Effects of the modified Huanglian Jiedu decoction on the disease resistance in grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) to Lactococcus garvieae

Lactococcosis is prevalent on grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) in Hong Kong aquaculture resulting in serious economic loss. A compound formulation of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) (modified Huanglian Jiedu decoction (HLJDD)) comprising Rhizoma coptidis, Radix scutellaria, Cortex phellodendri, Fructus gardeniae, Fructus forsythiae and Flos lonicerae japonicae (in a ratio of 3:2:2:3:3:5) were applied as feed supplements to deal with the disease. The Nitroblue tetrazolium activity in blood, bactericidal activity and total immunoglobulin in plasma were significantly enhanced after feeding 1% of this TCM for 28 days. The disease resistances to Lactococcus garvieae in 1% and 2% TCM feeding groups were significantly enhanced. In the in vitro study, the modified HLJDD also activated the plasma bactericidal activities (p < 0.01). Based on this study, 1% modified HLJDD feeding for 28 days may be an optimal dose to prevent L. garvieae infection and could be used in aquaculture industries.     

From fishing to farming: Shellfish aquaculture expansion and the complexities of ocean space on Canada's west coast

Ocean spaces are social and political, and just as with terrestrial governance, oceans governance is prone to ambiguity, contradiction, and contestation. The validity and dynamics of these claims will be demonstrated through a study of discourse and structured agreements employed to involve coastal First Nations in the expansion of the shellfish aquaculture sector in British Columbia. Analysis focuses on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, a region identified as having good biophysical potential for shellfish aquaculture and much of which is territorial home of the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations. Through community interviews and document and discourse analysis, the article highlights that: seafood, including shellfish, is intimately connected with Nuu-chah-nulth identity; many Nuu-chah-nulth have long-engaged in subsistence and commercial harvests of wild-growing shellfish; and, there are important prospective differences between longer-standing shellfish harvests and shellfish aquaculture. Findings and discussion offer perspective on the sorts of choices that First Nations might encounter in the pursuit of shellfish aquaculture, as well as raise bigger questions about whether or how Nations might tradeoff territorial authority and collective harvest opportunities against leasing state-sanctioned private marine tenures.     

Using normative evaluations to plan for and manage shellfish aquaculture development in Rhode Island coastal waters

As shellfish aquaculture activities grow in the US, researchers, practitioners, resource users, and others have questioned how much development can be accommodated by natural and social systems. In a unique application of the normative evaluation approach to shellfish aquaculture development, this study uses data from a mail survey to (1) examine Rhode Islanders’ support for aquaculture in general and in RI waters; (2) investigate how different features of an aquaculture farm influence normative evaluations; and (3) explore areas of agreement and disagreement among stakeholder groups for social carrying capacities associated with aquaculture in RI coastal waters. Findings demonstrate that respondents do not strictly support or oppose aquaculture development; instead support depends on the waterbody where the aquaculture is occurring, the amount of area used for aquaculture, and ways in which aquaculture is conducted. Social norm curves show that levels of acceptabilities for shellfish aquaculture development in two RI waterbodies decline with increasing levels of aquaculture activities. Comparisons among sub-sets of respondents highlight disagreement among groups on the level beyond which shellfish aquaculture development is no longer acceptable (social carrying capacity). Results from normative evaluation studies can be used in combination with physical, ecological, and biological carrying capacities; management goals and objectives; other resource uses and values; and desired social and ecological conditions to inform policy discussions about shellfish aquaculture development in coastal waters.     

Aquaculture stakeholders role in fisheries co-management

Industrial aquaculture has become one of the main protagonists both on the coasts and in international policy aimed at regulating matters concerning the sea. This new role is reflected in the recently adopted Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union, where the need to promote the sector and the involvement with other local actors, specifically artisanal fishers, is highlighted. However, the official promotion of this activity could be overvaluing its benefits while, at the same time, undervaluing the new barriers that it is introducing in fisheries co-management. Centered in Valencian Community (Spain) and through a qualitative methodology, this paper examines the views and positions of stakeholders directly involved in aquaculture activity (biologists, aquaculture businessmen and policy managers) on the possibilities of joint participation. It is concluded, that eroding the detected mistrust among stakeholders through "hybrid forms of participation" would be a necessary prerequisite to setting up a common framework for involvement leading to an effective co-management.     

FAO's statistic data and sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture: Comments on Pauly and Zeller (2017)

In a recent commentary, Pauly and Zeller disagreed with the Food and Agriculture Organization's interpretation of its global capture fishery production records, arguing that trends were distorted by unreliable statistics in some countries. They criticized FAO for not having used their “catch reconstructions” in the 2016 State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) report and questioned the interpretation and significance of FAO's aquaculture production statistics. In this paper, we refute their claims and demonstrate that their critique is based on fundamental misunderstandings caused by mixing up statistical metrics and using simple normative explanations to interpret highly complex datasets. We explain how FAO maintains, curates and updates the only validated source of global fisheries landings, describe our capacity building projects and activities underpinning the annual updates for the over 231 different sources of fisheries data, and clarify such updates include dialogues with member countries to improve and revise present and historical records. FAO will continue to work closely with member states, IGOs, NGOs, academia and civil society, to further improve fishery and aquaculture databases, while calling on states to make renewed efforts to improve data quality. It also welcomes research efforts that contribute to the improvement of statistical data which are critical to the sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture.     

水产养殖清塘过程污染排放特征及对周边水体影响：以太湖下游典型鱼类集约化养殖区为例

水产养殖清塘过程中的排水是造成周边水环境污染的重要环节，但对此环节中污染物排放特征和影响程度的研究仍相对不足。为有效减少清塘过程的排水对环境的污染，推进水产养殖业绿色发展，本研究选取典型鱼类集约化养殖区，通过高频采样和监测，分析了阶段式排水时混养鱼塘尾水中的悬浮物、有机物和营养盐等指标的浓度变化，明确污染物的排放特征，同时分析受纳水体不同断面的水质变化情况。研究结果表明：总悬浮物浓度(TSS)、高锰酸盐指数(COD_Mn)、总磷(TP)、总氮(TN)和氨氮(NH₃-N)浓度随着持续排水呈上升趋势，在排水末期污染物浓度均快速上升，磷酸盐磷(PO₄^3--P)浓度仅在排水末期骤升，硝态氮(NO₃^--N)浓度随排水持续下降，亚硝态氮(NO₂^--N)浓度随排水先上升后下降；根据《淡水池塘养殖水排放要求》二级标准，排水末期TN、TP、TSS浓度超标倍数分别达4.70、6.66、206.90；尾水流量与河流量约以1/200的比例...