Feeding was administered as per standard protocols and experiments were conducted at both sites with feeding with different combinations of Microalgae and inert diets to larvae in duplicates. The experiment ran for the entire duration of the larval phase till settlement larvae or early juveniles were observed. Again feed combination which contained Chaetoceros muelleri (Cm), Cm + Spirulina 20 % showed better performance than others. It turns out that larvae feed on Cm + Spirulina 20 % metamorphosed in a short period of time compare to larvae feed on other diet or in combination of Cm. It was observed thatCm is necessary for the optimal growth and survival of larvae during the larval growing trials. However, this does not mean Shellfish Diet cannot be used for larval rearing. Feeding on 100 % Shellfish Diet ( total live algal replacement ((Cm) 100 %) showed promise. Shellfish Diet 100 % took longer time for the larvae to metamorphose into juveniles with a decent survival rate meaning they can still be used in situations when live feed production is a problem. One hundred percent live food Spirulina alone did not do well in the trials. Experiments were also conducted during the early Nursery -1 phase. Different substrates orientation (vertical v horizontal) substrate feed materials Live benthic diatoms Navicula sp , Cocconeis sp, Amphora sp. and Spirulina coating in singular and in mixed combinations were used for settlement and it was found that best settlement was observed in tanks with Spirulina plates and coated with Navicula sp. Similar results were observed in Pohnpei larval rearing. Growth of the early juveniles and mid stage juveniles found to be significantly enhanced when the tanks were coated withNaviculasp. a benthic diatom species along with theSpirulinaon the settlement plates. Supplementary feeding trials with no feeding mixture of sea grass fish meal and mud and feeding inert food like Algamac , Spirulina, Shellfish Diet, live benthic diatoms like Navicula sp were undertaken during Nursery -1 phase to find out what type of feed is ideal for better growth and survival. On Day-30, the estimation of number of larvae was conducted in different treatments. During nursing stage of juveniles in the raceway tanks, fed Spirulina mixed with Algamac also compare to Navicula sp., showed two different results in two sites. It was observed in Yap that juveniles feeding on Navicula sp. grow better than the one feeding cocktail mix of Spirulina and Algamac and others while Sea grass , fish meal + mud feeding did better in Pohnpei. Here too Shellfish Diet showed some promise but the duration of culture was very long and growth very slow. As part of Objective 2, A total of 18,218 late juveniles for Nursery -2 stage was produced at the two sites. Experiments to optimize the site specific stocking densities of juveniles in ocean floating hapas were carried out and repeated to find out if we can come to a consistent balance of a stocking density which is economically and biologically viable. Its inferred that a stocking to a maximum of 100 animals per Hapa as the optimum number for stocking Nursery -2 grow-out again suggested that we can get almost 100% survival of juveniles for the bottom farming provided proper management measures are undertaken.. It was confirmed through repeated experimentation that 20-25 g is the optimum individual weight to transfer juveniles from Nursery -2 to the farm for final grow-out to market size of 400 g individual wet weight . In Pohnpei an experiment was conducted in triplicates whether daily supplementary feeding of sea grass fish meal and mud and Spirulina combination did any significant increase in the growth and survival of juveniles in the Nursery -2 phase in the ocean floating hapas. Results showed that there was significant increase in body length and wet weight of juveniles supplementary fed than controls. Data interpretations from three years of experimentation showed that thatwe can first start introducing 20-25 g wet weight juveniles to grow-out culture farms after around 6 months after spawning them i.e., 3 months in the hatchery Nursery -1 system and 3 months in the ocean floating Nursery -2 hapa system making a a total of 6 months. However, the repeated trials with supplementary feeding in Nursery-2 might decrease this time significantly. During farming stage, Yap received several bad weather with excessive and heavy rain with a storm passing by. Month after this surge of rough seas and heavy rainfall, skin ulceration had seen on our juveniles in Tamil area which resulted in 100 % mortality. Objective 3: Experiments were being carried out to find out optimum stocking density for bottom farm grow-out to market sized. Animals were stocked at 1, 2 and 3 late juveniles 20-25 g per meter square to find out the effect of stocking density on growth and survival. Results reveal no significant decrease in growth rate or survival was observed better in higher stocking densities (twice the recommended stocking) compared with the control stocking density of 1 per metre square,. More Juveniles from the earlier spawning in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 were stocked in bottom farms for grow-out as per standard stocking densities of 1 per meter square to monitor their growth and survival to market size. The Grow-out to market sized experiments for Objective 3 is continuing and data collected. Combined averages of growth and survival data collected from earlier 2014 - till date animals in grow-out showed that 50 % of market sized animals are reached market sized animals (400 g wet weight) by 17 months (earliest by 12 and latest by 18 months ) after spawning (day 1 larvae) and 29 months post release ( earliest 25 months and latest 33 month) into the farm from spawning time . The corresponding time for just farming from Juveniles (20-25 g from floating Nursery-2 to Bottom ocean grow-out farm) was an average time 12 months to get 50 % market sized animals and to reach 100% market sized animals, 23 months post release ( earliest 19 months and latest 27 month) Survival ranged on an average around 50 -60 %. Objective 4The Yap Hatchery which was functional in July 2018 conducted three successful spawning during the reporting year and experiments in Pohnpei repeated there as well as developing site-specific protocols for technology development . Three Floating Hapa Nursery -2 farms and a 100 x100 feet bottom grow-out farm was set up in Tamil municipality in Yap. Objective 5: In Palau,due to the delays in the completion of the hatchery building, no activity was undertaken this reporting period as well as part of Objective 5. Discussions still continued with a commercial farm Indigo Sea Foods for putting sea cucumber juveniles under their grouper polar cages as part of a Multi-Trophic Aquaculture grow-out system. Due to the non completion of the hatchery, this could not be done.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences include school groups, individuals, fishermen, farmers, and resource owners, private entrepreneurs, businesses, government agencies, and non-government organizations. Traditional leaders and organized community groups were given special focus in Yap. Changes/Problems:Like the last reporting period. There were many storms of different categories passing through Pohnpei, Yap. This slightly affected the work as most of the work is in the inshore areas and ocean based and at the mercy of nature. Just like in other parts of the world, sea cucumber farming here faces the same kinds of challenges. Theft, weather and community land and water tenure issues were challenges for the project this year. Logistics problems and shipping delays and lack of materials on hand locally was also a challenge faced by the project this year as well. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Like every year, Four College Marine Science Graduates just before their graduation interned with the aquaculture program for two months hands-on training to learn skills in aquaculture, research and extension methodologies. Communities and farmers, Fisheries staff in Yap were shown the entire hatchery process during the hatchery run there. Farmers in Pohnpei were taught best management practices during nursery and ocean grow-out phases so that they are aware on site management practices which need to be done during the experimental grow-out phase in their areas. P.I attended a World Aquaculture Conference in San Antonio Texas for Professional Development. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In Pohnpei, communities and farmers were shown best management practices during nursery and ocean grow-out phases so that they are aware on site management practices which need to be done during the experimental grow-out phase in their areas. Students and interns were hands on shown the process of spawning, larval rearing and ocean grow-out methodology for sea cucumber farming. Community meetings were held at different municipalities in Yap to disseminate the preliminary findings of the hatchery work What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? In the next reporting period, more spawning would be undertaken to improve the survivability of larval rearing from the current 1 % to 5 % or more through better feeding protocols or management as part of the objective 1. Nursery experiments would be conducted repeatedly with different batches to see the reliability of nursery grow-out in tanks v ocean nursery in Objective -2. The juveniles in the current reporting period which are already being trialed for Objective 3 experiments of stocking density studies for ocean grow-out would be monitored monthly and data collected for monitoring their grown till market size. New test sites would be added in the next reporting period to enhance the reliability of results and test the animals grow-out capabilities in different environments (Yap State and Pohnpei State). More community consultations would be undertaken in Yap to secure more research test sites as land and waters in Yap belong to private parties and not the Government. All attempts would be made to set up the Palau hatchery , the first step in the technology demonstration objective in that country as part of objective 4 and 5. Objectives 1-3 would be also continued in Yap to compare results with those at the Pohnpei site.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the reporting period, for Objective 1, three successful spawning were conducted during the reporting period producing 107,000 juveniles during the reporting year. Experiments were repeated to find out the feed preferences during larval stage and settlement stage. For increasing the growth, survival and settlement of the larvae. It was observed thatChaetoceros muelleriis necessary for the optimal growth and survival of larvae during the larval growing trials. Growth of the early juveniles and mid stage juveniles found to be significantly enhanced when the tanks were coated withNaviculasp. a benthic diatom species along with theSpirulinaon the settlement plates. Feeding on shellfish diet a live algae replacement showed again that they cannot be a standalone food for larval rearing. As part of Objective 2, Experiments to optimize the site specific stocking densities of juveniles in ocean floating hapas were carried out and repeated to find out if we can come to a consistent balance of a stocking density which is economically and biologically viable. Its inferred that a stocking density of 50 to a maximum of 100 animals per Hapa as the optimum number for stocking Nursery grow-out again suggested that with almost 100% survival for the bottom farming. It was confirmed through repeated experimentation that 25-30 g is the optimum weight to transfer juveniles from nursery to the farm. We have found out with the data of two years that we can first start introducing animals to grow-out culture farms after around 6 months of nursery i.e., 3 months in the hatchery and 3 months in the ocean a total of 6 months in the floating hapa nursery system. Experiments were being carried out to find out optimum stocking density for bottom farm grow-out to market sized. Animals were stoked at 1, 2 and 3 animals per meter square to find out the effect of stocking density on growth and survival. Juveniles from the earlier spawning in 2014, 2015, 2016 and early 2017 were stocked in bottom farms for grow-out as per standard stocking densities of 1 per meter square to monitor their growth and survival to market size. The Grow-out to market sized experiments for Objective 3 was continuing and being monitored. Growth and survival data collected from earlier 2014 - early 2017 showed that it was found from data of 2014 and 2015 that market sized animals are reached by 21 months after spawning and 18 months post release into the farm from the nursery hapas. Survival ranged from 60-70 %. Objective 4 and Objective 5.The Yap Hatchery was set up and the first demonstration training spawning began on July this year, Spawning process began by collecting broodstock from Tamil, Yap. Mailing. Collectively, 139 adult sea cucumbers were collected and transported to the hatchery for spawning induction. A day after, counting was carefully taken from all incubating tanks and a total of 3,525,00 gastrula larvae was recorded. Feeding was administered as per standard protocols and two experiments were set up for feeding with different combinations of Microalgae and different larval stocking densities in duplicates. Again feed combination withChaetoceros muelleriishowed better performance than others. On Day 8 and 9, most tanks received plates and another counting of larvae stages and total larvae was taken and recorded. 51.4% of the total larvae were at the stages of Doliolaria and Pentactula which are the settlement stages. Different substrates were used for settlement and it was found best settlement was observed in tanks withSpirulinaplates and coated withNavicula. Similar results were observed in Pohnpei larval rearing. On Day 58, a total of 56,114 juveniles were transferred to Nursery -1 and is being monitored In Palau as part of the Objective 5,the hatchery building is still not been finished due to delayed construction. Broodstock surveys and community interest in setting up their own hatchery and farming was undertaken. A commercial farm Indigo Sea Foods even expressed interests in putting sea cucumber juveniles under their grouper polar cages as part of a Multi-Trophic Aquaculture grow-out system
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Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Fishermen, farmers, resource and land owners, private entrepreneurs, businesses, government agencies, and non-government organizations. Traditional leaders and organized community groups Changes/Problems:This year work was plagued by repeated storms in the region. There were many storms of different categories passing through Pohnpei, Yap. This slightly affected the work as most of the work is ocean based and at the mercy of the nature. Delays in getting ordered materials due to logistics problems was also a challenge faced by the project this year What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In July 2016 project personnel at the different sites were bought to Pohnpei hatchery and were trained by the PI to get hands on knowledge of sea cucumber hatchery and farming work by participating in one of the spawning runs How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Couple of farmers in Pohnpei were bought to the hatchery for the grow-out during the larval run phase and early juvenile phase to show them were also shown Ocean Hapa culture for early juveniles and made aware on site management practices which need to be done during the experimental grow-out phase in their areas. Five families were part of the grow-out demonstration farming What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the next reporting period, more experiments would be repeated to check the reliability of results for Objective 1 and Objective 2. More emphasis would be given for Objective 3 experiments of ocean grow-out as pervious and current batches would have or would be reaching market sized animals soon. More test sites would be added in the next reporting period to enhance the reliability of results and test the animals grow-out capabilities in different environments. All attempts would be made to conduct the first spawning trials in Yap and finsih the hatchery construction in Palau as part of Objective 4 and 5.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the reporting period, for Objective 1, Seven successful spawning were conducted during the reporting period.. Experiments were and being repeated to find out the optimum site-specific stocking density of larvae, feed preferences during larval stage and settlement stage. For increasing the growth, survival and settlement of the larvae. As a result of all these new and repeated interventions, we were able to still hold the survival to an average 1 % survival from egg stage to juvenile stage. resulting in a total production of 65,481 juveniles for the reporting year. Growth of the early juveniles and mid stage juveniles found to be significantly enhanced when the tanks were coated with Navicula sp. a benthic diatom species along with the spirulina on the settlement plates. Feeding on shellfish diet a live algae replacement was being trialed with some success during the reporting period. It produced significant increase in survival of the larvae but resulted in slow growth and settlement times than the tanks using different concentrations of live algae. More experiments are needed to see if it could indeed replace live algae 100 %. As part of Objective 2, Experiments to optimize the site specific stocking densities of juveniles in ocean floating hapas were carried out and repeated to find out if we can come to a consistent balance of a stocking density which is economically and biologically viable. It was amply clear from the preliminary results that ocean nursery is much better than maintaining animals in habitat simulator tanks in house where the survival was better and growth was significantly slow despite giving supplementary feeding of Spirulina and Fish Meal. In Ocean nurseries, it was found that 3 months is optimum to harvest the juveniles with almost 100% survival for the Bottom farming. It was also found out through experimentation that 25-30 g is the optimum weight to transfer juveniles from nursery to the farm. Means we can first start introducing animals to grow-out culture farms after 6 months of Nursery i.e., 3 months in the hatchery and three months in the ocean floating hapa nursery. As mentioned in the previous report, the juveniles from the earlier spawning were stocked in bottom hapas and cages as per standard stocking densities to monitor their growth and survival to market size. However, experiments conducted this year showed that we can bypass that system completely and the juveniles in the floating hapas which are 25-30 g size can be directly released into the bottom farm. We are adopting this methodology for the new releases this year. The Grow-out to market sized experiments for Objective 3 was continuing and being monitored. Juveniles were released in this reporting period at 5 designated farm sites for bottom grow-out to market size studies. Growth and survival data collected from earlier 2014 and 2015 grow-out farm experimental animals which have become 1.5 -2 years or more after spawning and 1 year or more after introducing into the grow-out farming system , showed mixed results. On an average, the 1 year after spawning was 43.60 g wet weight. Which increased to 122.6 g in 1.5 years to an average of 352.35 g in two years after spawning started for that batch. When calculating the average wet weight in g after 1 year (close to two years after spawning) after introduction of grow-out culture in the farm, it was 252.24 g. More clear picture would emerge next reporting year. Objective 4 and Objective 5. The setting up of hatcheries for doing the work in Yap and Palau as part of this project Objectives 4 and 5 have been considerably delayed due to reasons beyond control. Bad weather once more damaged a part of the hatchery and was recently repaired at the time of writing this report. Other than that in Yap, the hatchery is complete and the first trials would be conducted in the next reporting period.. However, surveys and potential broodstock collection sites were identified in Yap and a host of potential sites were identified to do grow-out farming as well. In Palau the hatchery building is still not been finished due to delayed construction. Hopefully it would be finished by the middle of the next reporting period. In anticipation of the hatchery works in both these sites, project personnel at the different sites were trained by the PI to get hands on knowledge of sea cucumber hatchery and farming work by participating in one of the spawning runs
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Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Private Aquaculture companies, existing aquaculture farmers, community groups, State and National Fisheries Agencies, Local Governnments, Traditional Chiefs and Land Owners. Changes/Problems:Frequent weather related problems were encountered in the succesful completion of different objectives of this project. Theft of animals and vandalism and stealing of farm structures was also a major concern in the reporting year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Attended the World Aquaculture Society & American Aquaculture Society meeting in New Orleans in February 2015 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The preliminary results of the grow-out possibilities in Pohnpei were disseminated to interested communities / farmers and Government officials in Pohnpei State. Farmers were again trained in new effective management practices to preven predator attacking their young juveniles in their nursery farms. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Further spawning and larval rearing technique refinements would be attempted as part of Objective 1. As the experiments on the nursery and grow-out were disrupted in the middle, they would be repeated again for reliability and repeatability. More nursery and grow-out experiments would be conducted to fine tune the technology as part of Objective 2, 3. The hatchery in Yap should be ready the next reporting year to start operations. Objective 5 the hatchery in palau too would be finished by the next year if all goes well and the experiments could start in both the places.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the reporting period, for Objective 1, Four successful spawnings were conducted. Experiments were conducted to find out the optimum site-specific stocking density of larvae, feed preferences during larval stage. These experiments were done to increase the survival of the larvae. Different feed combinations were tried and data tabulated and anayzed. Settlement preferences were also tried with different benthic algae along with conventional methods of settlement. As a result of all these interventions, we were able to increase the yield from 1 to 5 % survival from egg stage resulting in a total production of 72,254 juveniles. Growth of the early juveniles and mid stage juveniles found to be significantly enhanced when the tanks were coated with Navicula sp. a benthic diatom species along with the spirulina on the settlement plates. Navicula sp. was found to be significantly better in assisting settlement and growth of the sea cucumber larvae when compared to other benthic algae like Amphora and Nitzchia. As part of Objective 2, a second trial was conducted to find out if the juveniles could be transferred to ocean nursery around > 6 mm is better than maintaining them in tanks with substratum in the hatchery. Results were mixed 50 - 50 with survival with one batch showing that tank held juveniles had better survival than ocean. However, consistently and significantly the growth was much better in the floating nurseries in the ocean. However, it was noticed that inconsistent results were mainly due to sudden dips in salinity in the ocean areas due to persistent rains for prolonged periods sometimes upto 48 hours. The tanks were however covered and no salinity stratification was observed in them. Predation was a non factor as reported in the previous report, as better management protocols were developed to prevent predators in the nets. There was repeated storm events during the reporting period which affected the experiments as well. Effect of stocking densities on growth and survival of sea cucumber juveniles were also tried out for Nursery Phase -1 for three month period However again the experiment had to be abandoned when the juveniles were killed due to storm events. Though one month data before the storm destruction showed 400 pieces could be stocked in early stages with not much significant reduction in growth or survival among that at 100 and 200 in one floating nursery. As mentioned in the previous report, the juveniles from the earlier spawning were stocked in bottom hapas and cages as per standard stocking densities to monitor their growth and survival to market size. Grow -out Farms were set up at three different locations and late juveniles were reared in these cage farms. The experiment for Objective 3 was started as planned in this reporting year. Late Juveniles were released in three designated farm sites for bottom grow-out to market size. The experiment went off well until in February one of the test farms were vandalized and test animals stolen. In May of last year, a tropical storm passed through Pohnpei wiping out nearly 99 % of all our ocean animals both in the floating experiment and as well as the grow-out. We had problems with oil pollution, unusually long low tides exposing the reef and killing lots of sea creatures including our sea cucumbers. Salinity dilution was also a huge factor due to unrelenting rain. Farm structures were broken completely and animals escaped in another test farm. Luckily some were recaptured and maintained. From the data gathered from those animals, It was found that 2 % of the original stocked animals in that farm had reached market size by a year's growth.. Objective 4 and Objective 5. The setting up of hatcheries for doing the work in Yap and Palau as part of this project Objectives 4 and 5 have been considerably delayed due to reasons beyond control. In Yap the typhoon and super typhoons passing through there had a toll on the hatchery infrastructure and we had to get some things done again due to that. Lack of essential materials on the island was also hampering the work to complete the building. However, surveys were done to assess sandfish sea cucumber in Yap and a host of potential sites were identified to do grow-out farming. In Palau the hatchery building was still not been finished due to delayed construction. Hopefully it would be finished during this year . Most of the items for both the hatcheries have been ordered and available on site. Delay in shipping of materials is also a big hindrance in the smooth completion of the hatchery.
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Progress 08/01/14 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Private Aquaculture companies, existing aquaculture farmers, community groups, State and National Fisheries Agencies, Local Governnments, Traditional Chiefs and Land Owners. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The PI went to attend and present at an International Aquaculture Conference to learn more about sea cucumber farming in Asia and in Sri Lanka which has some initial commercial sea cucumber farming operations by private companies. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Communities / farmers who were shortlisted in Pohnpei for the grow-out operations, were bought to the hatchery during the larval run phase and early juvenile phase to show them how the larval and juvenile phase is done. They were also shown Ocean Hapa culture for early juveniles and made aware on site management practices which need to be done during the experimental grow-out phase in their areas. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? In the next reporting period, several more spawnings would be undertaken to improve the efficiency of spawning and larval rearing. Attempts would also be done to improve larval survival and settlement as part of the objective 1. Nursery experiments would be conducted repeatedly with different batches to see the reliability of nursery grow-out in tanks v ocean nursery. The juveniles in the current reporting period would already be ready for objective 3 experiments of ocean grow-out and they would be monitored monthly and data collected for monitoring their growth till market size. More test sites would be added in the next reporting period to enhance the reliability of results and test the animals grow-out capabilities in different environments. All attempts would be made to set up the hatcheries in Yap and Palau , the first step in the technology demonstration objective as part of objective 4 and 5. Attempts would be made if all materials and supplies arrive in time to conduct test spawnings at both these sites.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In Pohnpei a hatchery spawning was undertaken and larvae were reared upto settlement. Data was collected for growth, survival and settlement However, the Objective 1 experiments were not conducted on this batch. The early juveniles were used for the Objective 2 experiments which was early nursery experiments to find out if they had any preference in feeding and substratum vs just growing them in Hapas in the open oceans. This experiment was conducted for 15 days . Data was collected pre and post experiment on growth and survival. Growth was better in tanks with no feeding but had sand substratum even when compared to the Ocean Hapas. The survival in the tank experiments were significantly better than the ocean Hapas during the experimental period as predation was high in the ocean and nil in the tank experiment. As the juveniles are still small, no experiments were possible during the reporting period for juvenile grow-out in the ocean ( Objective 3), However, communities interested farmers were contacted and secure areas were marked , cages and nets were designed for putting juveniles once they are grown from the nursery phase. Community awareness was also done in the areas next to the grow-out test sites to prevent poaching of the animals and vandalism of the structures. For Objective 4 and 5, where the primary focus was technology development in Yap and Palau, target audiences were made aware about the potential of sea cucumber farming. Orders were placed for setting up the hatchery in Palau and Yap. Necessary permissions were also got for these to be set up. MOU's were signed with the local fisheries departments to share their facilities for the technology demonstration project.
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