Structure and dynamics of fisheries in Nigeria

The changes that have taken place in Nigerian fisheries are reviewed. Artisanal fishery has continued to dominate the fisheries,contributing over 85% of total fish production. The inland water and coastal seas are fully exploited and the increase in fishery production is not likely. Aquaculture potentials remain untapped as much as deep-sea fisheries. The combined potential of the fisheries resources-freshwater,marine and aquaculture can meet over 90% of the nation's demand for fish. Opportunities for invest-ments,therefore,exist in the various subsectors,especially in the areas of storage,processing and preservation for the capture fishery and fish seed multiplication for aquaculture.     

Interactions of Aquaculture and Waste Disposal in the Coastal Zone

Throughout the world, the coastal zones of many countries are used increasingly for aquaculture in addition to other activities such as waste disposal. These activities can cause environmental problems and health problems where they overlap. The interaction between aquaculture and waste disposal, and their relationship with eutrophication are the subjects of this paper. Sewage discharge without adequate dispersion can lead to nutrient elevation and hence eutrophication which has clearly negative effects on aquaculture with the potential for toxic blooms. Blooms may be either toxic or anoxia-causing through the decay process or simply clog the gills of filter-feeding animals in some cases. With the development of aquaculture, especially intensive aquaculture, many environmental problems appeared, and have resulted in eutrophication in some areas. Eutrophication may destroy the health of whole ecosystem which is important for sustainable aquaculture. Sewage discharge may also cause serious public health problems. Filter-feeding shellfish growing in sewage-polluted waters accumulate micro-organisms, including human pathogenic bacteria and viruses, and heavy metal ion, presenting a signiticant health risk. Some farmed animals may also accumulate heavy metals from sewage. Bivalves growing in areas affected by toxic algae blooms may accumulate toxins (such as PSP, DSP) which can be harmful to human beings.     

Development of a seaweed species-selection index for successful culture in a seaweed-based integrated aquaculture system

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) has been proposed as a concept that combines the cultivation of fed aquaculture species (e.g., finfish/shrimp) with extractive aquaculture species (e.g., shellfish/seaweed). In seaweed-based integrated aquaculture, seaweeds have the capacity to reduce the environmental impact of nitrogen-rich effluents on coastal ecosystems. Thus, selection of optimal species for such aquaculture is of great importance. The present study aimed to develop a seaweed species-selection index for selecting suitable species in seaweed-based integrated aquaculture system. The index was synthesized using available literature-based information, reference data, and physiological seaweed experiments to identify and prioritize the desired species. Undaria pinnatifida, Porphyra yezoensis and Ulva compressa scored the highest according to a seaweed-based integrated aquaculture suitability index (SASI). Seaweed species with the highest scores were adjudged to fit the integrated aquaculture systems. Despite the application of this model limited by local aquaculture environment, it is considered to be a useful tool for selecting seaweed species in IMTA.     

Remote Monitoring of Expansion of Aquaculture Ponds Along Coastal Region of the Yellow River Delta from 1983 to 2015

Aquaculture ponds are one of the fastest-growing land use types in valuable and fertile coastal areas and have caused serious environmental problems. Quantitative assessment of the extent, spatial distribution, and dynamics of aquaculture ponds is of utmost importance for sustainable economic development and scientific management of land and water resources in the coastal area. An object-oriented classification approach was applied to Landsat images acquired over three decades to investigate the long-term change of aquaculture ponds in the coastal region of the Yellow River Delta. The results indicated that the aquaculture ponds in the study area undergone a sharp expansion from 40.38 km~2 in 1983 to 1406.89 km~2 in 2015, and the fast expansion occurred during the period of 2010–2015 and 1990–2000. Natural wetlands, especially mudflat, and cropland were main land use types contributing to the increase of aquaculture ponds. The patches of aquaculture ponds were consequently prevalence in the north of the Yellow River Estuary and landscape metrics indicated an increase of the aquaculture ponds of the study area in the quantity and complexity. The expansion of aquaculture ponds inevitably had negative effects on the coastal environment, including loss of natural wetlands, water pollution and land subsidence, etc. The results from this study provide baseline data and valuable information for efficiently planning and managing aquaculture practices and for effectively implementing adequate regulations and protection measures.     

Carbon and nitrogen budget in fish-polychaete integrated aquaculture system

Integrated multi-tropic aquaculture(IMTA) systems have been used in China for many years and have achieved significant economic, social, and ecological benefits. However, there is still a lack of benthic bioremediation species that can effectively utilize the aquaculture particulate organic waste in the system. Polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis Grube is used as an environmental remediation species for large-scale aquaculture to reduce particulate organic waste, which is of great significance to environmental protection. To improve bio-elements utilization efficiency, P. aibuhitensis was applied for IMTA indoor fish( Hexagrammos otakii) farming. Results showed that in the system, production of 1 kg of the fish discharged 2 141–2 338 mg of carbon and 529–532 mg of nitrogen, while in the monoculture of the fish, the figures were 3 033–3 390 mg and 764–794 mg, or 24.84%–35.26% and 30.35%–33.32% less, respectively. This approach promoted IMTA technology that could utilize the particulate organic waste from intensive aquaculture and reduce the adverse environmental effects.     

Diagnostic model construction and example analysis of habitat degradation in enclosed bay: III. Sansha Bay habitat restoration strategy

Unbalanced inputs and outputs of material are the root cause of habitat degradation in Sansha Bay,Fujian Province,China. However,the cumulative pollution varies in different geographic locations and natural conditions in the enclosed bay. In this study,hydrodynamic conditions,sediment characteristics,and aquaculture methods were recognized as the underlying causes of spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of nitrogen and phosphorous pollutants,the two major controlling factors of habitat degradation in the bay area. In order to achieve the goal of balancing nutrient inputs and outputs in Sansha Bay,we developed a feasible and practical zone restoration strategy for reasonable adjustment and arrangement of aquaculture species and production scale in accordance with varying hydrodynamic conditions and sediment characteristics in six sub-bay areas(sub-systems). The proposed zone restoration strategy lays a solid foundation for habitat restoration and management in Sansha Bay.     

Administration of Yeast Glucan on Immunity of Offspring in Turbot Scophthalmus maximus: A Trans-Generational Immune-Enhancing Effect

β-glucan has been shown to increase immunity and survival in various juvenile and adult fish both in freshwater and marine aquaculture species as well as in marine fish larvae. However, information about the trans-generational immune-enhancing effects of β-glucan remains rather limited. Here we clearly show that dietary intake of β-glucan enhanced the levels of C3, Bf and lysozyme in the serum of turbot as well as in their eggs released. We also show that yeast glucan induced a significant increase in lysozyme activity in both the serum and eggs. Moreover, the embryos derived from yeast glucan-treated turbot were more resistant to bacterial challenge than control embryos. By contrast, the administration of yeast glucan on female turbots had little influence on the egg development and embryonic development. Collectively, these data indicate that yeast glucan can be safely used to promote the non-specific trans-generational immunity in offspring of turbot.     

List of the Most Outstanding Papers Published by CJOL in 2015–2016

正Based on the 2017 Journal Citation Report on the Web of Science,we selected 41 top-cited papers published by CJOL in 2015-2016 in six fields:aquaculture,biology,chemistry,ecology,geology,and physics,and we further invited 7 scientists to rank them in scientific merit.These experts chose 21 outstanding papers that we now honor as the Most Outstanding Papers,as shown in the list below.The first/corresponding author will be awarded a certificate,a copy of the issue containing their paper,as well as a souvenir.     

De-eutrophication of effluent wastewater from fish aquaculture by using marine green alga Ulva pertusa

The de-eutrophication abilities and characteristics of Ulva pertusa, a marine green alga, were investigated in Qingdao Yihai Hatchery Center from spring to summer in 2005 by analyzing the dynamic changes in NH+4, NOˉ3, NO2ˉ as well as the total dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). The results show that the effluent wastewater produced by fish aquaculture had typical eutrophication levels with an average of 34.3 μmol L-1 DIN. This level far exceeded the level IV quality of the national seawater standard and c...     

Dynamics of Coastal Land Use Patterns of Inner Lingdingyang Bay in the Zhujiang River Estuary

To satisfy the growing of land demand from economic development,a large scale of land reclamation from sea has been carried out in Inner Lingdingyang Bay in the Zhujiang(Pearl)River estuary in recent years.As a result,the tidal flat and the water channels became narrow,the frequency of floods increased,and the environment was un-dermined.Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey(GMGS)conducted an integrated project for marine geo-environ-ment and geo-hazards survey in 2003.With the integration of multi-temporal remote sensing images of 1977,1978,1988,1996,and 2003,GIS spatial analyzing approach and GPS technique,as well as field data and other background data of the region,this research investigated the comprehensive characteristics and the drivers of coastal land use dy-namics and shoreline changes in Inner Lingdingyang Bay.The results reveal that the reclaimed coastal land was mainly for agriculture and aquaculture in early years,but now they are used for construction sites of harbors and in-dustries,especially high-tech industry.     

Effects of Anthropogenic Disturbance on Sediment Organic Carbon Mineralization Under Different Water Conditions in Coastal Wetland of a Subtropical Estuary

The changes in soil organic carbon(C) mineralization as affected by anthropogenic disturbance directly determine the role of soils as C source or sink in the global C budget. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of anthropogenic disturbance(aquaculture pond, pollutant discharge and agricultural activity) on soil organic C mineralization under different water conditions in the Minjiang River estuary wetland, Southeast China. The results showed that the organic C mineralization in the wetland soils was significantly affected by human disturbance and water conditions(P 0.001), and the interaction between human disturbance activities and water conditions was also significant(P 0.01). The C mineralization rate and the cumulative mineralized carbon dioxide-carbon(CO_2-C)(at the 49th day) ranked from highest to lowest as follows: Phragmites australis wetland soil aquaculture pond sediment soil near the discharge outlet rice paddy soil. This indicated that human disturbance inhibited the mineralization of C in soils of the Minjiang River estuary wetland, and the inhibition increased with the intensity of human disturbance. The data for cumulative mineralized CO_2-C showed a good fit(R~2 0.91) to the first-order kinetic model C_t = C_0(1 – exp(–kt)). The kinetic parameters C_0, k and C_0 k were significantly affected by human disturbance and water conditions. In addition, the total amount of mineralized C(in 49 d) was positively related to C_0, C_0 k and electrical conductivity of soils. These findings indicated that anthropogenic disturbance suppressed the organic C mineralization potential in subtropical coastal wetland soils, and changes of water pattern as affected by human activities in the future would have a strong influence on C cycling in the subtropical estuarine wetlands.     

Reconstructing environmental changes of a coastal lagoon with coral reefs in southeastern Hainan Island

Coastal lagoons with small catchment basins are highly sensitive to natural processes and anthropogenic activities. To figure out the environmental changes of a coastal lagoon and its contribution to carbon burial, two sediment cores were collected in Xincun Lagoon, southeastern Hainan Island and (210) ~Pb activities, grain size parameters, total organic carbon(TOC), total nitrogen(TN), total inorganic carbon(TIC) and stable carbon isotopes(δ~(13)C) were measured. The results show that in 1770–1815, the decreasing water exchange capacity with outer open water, probably caused by the shifting and narrowing of the tidal inlet, not only diminished the currents and fined the sediments in the lagoon, but also reduced the organic matter of marine sources. From 1815 to 1950, the sedimentary environment of Xincun Lagoon was frequently influenced by storm events. These extreme events resulted in the high fluctuation of sediment grain size and sorting, as well as the great variation in contributions of terrestrial(higher plants, soils) and marine sources(phytoplankton, algae, seagrass). The extremely high content of TIC, compared to TOC before 1950 could be attributed to the large-scale coverage of coral reefs. However, with the boost of seawater aquaculture activities after 1970, the health growth of coral species was severely threatened, and corresponding production and inorganic carbon burial flux reduced. The apparent enhanced inorganic carbon burial rate after 1990 might result from the concomitant carbonate debris produced by seawater aquaculture. This result is important for local government long-term coastal management and environmental planning.     

Diurnal variation of phytoplankton community in a high frequency area of HABs: Daya Bay, China

Phytoplankton community was investigated in the cage culture area of Daya Bay during a diurnal cycle. Two rainfalls occurred during the course of the experiment and decreased the surface seawater salinity in the aquaculture area. A total of 38 species were identified, of which the dominant species included Pseudo-nitzschia spp. and Skeletonema costatum. Water stratification obstructed the vertical migration of dinoflagellates. Statistical analysis indicated that Synechococcus showed negative relationship with silicate and ammonia, which indicated that Synechococcus adapted to grow at oligotrophic environment. Phytoplankton community structure implied the risk of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. blooms in the aquaculture area of Daya Bay.     

Construction of a growth model in the green alga Tetraselmis subcordiformis using a response surface approach

The green alga Tetraselmis subcordiformis has been widely used as a quality live food for aquaculture species, and also has been studied as a model organism for the photo-biological production of hydrogen. We attempted to quantify the relationship between T. subcordiformis specific growth rate(SGR) and three important environmental factors(temperature, salinity, and p H) using the central composite design and response surface method under laboratory conditions. The results showed that the linear effects of temperature and salinity were significant( P 0.05), and they were equally important in impacting T. subcordiformis specific growth; the linear effect of p H was not significant( P 0.05); the interactive effect of temperature and p H was significant( P 0.05), whereas the temperature ′ salinity and salinity ′ p H interactions were not significant( P 0.05); all of the quadratic effects of the three factors were significant( P 0.05). A model equation for specific growth rate with the three factors was established, with the unadjusted and predictive R~2 as high as 0.990 and 0.921, respectively, suggesting that the model was a very good fit and that it could be used to predict SGR. Through optimizing the reliable model, an optimal 3-factor combination of 25 ° C/35 of salinity/p H 7.9 was obtained, at which the maximum specific growth rate(0.65) was recorded, with a desirability value of 93.8%. These experimental results could serve as guidelines for increasing T. subcordiformis production efficiency.     

Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic, hydrocarbons in main aquacultural areas in Guangdong, China

The environmental quality status of Daya Bay (22.56–22.77°N, 114.51–114.73°E), a main aquaculture area in Guangdong of China, was investigated using 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) sediment samples of the bay. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs varied from 115 to 1 134 ng/g dry weight. The PAH composition pattern in sediments suggest dominance of 4-ring PAHs in Sites 2 and 4, and the ratio of certain related PAHs indicated important pyrolytic and petrogenic sources. The results enhance the understanding of current contamination levels and make a better assessment of likely impacts of organic contamination on ecosystems and the sustainability of local aquaculture in the area especially after the establishment of the Nuclear Power Station by the bay.     

Marine bacterium strain screening and pyrethroid insecticide-degrading efficiency analysis

A pyrethroid insecticide-degrading bacterium, strain HS-24, was isolated from an offshore seawater environment. The strain, which can degrade cypermethrin(CYP) and deltamethrin(DEL), was identified as Methylophaga sp. The optimal culture and degradation conditions for CYP and DEL by strain HS-24 is pH 7 at 28°C. Under optimum culture conditions, strain HS-24 exhibited a broad degradation concentration range of 100, 200, 400, 600, and 800 mg/L for CYP and DEL. The metabolic intermediates were analyzed by NMR, which provided strong evidence that CYP and DEL removal occurred mainly because of a biological process. The toxicity of the degradation products of strain HS-24 was studied simultaneously by measuring the light output of the luminescence bacterium. This demonstrated that the biodegradation ability of strain HS-24 significantly decreased the toxicity of CYP- and DEL-contaminated aquaculture seawater. Finally, the findings of this paper indicate that strain HS-24 is thus revealed as a biological agent for the remediation of marine aquatic environments.     

A real-time PCR targeted to the upstream regions of HlyB for specific detection of Edwardsiella tarda

Edwardsiella tarda has become one of the most important emerging pathogens in aquaculture industry.Therefore,a rapid,reproducible,and sensitive method for detection and quantification of this pathogen is needed urgently.To achieve this purpose,we developed a TaqMan-based real-time PCR assay for detection and quantification of E.tarda.The assay targets the hemolysin activator HlyB domain protein of E.tarda.Our optimized TaqMan assay is capable of detecting as little as 40 fg of genomic DNA per reaction.A standard curve was generated from the threshold cycle values(y) against log10(E.tarda genomic DNA concentration) as x.The intra-and inter-assay coefficient of variation(CV) values were less than 2.06% and 1.05% respectively,indicating that the assay had good reproducibility.This method is highly specific to E.tarda strains,as it shows no cross-reactivity to Edwardsiella ictaluri,a member of the same genus,or to nine other fish-pathogenic bacteria species belonging to three other genera.This sensitive and specific real-time PCR assay provides a valuable tool for diagnostic quantitation of E.tarda in clinical samples.     

Experimental Study on the Hydrodynamic Characteristics of a Submersible Fish Cage at Various Depths in Waves

Submersible fish cages can be submerged under the water to mitigate the negative effects that arise from severe sea conditions and improve the growing environment for the farmed fish. Thus they are increasingly applied in offshore aquaculture. To ensure both safety and economic efficiency of submersible fish cages, it is important to determine the optimum submergence depth. In this study, a series of physical model experiments were conducted to investigate the hydrodynamic performance of a submersible fish cage at various submergence depths(1/6, 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 of the water depth as well as the floating condition for reference) with a model scale of 1:20. The results of the physical model experiment for the different depths were compared to analyze the effects of submergence depths on the mooring line tension and the movement of the floating collar. The results showed that the mooring line tension and the floating collar movement significantly attenuated with increasing submergence depth. However, the attenuation tendency became stable when the fish cage reached a certain depth. According to the results, 1/3 of water depth was determined as the optimal submergence depth of the fish cages. Deeper submergence depths showed no significant advantage from a perspective of the hydrodynamic characteristics of the fish cage. The determination of the optimum submergence depth is beneficial for the structural design and operation safety of submersible net cages.     

Observations on shell growth and morphology of the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum

The bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum is not only one of the main mollusc species in the west Pacific Ocean, but also one of the main species for aquaculture in China. Knowledge of growth of the R. philippinarum shell will improve our understanding of the shell as an environmental archive. It is also useful for the aquaculture of R. philippinarum. In this research, a hanging box culture method was introduced in the culture of R. philippinarum. The bivalves were cultured for 126 days, from March 31 to August 3, 2002. The average growth rates of shell width, height, and thickness were 0.069, 0.046, and 0.032 mm/d, respectively. The mean increase of average individual wet mass was 0.028 g/d. The largest growth rates of both shell and average individual wet mass occurred in June, indicating that water temperature and bivalve reproduction were 2 important factors. The shell morphology underwent significant changes with shell growth. The ratio of height to thickness (value of B/C) shifted 1.58 in the first 60 days to 1.54 in the last 30 days, which was resulted from the change in major shell growth direction. Periodic changes in the B/C ratio led to corrugated shell form, which could be used to determine the age of the shell.     

Chromosomal localization of 5S rDNA in Chinese shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis): a chromosome-specific marker for chromosome identification

Chinese shrimp(Fenneropenaeus chinensis)is an economically important aquaculture species in China.However,cytogenetic and genomic data is limited in the organism partly because the chromosomes are difficult to isolate and analyze.In this study,fluorescence in-situ hybridization(FISH) was used to identify the chromosomes of F.chinensis.The 5S ribosomal RNA gene(rDNA)of F. chinensis was isolated,cloned and then used as a hybridization probe.The results show that the 5S rDNA was located on one pair of homologous chromosomes in F.chinensis.In addition,triploid shrimp were used to evaluate the feasibility of chromosome identification using FISH and to validate the method.It was confirmed that 5S rDNA can be used as a chromosome-specific probe for chromosome identification in F.chinensis.The successful application of FISH in F.chinensis shows that chromosome-specific probes can be developed and this finding will facilitate further research on the chromosomes of penaeid shrimps.