October 2008

AFS Fish Culture Section

Fish Culture Section of the American Fisheries Society PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE BY

CURRY WOODS

Inside this issue: •

FCS Midyear Meeting Location.............2

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FCS Annual Meeting Minutes...........3-6

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Working Group……...…...7

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Workshop Announcements.... ......................8-10

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USFWS Grass Carp News........11

•

VHS News........15

•

USFWS News...17

•

Quiz Bowl…..….25

•

FCS Committee Contacts............26

I am happy to report that the Fish Culture Section has been quite active during the past three months, especially with regard to the new initiative to partner with the Aquatic Animal Drug Approval Program (AADAP) for approved drugs and approved uses in aquaculture. You are already aware of the highly successful production and distribution of the drug posters late this summer. Well, no sooner than our initial publication was being declared complete (your President and President-Elect, Jesse Trushenski were asked to give a presentation at the 14th Annual Drug Coordination Workshop in August on this collaborative effort with AADAP and the Fish Health Section), than FDA/CVM made an offer to help sponsor the production and distribution of a second edition- with the most recent aquaculture drug

...a new working group has been established to fill the void created with the dissolution of the WGADBP. The new organization, the Working Group on Aquaculture Chemicals (WGAC) has been established within the Fish Culture Section...

updates and approvals. There’s more good news. Many of you may have heard of, or even participated in a semi-annual meeting of, the Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture’s (JSAs) Working Group on Aquaculture Drugs Biologics and Pesticides (WGADBP). You may also be aware that due to concerns regarding compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the JSA announced plans to “sunset” the WGADBP at last year’s Aquaculture America 2008 meeting in Orlando. At its Oct. 1, 2008 meeting, the formal recommendation was made by the WGADBP, to do just that. The question became where and in what form could this working group reform? It is again my distinct pleasure to announce that with approvals from AFS, from the membership of the former WGADBP, and the Fish Culture Section’s EXCOM, a new working group has been established to fill the void created with the dissolution of the WGADBP. The new organization, the Working Group on Aquaculture Chemicals (WGAC) has been established within the Fish Culture Section and will hold its inaugural (Continued on page 2)

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President’s Message (continued) I will encourage you to get out and vote. This exhortation is not only for the election in November, but for Fish Culture Section officers after the first of the year.

meeting at the Aquaculture America ’09 meeting next February in Seattle. I have appointed Fish Culture Section member, Dr. Mark Gaikowski of the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, LaCrosse, WI, to serve as the Chair of this working group. Mark has written an article for this issue of the Newsletter which provides greater details associated with the formation of the working group and its purpose. I encourage you to check out Mark’s article regarding the newest member to the Fish Culture Section family! Finally, in the spirit of the elections which are only a few weeks away, I will

encourage you to get out and vote. This exhortation is not only for the election in November, but for Fish Culture Section officers after the first of the year. If you have been thinking of someone to nominate (maybe yourself!) for President-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer; please contact the Chair of the Fish Culture Section’s Nominations Committee: Mike Barnes { [email protected] }.

Actively work to bring others to join the Fish Culture Section.

AFS FCS WORKING GROUP ON AQUACULTURE CHEMICALS MONDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2009 3-5 pm

CONVENTION CENTER ROOM 303

FISH CULTURE SECTION MIDYEAR BUSINESS MEETING MONDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2009 5-6 pm

CONVENTION CENTER ROOM 303

http://www.nasac.net/ Newsletters, Member Directories, Aquaculture News, and MORE!!

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Fish Culture Section Business Meeting Minutes, Ottawa, Canada, 8-1717-08 1. Call to order by Curry Woods (CW) at 5:00 pm, establishment of quorum by Jesse Trushenski (JT), Carl Kittel (CK) took minutes as Secretary. Attendees :

Curry Woods Jesse Trushenski Heidi Lewis Chris Kohler Mary Nickum

John Nickum William Shelton Gary Saul Steve Lochmann Beth Beard *

Jerry Ludwig Gary Whelan Bruce Barton Charlie Moseley* Desmond Maynard

Gwen White Kim Scribner * Carl Kittel

NOTE: * indicates not a Section member. 2. Announcement of Quorum a. CW announced that a quorum was present (a quorum requiring 10 voting members of the Section). 3. Introductions—CW a. CW introduced officers and recognized past Presidents in attendance, including: Bill Shelton, John Nickum (who was recently inducted into the FC Hall of Fame), and Chris Kohler (who would later receive an award for excellence in education) 4. Approval of minutes—CW a. CW requested approval of the past meeting’s minutes as published in the FCS newsletter—Minutes approved as published. 5. Treasurer’s Report—CK a. Report covering January through June 2008 was distributed. b. CW noted that there were some reserved funds for use in sponsoring a symposium with the Physiology Section in the future and for developing continuing education materials – both of these funds represent positive developments. c. CW noted that the treasures report was approved by audit committee. d. CK note that we now submit a short post-card IRS filing each year. CK also noted that some description of the FCS Hall of Fame funding was included in the report. e. CW introduced the proposed budget for the coming year (2008-2009) and requested approval of the budget – Budget was approved as presented (see budget as addendum A). 6. Standing Committee Reports a. Audit Committee – CW reported that the audit committee approved the treasurer’s report. b. Hall of Fame—CW for Mike Barnes. CW reported that Steve Brimm has stepped down from the HOF operations and Mike Barnes is temporarily handling HOF activities. An induction ceremony for John Nickum was conducted last spring. i. CW noted that the funds in the HOF operating account are from the sale of bricks, and not a deduction from the endowment to the HOF. There have been no withdrawals from the endowment so far. ii. There was discussion of the aborted nomination of Howard Clemons. Due to a mistake in timing the submission of the nomination, Howard had not been dead for one year before the nomination was (Continued on page 4)

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moved forward. The nomination was withdrawn and will be resubmitted in the near future. John Nickum pointed out that the intention of the rule in the by-laws was not to interrupt a good nomination process like Howard’s, and that the procedures should be corrected to avoid this in the future. CW stated that there are plans to get approval to change the by-laws due to recent bylaws changes related to our election and wording related to nominations that are tied to our elections and he will work with Mike Barnes as Chair of the HOF Committee and the EXCOM to modify bylaw wording that impacts the HOF nomination procedures. iii. CW noted that new brochures have been printed for both the Hall of Fame and for the Section under the guidance of Mike Barnes this year. c. Membership—CW reported that the membership is up by 21 since last year and 23 of the new members are students. 33 new members joined and 10 members dropped out. We have a net increase of 5-6% in membership since last year. d. Newsletter—Heidi Lewis reported that the newsletter is going fine and the issues are going out quarterly. The last issue went out in August. e. Program Committee – JT i. There is one session sponsored at the current annual AFS meeting in Ottawa that is jointly sponsored by the Fish Culture Section, the Genetics Section and the World Aquaculture Society. The session is on uses of cultured aquatic animals. ii. At the next Aquaculture America meeting we expect to have two sessions sponsored by FCS, including a session on finfish physiology and nutrition, and a session on Paddlefish. 7. Ad Hoc Committee and Appointee Reports a. Continuing Education Committee – CW reported for Mike Frinsko that there has been no activity for the last six months. b. Genetic Impct Response – CW reported that a group of geneticists led by Reggie Harold will put together a balanced, science based and thoughtful response to the articles in Science and Fisheries magazines. Curry and Reggie are now working to constitute the committee to do the writing and to outline the response. The process is underway. c. Introduced Species Section Liaison – Bill Shelton reported that there are pending proposals for symposiums in collaboration with the Introduced Species Section at a couple of upcoming meetings. In general we are hoping for more interaction with the Introduced Species Section. d. Student Awards Committee – Steve Lochmann reported. i. There were three applications for the Orlando Aquaculture America meeting last spring and Heidi won the travel award. ii. There was one application for this meeting and the applicant was not presenting a paper related to fish culture, so no travel grants were awarded. iii.Steve noted that we currently allocate two awards for the AFS annual meeting and one award for the Aquaculture America meeting each year. This allocation may not be efficient due to the nature of the meetings. After discussion, it was agreed that the student awards committee should use their discretion in awarding available grants to either meeting to make the best use of the grants. It is acceptable to change the allocation of the awards between the two meetings as they see fit. Changes will be made to the operating procedures if needed. e. Student Committee – CW reported for Heidi (who had left the room temporarily). i. Heidi would like to transfer leadership of the Student Committee to another student as soon as possible so she can concentrate on school. If anyone would like to volunteer for the position, or can recommend a new potential chair of the committee to Curry Woods, please do so. (Continued on page 5)

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f. PFIRM Liaison – CW reported for Vince Mudrak. i. PFIRM will begin a new round of activities next year. The process will start with a formation meeting. There should be $8,000 to $10,000 of dedicated funds in the AFS accounts for this purpose and Gus had indicated he can make those funds available as needed. g. Triennial Program – CW for Mike Frinsko. i. There has been a solicitation for program ideas. Please send any program ideas to JT or Mike Frinsko. h. Triennial Steering – John Nickum i. The committee is functioning and will meet in San Diego at the site of the upcoming triennial meeting in December 2008. The next Triennial meeting will be held in February of 2010 in San Diego. The theme may be “Connecting Economic and Ecological Sustainability”. Ii. The committee is working out conference manager issues and trying to keep the Triennial meeting distinct from the Aquaculture America and WAS meetings. Iii. Please plan to attend the upcoming Triennial meeting and be sure to check that you are attending as a member of FCS on the registration form. i. USAS Liaison – CW for Max Mayeaux i. FCS is partnering with the U.S. Aquaculture Society to put on the Aquaculture America meetings. This year we are an official sponsor of the Aquaculture America meeting and we will be in the future. The importance of the cooperative effort is in the direction and collaboration it provides. We want to be part of the Aquaculture America meetings and to be supportive of that meeting. We do not expect substantial financial gain from this collaboration. j. Website Liaison – CW for Courtney Ohs i. The website is up and running, there was no news to report. 8. Ongoing Business - CW a. “Approved Drugs-Approved Uses” collaboration with FCS, FHS & USFWS/AADAP – CW. The recently printed and distributed “Approved Drugs for Use in Aquaculture” posters are a result of a joint initiative between FCS and the AADAP. The posters are intended to help various aquaculture drug users including federal, state and private aquaculturists. The poster has been well received and the CVM intends to pay for the printing of another 1,000 posters for their use. b. The poster is related to a continuing education program for aquaculture drug use that is being funded by FCS and the national AFS organization. USFWS and AADAP are planning to help FCS put together education materials including a video training program on aquaculture drug use. c. The Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture has been working well to assist interaction between various aquaculture interests and the federal government, but due to recent legislation the Subcommittee is being sun-setted. Efforts are underway to establish a new body to undertake the work of the Subcommittee with respect to aquaculture drugs. It looks like AFS may establish a working group under the Task Force on Fisheries Chemicals that exists within AFS to undertake this job. The FCS President may appoint the chair of the Task Force which will allow the FDA/CVM to work under the Umbrella of AFS and the FCS. The details are not finalized but JT, CW and Jim Bowker are working together on this effort. More information will be forthcoming regarding this development. d. NAJA Best Paper Award from the FCS – CW. This year’s best paper in Fish Culture award goes to Kurten, Barkoh, Fries and Bagley for the paper entitled “Combined Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization for Controlling the Toxigenic Alga Prymnesium parvum”. Gary Saul accepted the award for the authors and the award includes a check for $500.00 to the lead author. Congratulations to the winning authors! 9. New Business a. CW received a request for a donation from Doug Beard of the USGS. The Fish Health section is trying to (Continued on page 6)

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raise money to send two to three people to Japan to attend a meeting in March of 2009 on emerging fish health disease issues across the Pacific. The program may include discussion of VHS and Whirling Disease. No specific amount was requested. Curry noted that the approved budget only has $500 for donations, and that we usually provide funds to support the NADA coordinator and for the Skinner Scholarship fund as part of our donation program. We need to consider how to split up the donation budget and how small we want each donation to be. CW asked for discussion and Steve Lochman stated that our funds would be better used in larger amounts and not split up into $50 or $100 small donations. After brief discussion Curry asked for a motion to make the donation as requested and no motions were forthcoming so the issue was dropped and no donation will be made. 10. CW asked if there was other new business. Hearing no new business, CW asked for a motion to adjourn. Gary Saul moved that we adjourn, CK seconded the motion and the motion was carried. CW declared the meeting adjourned at 6:10pm. ADDENDUM A AFS Fish Culture Section (FCS) – Proposed FY2009 Annual Budget Starting Balance $ 17,210 (Balance reflects travel reimbursement to FCS President for approved travel during August 2008 and does not reflect an additional $4,200 in dedicated funds available to the FCS) INCOME Dues Aquaculture 2009 EXPENSES Travel FCS Mid-Year – Aquaculture 2009 to Seattle (Pres. & Pres.-Elect*) FCS Annual – AFS 2009 to Nashville (Pres. & Pres-Elect*) Mid-Year AFS Governing Board 2009 (Pres.) Aquaculture Drug Coordination Workshop 2009 (Pres.-Elect) Awards Student Travel Awards 2009 (3 Awards @ $250) NAJA Best Paper Award (1 Award @ $5000 - no runner-ups for 2008 Issue) Student Committee Student Member Activities (i.e. Quiz Bowl) Donations Website Proposed Ending Balance (End-of-Year FY2009)

$ 900 $ 2,000

($ 3,000) ($ 3,000) ($ 500) ($ 500) ($ 750) ($ 500) ($ 200) ($ 500) ($ 150) $ 11,010

*Section has approved travel for President-Elect should they not have travel funding for these meetings as the President-Elect per FCS Bylaws now has FCS program responsibilities at our Mid-Year and Annual Meetings.

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NEW FISH CULTURE SECTION WORKING GROUP FORMED The Working Group on Aquaculture Chemicals (WGAC) was recently established by Dr. Curry Woods, AFS Fish Culture Section (FCS) President. Initially, the purpose of the WGAC is to continue work on some of the pertinent goals and objectives of the Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture (JSA) Working Group on Aquaculture Drugs Biologics and Pesticides (WGADBP) and to provide a home for the JSA WGADBP’s National Aquaculture Drug Research Forum. The JSA first announced plans to sunset the WGADBP in response to concerns regarding compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act at Aquaculture America 2008. The JSA WGADBP decided at its Oct. 1, 2008 meeting to formally recommend the JSA sunset the WGADBP. The JSA WGADBP considered that many of its objectives could likely be addressed by the new AFS FCS WGAC and fully supports the activities of this new working group.

will no doubt be added as we continue to develop the WGAC.

The initial intent of the WGAC is to provide a method through which interested organizations and individuals may work together to enhance aquatic animal health, particularly in the areas of drug, pesticide and biologic research, development, and judicious use. Additionally, the WGAC will strive to serve as the meeting place where industry, academia, non-governmental organizations, state natural resource agencies, etc. come together with federal partners to interact and share ideas in a forum similar to what the JSA WGADBP was once able to provide. To accomplish this, the WGAC will reach out to establish strong partnerships with other organizations to ensure a broad representation of U.S. aquaculture. Initial work has already begun to build partnerships with the U.S. Aquaculture Society and with the American Veterinary Medical Association; other partners

I look forward to working with you to develop the WGAC into a functional coalition to address the needs and concerns of U.S. aquaculture related to access to safe and effective drugs, pesticides and biologics in aquaculture.

The WGAC is in its infancy, with efforts just beginning to establish an initial set of objectives and goals. While the JSA WGADBP charter and strategic plan, as well as the initial plans for the former National Aquatic Industry – Therapeutic Agent Program (NAI-TAP), may provide an initial framework for the WGAC, we are sincerely interested in your input, suggestions and most importantly, participation as we develop and chart our course for the future. To facilitate your interaction and participation, the first organizational meeting of the WGAC will be held during Aquaculture America 2009. The date, time and location of that first meeting will be disseminated as soon as the Aquaculture America 2009 schedule is posted.

Sincerely, Mark Gaikowski WGAC Chair

Picture courtesy of USFWS; Timothy Knepp, creator

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For further information and to get on a mailing list, contact Mike Mason at [email protected] or call 515-281-6072 for more information.

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Convenes National Triploid Grass Carp Workshop Triploid grass carp are being utilized by many state resource agencies as an effective alternative method for controlling the proliferation of undesirable aquatic plants. Some state managers prefer to use biological control methods over chemical control options, because they do not want to release herbicides into open waterways. Accordingly, a market has developed for triploid grass carp, for sale in different states and countries. States may have very different USFWS Organized and Administrated a National Workshop m a n a g e m e n t for Quality Assurance and Education-Outreach for the requirements. In USFWS’ National Triploid Grass Carp Program some states grass carp are illegal; in other states only Triploid (they function as reproductively sterile fish) grass carp are legal (see map). The USFWS inspects triploid grass carp at triploid producers, and certifies triploid grass carp destined for shipment to receiving states that require such certification. Those interested in learning more about the National Triploid Grass Carp Inspection and Certification Program should explore the website: http://

www.fws.gov/warmsprings/fishhealth/frgrscrp.html Triploid grass carp producers collaborate with the US Fish and Wildlife Service under a program named: the National Triploid Grass Carp Inspection and Certification Program (NTGCICP). The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently convened a fact-finding workshop in St Louis, Missouri. Participants included state agency managers, law enforcement agents, university & government scientists, and private aquaculture producers. The workshop employed a “neutral” facilitator to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the NTGCICP. Findings from the workshop ensure the integrity of the National Program, and provide guidance and/or options for state resource managers.

Submitted by: Vincent Mudrak U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Warm Springs GA, 31830

USFWS Recognizes Andrew Mitchell for pioneering work in Triploid Grass Carp Program. Plaque Awarded to Drew Mitchell during National Meeting of State Agency Partners, Federal Inspectors, and Cooperating Producers --- August 2008.

Triploid Grass Carp Workshop Speakers provided science and technology, law enforcement perspectives, and resource management perspectives. Presentations expressed a very diverse set management approaches which differ in states. Speakers from left to right are as follows: (standing) Earl Chilton, TX; Terry Tiersch, LA; Paul Zajicek, FL; Rob Simmonds, IL, Bill Hershberger, WA, Kim Bogenschutz, IA; Bill Couch, GA; Drew Mitchell, AR; Mike Freeze, AR; James Heady, KY; (Sitting) Norm Heil, GA; Paula Tesler, OR, Mike Schmidt, IL.

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Emerging Issues in Aquaculture Special Session Aquaculture Certification Schemes: Global to Local February 15, 2009

3-5 pm

USDA-NOAA National Aquaculture Extension Steering Committee; Gary Jensen, Moderator Please note that if you are planning to attend the Aquaculture America 2009 conference in Seattle next year, we invite you to arrive in time to participate in the below planned emerging issues session on the day of registration (February 15). This session addresses an increasingly important domestic and global topic with a diverse, experienced group of panelists. As in previous years, this event is organized by the USDA-NOAA National Aquaculture Extension Steering Committee and is open to all. Regards, Gary Jensen ______________________________________________ The format for this session is no more than 10 minutes of introductory comments from each panelist followed by moderated discussions with the audience. This topic is becoming more relevant to our domestic and the global aquaculture community and those with a specific interest in certification and eco-labeling schemes with seafood market/consumer implications. Panel members: • • • • • •

Sebastian Belle, Executive Director, Maine Aquaculture Association Michael Boots, Director for Seafood Choices Alliances Jim Heerin, President, Aquaculture Certification Council Per Hegglund, President, AquaSeed Corporation Brett Koonse, Aquaculture Specialist, FDA Division of Seafood Nathan Marcus, Executive Director of Blue Star and 3rd Party Certification Group Source: Aquacontacts Mail group News; October 29, 2008

Contributions to the Hall of Fame endowment can be made out to the Fish Culture Section and sent directly to the South Dakota Community Foundation 207 East Capitol - Box 296 Pierre, SD 57501

Each donor, regardless of size, will receive a receipt in letter form that the contribution is tax deductible.

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LOUISIANA: Gustav to cost farmers, fisheries $419M in damages Source: www.eenews.net Hurricane Gustav pummeled Louisiana's agriculture and fishing industries, causing a total of $419 million in damages, according to estimates. The storm cost the state's agriculture industry about $372 million, as it flattened fields and doused crops with as much as 20 inches of rain, agriculture officials said yesterday. Gustav hit Louisiana's agriculture sector even harder than Katrina did in 2005, because it traveled far into the central and northern parts of the state. "Almost every parish, every crop is affected," said Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain. "During Katrina,

September 10, 2008 we didn't have this massive amount of damage across the entirety of the state." Cotton, sweet potatoes, soybeans and sugar cane were among the hardest-hit crops. Gustav also overflowed crawfish and catfish ponds, causing an estimated $46 million in damages to fisheries, the Louisiana State University AgCenter estimated. Fisheries and aquaculture damage was expected to be most severe for the alligator, shrimp, crab and oyster industries (AP/USA Today, Sept. 9). -- RB

Report declares oyster restoration a failure, touts potential of Asian bivalve By: Patrick Reis

Source: eenews.net

A long-awaited federal environmental assessment today declared efforts to restore native Chesapeake Bay oysters a failure and touted the potential of Asian bivalves for reviving the bay's population of waterfiltering shellfish. The Army Corps of Engineers' draft environmental impact statement comes four years after Maryland and Virginia proposed introducing the Asian oysters, which demonstrate more resilience than native oysters to the parasitic infections that devastated native stocks since the 1970s. While the Army Corps declined to make a recommendation about how to proceed on future oyster restoration efforts, the draft says existing programs would need to be expanded -- and most likely changed -- to achieve the desired results. "Although some localized successes in restoring oysters have been documented as a result of more recent restoration activities, current management, repletion, and restoration programs do not appear to be reversing the overall, bay-wide decline in the oyster population," the report says. Officials leading the bay restoration effort have set a target for oyster harvests -- a combination of wild and aquaculture efforts -- of 5 million bushels, or 1.4 billion market-size oysters. If drawn from wild stock, that

October 14, 2007

requires 12 billion market-size specimens. The bay's total 2004 oyster population was estimated at 809 million mollusks. The corps insists it has not ruled out any options, but the report highlighted three packages of proposals to "narrow the discussion" about how to proceed, said Olivia Campbell of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. One option calls for increasing funding for native oyster restoration projects in open water and for native oyster aquaculture. Another calls for enhancing wild and aquaculture native restoration efforts, but also initiating large-scale aquaculture for sterile, or "triploid," Asian oysters. A third option contains all the recommendations of the second but would also introduce fertile, or "diploid," Asian oysters into the bay with the intention of creating a self-sustaining wild population. The three options all include a temporary moratorium on the harvest of wild oysters, with a compensation program for watermen. The moratorium would not prevent harvests from aquaculture projects. Environmental groups remain steadfast in their opposition to foreign oyster introduction -- both for aquaculture and wild stocks -- and said native restoration attempts could be successful if given more (Continued on page 14)

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time and resources. "The burden of proof needs to be on the proponents of introduction to show that it will not result in significant problems. Our review of the EIS indicates that burden [of] proof has not been met," said Bill Goldsborough, senior scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. "The scientific community is generally positive about the prospects for native oyster restoration. Recent efforts have shown local successes ... where scientists believe they are seeing evidence of the development of disease resistance in large oysters that for years were protected within sanctuaries."

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The programmatic environmental impact statement evaluated the compliance of native and non-native oyster projects with a suite of federal environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and the Clean Water Act. The release of the report begins a 60-day period for public comment, which will include six public meetings in Maryland and Virginia. The comment period is scheduled to close Dec. 15. The Army Corps is expected to produce a recommendation by next spring, with a final record of decision by May or June.

USDA Aquaculture Stakeholder Workshop Output Now Available www.aquanic.org Output from the USDA Aquaculture Stakeholder Workshop is now available to review on the USDA Agricultural Research Service web-site at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/programs/programs.htm? np_code=106&docid=16949 This URL takes you to a site for the workshop program. The PowerPoint presentations made at the workshop that are available for viewing can be accessed by clicking on the presentation titles. Additionally, the output from each breakout session is in a WORD document format that can be viewed and downloaded. Click on the highlighted item in the workshop agenda to open any desired document. For stakeholders who attended the Kansas City Stakeholder Workshop and upon review of the information captured in the output files, feel that topics of discussion in breakout sessions they attended were missed in the output, please forward your comments to [email protected] for distribution to both ARS and CSREES. A draft Action Plan for the Agricultural Research Service Aquaculture National Program (National Program 106) has been posted on the web at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/programs/programs.htm? np_code=106&docid=17392&dropcache=true&mode=preview There is also a link in the workshop program given above. The Action Plan draws upon many sources of input including information from written stakeholder comments, output from the Kansas City Stakeholder Workshop, CSREES Regional Aquaculture Centers, ongoing discussions with commodity groups, various industry sectors, nongovernmental organizations, university partners, and ARS scientists and administrators. We hope you will have a chance to review the ARS Action Plan and submit any written comments to [email protected] . The plan is currently in draft form and will remain open to revision and comment until September 30, 2008. CSREES has used output from the Kansas City Stakeholder Workshop to identify aquatic animal pathogens of highest priority for one of the competitive grant programs in the National Research Initiative, communicated output to the Small Business Innovation Research program, and sought integration of output into CSREES multistate research projects. CSREES plans to develop a roadmap specific to aquaculture after completion of an agency-wide roadmap as required in the new Farm Bill and continue to integrate or inform the output with noncompetitive grants and the Regional Aquaculture Centers.

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VHS Interim Rule Published

USDA-APHIS-VS is establishing regulations, see attached, to restrict the interstate movement and importation into the United States of live fish that are susceptible to viral hemorrhagic septicemia, a highly contagious disease of certain fresh and saltwater fish. In 2005 and 2006, viral hemorrhagic septicemia was detected in freshwater fish in several of the Great Lakes and related tributaries. The disease has been responsible for several large-scale die offs of wild fish in the Great Lakes region. This action is necessary to prevent further introductions into, and dissemination within, the United States of viral hemorrhagic septicemia. As of the publication of the VHS interim rule, the regulated U.S. States are Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The regulated Canadian Provinces are Ontario and Quebec. The current list of VHS-regulated species and areas can be found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/ aquaculture/downloads/vhs_fed_order.pdf . Changes to the list will be updated at this site. The new rule includes three requirements for susceptible fish leaving positive states. 1. The fish source must have a current farm level inspection. For farms with protected water supplies (well, fish free spring, disinfected water), this means 150 fish of the susceptible species must be tested. The inspection is good for 6 months. Sample size requirements decrease after two and four years. For farms that do not have protected water supplies, inspections are good for only 30 days after they are reported and the sample size stays at 150 fish. 2. Each shipment of susceptible species leaving a positive state must be visually inspected by a veterinarian or the State Competent Authority for Animal Health (the state agency that regulates fish health) within 72 hours prior to shipping. 3. The same veterinarian or authority that does the visual check of fish health must be satisfied that the equipment that will be used to ship the fish has been properly disinfected. This does not require the physical presence of the veterinarian or authority during the inspection process. When these three conditions are met, the veterinarian or authority that conducts the 72-hour visual inspection and oversees the disinfection will issue a signed certificate of inspection containing information listed in the Interim Rule. Each shipment requires a separate certificate and signature. An FAQ explaining the various components of the new VHS Interim Rule will be available on the APHIS website at 4:30 EST this afternoon. It can be accessed at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/aquaculture/ DATES: Effective date: This interim rule is effective November 10, 2008. Comment dates: Comments on the interim rule are due on or before November 10, 2008. Comments on the environmental assessment are due on or before October 9, 2008. Please note that the Interim Rule will go into effect on November 10 as it is currently written. When the Rule is eventually finalized at some point in the future, APHIS will use the comments submitted to consider any changes to the Rule. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. P. Gary Egrie, Senior Staff Veterinary Medical Officer, National Center for Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; (301) 734–0695.

Source: www.aquanic.org

September 15, 2008 and November 3, 2008

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APHIS Promotes Collaboration with VHS Education and Outreach Activities Source: www.aquanic.org August, 2008 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS), in an effort to slow or prevent the spread of Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), has been reaching out for public help. Recent cases of VHS in inland waters in Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin have highlighted the need to address VHS from not only a regulatory perspective, but also a public education perspective. Recognizing the extensive expertise outside of APHIS in the areas of education and outreach activities, as well as other groups with established networks within the recreational fishing communities, APHIS brought together a voluntary group of stakeholders willing to offer ideas to help APHIS develop a VHS education and outreach campaign. Together, this stakeholder group forms what APHIS refers to as the “Education Alliance”. Members of this “Education Alliance” include representatives from: • Cornell University • Iowa State University, Center for Food Security and Public Health Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine • Michigan State Department of Natural Resources • Regional Aquaculture Centers • The National Aquaculture Association • The New York, Michigan and Minnesota Sea Grant offices • The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff • The University of Idaho and the Ohio State University • USDA Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service • U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey • Wisconsin State Department of Agriculture Together, the education alliance works to provide information and suggestions to USDA APHIS. USDA APHIS, in turn, uses the education alliance’s input to in the ongoing development of a VHS education and outreach campaign. Key outputs of the campaign to date have been the development and distribution of thousands of wallet-sized cards that provide basic information on how individuals can reduce their chances of spreading VHS through their activities, while still enjoying the outdoors. These cards have been distributed through many of the State Departments of Natural Resources in the Great Lakes region, through the National Park Service and tribal groups in the Great Lakes region, and through the Wal-Mart FLW Outdoors fishing tours. The campaign has led to a cooperative agreement with the

Iowa State University, Center for Food Security and Public Health to develop and host a VHS website. The intention of this effort is to develop an engaging and user-friendly website to house currently available information on VHS. The initial target audience will be the general public, especially boaters, anglers and youth, and will include currently available print, audio and video materials. As resources allow, information and resources for extension specialists, aquaculture producers and technical and professional audiences may also be added to this site along with resources for current regulations and/or personnel to contact for more information about VHS. The expected date of completion is December 2008. In order to help focus not only USDA APHIS’ education and outreach efforts, but to provide information to other stakeholders involved in developing and disseminating VHS related information, the Human Dimensions Research Unit at Cornell University will be conducting research to provide insight on stakeholders in the Great Lakes Region. The research will identify the range of knowledge, awareness and concern about VHS among key stakeholder groups, identify sources of information used by them, and learn about their willingness to respond to VHS and actual behavioral responses taken by them. This information will be vital to establish what is termed in advertising language as "foundational awareness." This information will eventually be used to inform the campaign's future messages and directions. The advertising plan currently underway will continue. APHIS has placed advertisements with information about VHS, and what individuals can do to mitigate their potential impact in its spread, in numerous trade magazines with regional and national exposure. These include: Aquaculture Magazine, Fish Farming News, Great Lakes Boating, Great Lakes Angler, Lake Erie Living, Lake Ontario Outdoors, Michigan Outdoor News, and Sailing. There is also collaboration with Bassmaster.com to post similar information on their conservation page. Finally, all of the informational materials that are distributed include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s “Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers” logo and website, as both campaigns have similar, although not identical, themes and goals. Please be on the look out for the ‘Focus on Fish Health’ logo. As members of NAA, if you have suggestions, comments or questions about the campaign or the “Education Alliance” please contact Betsy Hart of the National Aquaculture Association at [email protected] .

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The Sport Fish Restoration Program's Cycle of Success Comes Full Circle at Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery Source: www.fws.gov August 22, 2008 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) were joined by Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle to celebrate the renovation of Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery in central Wisconsin on August 18, 2008. The Service's Sport Fish Restoration Program worked with Wisconsin DNR and the Fox River/Green Bay Trustee Council to fund the renovation work with a common goal of expanding sport fishing and aquatic education opportunities for the citizens of Wisconsin. "The Sport Fish Restoration Program funds projects that on a daily basis restore habitat for sport fish, restore streams and lakes, fund cutting edge fisheries research, provide fishing and boating opportunities and communicate with citizens about conservation issues affecting their state," said Charlie Wooley, the Service’s Midwest Assistant Regional Director. Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery is critical to Wisconsin's $2.3 billion sport fishery, and more than 94 percent of fish raised at Wild Rose are stocked in Lake Michigan. A combination of Sport Fish Restoration Program funds, angler licensing dollars and NRDA environmental restoration agreements are funding the three-phase renovation project. Service biologist David Pederson said, "What was needed was a facility to meet the needs of the 21st century -- needs that recognize the genetic diversity of fish populations and needs that must cope with emerging diseases issues like viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS)." After the project is completed in 2011, Wild Rose State Hatchery will have a cold water hatchery for trout and salmon and a cool water hatchery for northern pike, spotted musky, walleye and lake sturgeon. The first phase of renovation at the hatchery was completed in spring 2008, which included construction of a cold wate3r nursery building for egg incubation and early rearing, a broodstock building, four covered production raceways buildings, new water supply, distribution and water reuse systems, and a fish rearing wastewater treatment system. The second construction phase began in June 2008, and is estimated to be ready

for cool water fish production in 2010. The third phase of renovation will restore the wetlands, springs and headwaters of a stream that was on the site before the century-old hatchery was built. For more information on the Wild Rose Hatchery Renovation project, visit http:// www.dnr.state.wi.us/fish/wildrose/wrrenovation.html "Understanding the success of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program does not come from seeing tax figures, dollar amounts or price tags. Rather, understanding and appreciating the success of this program comes directly from seeing this on-the-ground action by state agencies, like Wisconsin DNR," Wooley said. Taxes paid by anglers and recreational boaters on recreation fishing equipment and boat fuel are distributed to state fish and wildlife agencies through the State Fish and Restoration Program for conservation projects. Through this "Cycle of Success" the Sport Fish Restoration Program helps protect, manage and restore aquatic habitat, educate people about aquatic resources, and provide boating and fishing opportunities to anglers and recreation boaters. Wooley said, "Because of the Sport Fish Restoration Program and the efforts of states agencies like Wisconsin DNR, the anglers -- men and women, teenagers and children Ð that fish the waterways of Wisconsin are able to give back what they take from these waters." The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs efficiently and effectively administer grant programs and work with fish and wildlife agencies in a mutually responsible, cooperative and creative grant partnership to protect and enhance fish, wildlife, and habitat resources for present and future public benefit. Region 3's Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs administer more than $183 million in grants to the states and tribes in the region. To learn more about the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, visit http://www.fws.gov/ midwest/FederalAid/ Contacts: Ashley Spratt, 612-713-5314

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New Fish Ladder at Coleman National Fish Hatchery to Improve Fish Passage on Battle Creek The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have just completed an important fish ladder project at the Coleman National Fish Hatchery in Anderson, Calif., the largest salmon hatchery outside of Alaska. This ladder has been built to improve fish passage on Battle Creek, a tributary of the Sacramento River. It assists the salmon and steelhead passage upstream while allowing the hatchery to continue to collect spawning fall-run Chinook salmon in sufficient numbers to perpetuate the runs at the hatchery. The new fish ladder is about 10 times larger than the previous fish ladder and will help improve managers? ability to separate spawning populations of Central Valley spring- and fall-run Chinook salmon. Spring-run Chinook are threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The ladder should contribute to the success of the Battle Creek Salmon and Steelhead Restoration Project, which is working to improve fish passage and habitat in the upstream reaches of Battle Creek. Visitors to Coleman National Fish Hatchery at the annual Return of the Salmon Festival on Oct. 18 will be able to see the new ladder and observe fish in the creek, the

www.fws.gov Contacts:

October 2, 2008

hatchery’s holding ponds and in some parts of the new ladder. To view a photo of the first fish to use the new ladder: visit h tt p : / / w w w . f w s. gov / c n o . For m or e information, please contact Janice Pinero, Reclamation (916) 978-5041 or Scott Hamelberg, Coleman National Fish Hatchery (530) 356-8622. The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http:// www.fws.gov/cno. Pictue courtesy of USFWS Creator:Hollingsworth, John and Karen

Erica Szlosek, USFWS (916) 978-6159 or Michelle Light, BOR (916) 978-5100

CANDIDATES WANTED!!!! The nominating committee needs your help. If you would like to be a candidate for either President-Elect or Secretary-Treasurer, or if you would like to refer someone to the committee, contact nominating committee chair Mike Barnes ([email protected], 605-642-6920) by December 31.

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Builds Mass Marking Program for Great Lakes Trout and Salmon Source: www.fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Midwest Region this October received the first of a series of automated fish tagging trailers - an initial step in the development of a mass marking program that will eventually mark or tag all salmon and trout stocked into U.S. waters of the Great Lakes. Once implemented, this initiative will become the largest coordinated tagging and recovery program ever envisioned for Great Lakes management agencies. A similar coordinated program is planned by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in Canadian waters of the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes program is modeled after a 20-year mass marking program for salmon in the Pacific Northwest. The centerpiece of this new approach to mass marking is the computer-operated, automated tagging and marking trailer known as the AutoFish System. The system provides an alternative to manual clipping and tagging of fish ready for release to the wild. The AutoFish System is a selfcontained mobile unit in a 44-foot aluminum fifth wheel trailer. The system has the capability to rapidly sort by length, clip the adipose fin, and insert coded-wire tags to more than 60,000 salmon and trout per eight-hour day without anesthetic or human handling. The fish are never completely dewatered during the process, thereby reducing stress. Fin clipping rates and tag placement accuracy is superior to that of manual operations and less costly than manual clipping and tagging systems.

October 29, 2008

program over a five year period will be around $12 million for equipment and $6 million per year for operational costs. Congress awarded the Service $1.2 million this year to begin the project. For years the Service has fin-clipped (marked) and/or coded-wire-tagged all of the lake trout stocked into the Great Lakes for the restoration of this species. Recovery of the tagged and marked lake trout helps the Service, state and tribal fisheries agencies evaluate the performance and movement of these fish. Tagging also allows for evaluation of the survival and growth between strains, stocking locations, and sizes at stocking. With the new mass marking initiative, continued evaluation of hatchery fish is now being extended to other salmon and trout species raised by the states and tribes in U.S. waters. Coded-wire tags are thin pieces of metal wire that are inserted into the snout of fish just prior to stocking and contain a numeric code that is specific to a certain group of fish. All coded-wire tagged fish also receive an adipose fin clip to identify them as having a tag. When fish are recovered from fisheries and assessment activities, they are scanned with a metal detector to locate the tag. The tag is then removed and read. When many recovered tags are analyzed over time, biologists can determine relative survival, movement, growth rates and age of the fish. To download the implementation plan for the Great Lakes mass marking program, visit http://www.glfc.org/ boardcomm/clc/Mass_marking_report_CLC2008.doc For more information on the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, visit http://www.glfc.org/

The Service is leading this program at the request of state and tribal fishery agencies in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York through the Council of Lake Committees of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. The Service's Green Bay National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (NFWCO) will provide overall coordination of Basin-wide tagging and marking for 21 state hatcheries, four Service hatcheries and one tribal hatchery that stock salmon and trout. Green Bay NFWCO will also assist partner agencies with project planning, data collection, statistical analysis and laboratory services to extract and read the coded-wire tags from harvested fish.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov

The estimated cost to implement the mass marking

Ashley Spratt, 612-713-5314

Contacts Charles Bronte, 920-866-1761

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FDA Draft: GM Animals Under the Microscope Source: www.thefishsite.com US - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have released a guidance document which is intended to clarify the FDA's regulatory authority in the field of genetically modified animals, as well as the requirements and recommendations for producers of GE animals. The comment period for the draft guidance, titled "The Regulation of Genetically Engineered Animals Containing Heritable rDNA Constructs," runs for 60 days and closes Nov. 18, 2008. The 25-page document is available online at http://www.fda.gov/cvm/ GEAnimals.htm. "Genetically engineered animals hold great promise for improving human medicine, agriculture, the environment, and the production of new materials, and the FDA has long been involved in their scientific evaluation," said Randall Lutter, Ph.D., deputy commissioner for policy. "Our guidance provides a framework for both GE animals and products made from them to reach the market." Genetic engineering generally refers to the use of recombinant DNA (rDNA) techniques to introduce new characteristics or traits into an organism. When scientists splice together pieces of DNA and introduce a spliced DNA segment into an organism to give the organism new properties, it's called rDNA technology. The spliced piece of DNA is called the rDNA construct. A GE animal is one that contains an rDNA construct intended to give the animal new characteristics or traits. GE animals can be divided into several classes, based on their intended use. They include animals that produce human or animal pharmaceuticals (biopharm animals); animals that serve as models for human diseases; animals that produce high-value industrial or consumer products, such as fibers; and food-use animals with new traits such as improved nutrition, faster growth or lower emission levels of environmentally harmful substances (such as phosphate in their manure). Genetic engineering already is widely used in agriculture to make crops resistant to pests or herbicides. In medicine, genetic engineering is used to develop microbes that produce drugs and other therapeutic

September 19, 2008 products for use in humans. In food, genetic engineering is used to produce microorganisms that aid in baking, brewing, and cheese-making. Using the animal drug provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has been working with developers of GE animals to make them aware of their responsibilities to ensure that food from these animals does not enter the U.S. food supply unless the FDA has authorized such use. The FD&C Act classifies "articles (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals" as drugs. An rDNA construct that is in a GE animal and intended to affect the animal's structure or function meets the definition of a new animal drug, whether the animal is intended for food, or used to produce another substance. Developers of these animals must demonstrate that the construct and/or any new products expressed from the inserted construct are safe for the health of the GE animal. Under the draft guidance, in those cases in which the GE animal is intended for food use, producers will have to demonstrate that food from the GE animal is safe "This is a cuttingto eat. The FDA will review this edge technology that has information as part of its food significant safety assessment, consistent with implications, that recommended in the recently including real adopted Codex Alimentarius benefits, not just Guideline for the Conduct of Food for human Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Recombinant-DNA Animals. health, but also for animal Codex is a worldwide food safety health" organization sponsored by the United Nations. —CVM Director Bernadette The draft guidance also describes a Dunham, D.V.M., sponsor's responsibility in meeting Ph.D. the requirements for environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act. (Continued on page 21)

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Depending on the species of animal and its intended use, the FDA will coordinate with agencies in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and with other federal departments and agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, in regulating GE animals. The draft guidance indicates the areas in which the FDA will be working with those agencies to develop a coherent policy under the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology. USDA has published in the same issue of the Federal Register a "Request for Information" that seeks input on what types of actions and approaches it should consider under the Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA) that would complement FDA's guidance. The AHPA gives the Secretary of Agriculture authority to take specific actions to prevent the spread of diseases and pests of livestock. "This is a cutting-edge technology that has significant implications, including real benefits, not just for human

health, but also for animal health, such as developing disease-resistant animals," said CVM Director Bernadette Dunham, D.V.M., Ph.D. "We look forward to the public comments to help refine our thinking and approach." The draft guidance describes how the FDA may exercise enforcement discretion, that is, not require premarket approval, for some GE animals depending on potential risk, as we did after reviewing information about Zebra danio, aquarium fish genetically engineered to glow in the dark. For example, the draft guidance states the FDA's intent to exercise enforcement discretion for laboratory animals used for research and kept in confined conditions. The agency does not expect to exercise enforcement discretion for animal species traditionally consumed as food and expects to require approval of all GE animals intended to go into the human food supply.

This 25-page document is available online at http://www.fda.gov/cvm/GEAnimals.htm The comment period closes November 18, 2008

Global Aquaculture at a Crossroad Source: www.thefishsite.com US - The aquaculture industry has reached an important crossroads, with new challenges emerging regarding the sector’s ability to meet future world demand for fish. Smallscale farmers in developing countries are facing difficulties in exporting their produce, and need help to become competitive and access global markets, according to Food and Agriculture Organisation. Some of the recent decline reflects the larger supplies revealed in the USDA’s September Grain Stocks report. That report revealed September 1, 2008 inventories of soybeans of 205 million bushels. That is about 55 million more than expected after the release of the Census Bureau estimate showing August 2008 crush about 15 million bushels lower than expected. The large year ending inventory resulted in a 91 million bushel increase in the estimated size of the 2007 crop. The increase reflected more acres and higher yields than earlier estimated. It has been clear since January 2008 that the size of the crop had been underestimated as “residual” use of soybeans revealed in the quarterly stocks estimate has been extremely small. It was generally believed that the crop estimate would be increased enough to bring residual use up to a normal level. The

October 7, 2008

large year ending stocks were a definite surprise. September 1 inventories of corn were estimated at 1.624 billion bushels, 48 million bushels larger than projected in USDA’s September supply and demand report. Summer corn feeding may have been less than expected due to feeding of low-priced wheat. In addition to larger year-ending stocks, larger corn and soybean production estimates by some private forecasters and an accelerating pace of harvest have added supply-side pressure to prices. The USDA will release new production forecasts on October 10. While supply issues are at play, much of the recent decline in prices reflects concerns about the current and future demand for corn and soybeans. The current pace of exports and export sales of corn, for example, is especially slow. The USDA projects a 17.5 percent year-over-year decline in exports, but current export commitments are 37 percent less than those of a year ago. The pace of soybean export commitments exceeds that of a year ago by 4 percent, even though USDA projects a 13.4 percent decline for the year. The pace of new sales, however, has declined relative to that of a year ago every week since the middle of August. The smaller than expected domestic soybean (Continued on page 22)

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crush in August also suggests that demand for soybean meal is softening. In the longer term, there is substantial concern about the implications of the current meltdown in U.S. credit markets on the potential for economic growth in the U.S. and the rest of the world. That concern is reinforced by the sharp decline in stock prices and underlying economic indicators such as unemployment rates and housing starts. Prospects of an economic slow down threatens the robust domestic and export demand for U.S. agricultural commodities enjoyed over the past two years. A widespread economic slow down could result in weaker demand for meat and for livestock feed. In addition, an economic slow down might contribute to a weaker demand for crude oil and further declines in prices of unleaded gasoline. Lower gasoline prices imply lower ethanol prices which imply lower breakeven corn prices for ethanol producers. Even with the legitimate concerns about demand, prices may well get over done on the low side as traders adjust to the new developments. Just as prices went to a level that could not be

sustained with fears of crop loss this spring and summer, prices may now go too low. The problem, of course, is that the extent and magnitude of any economic slow down and demand weakness for agricultural commodities is not known. The over reaction of prices to the high side this spring was confirmed when weather patterns changed and the extent of crop losses became clearer. That happened in a relatively short period of time. The U.S. and world economic situation may take much longer to sort out. Current corn and soybean prices project to very tight margins for producers for the 2009 crop, particularly for those with high land costs. Prices are not likely high enough to generate any increase in acreage in 2009, but if demand weakens sufficiently, an increase may not be needed. For the 2008 crop, the lower prices now being experienced may be partially offset by insurance payments, particularly for soybeans, for those who have revenue insurance products. For those who decide to hold inventory in anticipation of an eventual price recovery, the Commodity Credit Corporation loan program can be a source of some cash flow.

AFBF Provides COOL Compliance Guideline Source: www.thefishsite.com US - Livestock producers must provide definitive origin information to slaughter facilities under the new country-oforigin-labeling (COOL) rule that went into effect this month. To help producers comply, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has prepared guidelines for providing necessary COOL documentation to buyers. Livestock producers may use one of the following methods to comply with COOL and provide the required information to buyers: • Affidavits – Packers may rely on producer affidavits to initiate claims. Affidavits must be made by someone having first-hand knowledge and the affidavit must identify animals unique to the transaction. Producer and packer affidavits are available on the AFBF Voice of Agriculture Web site and may be used to comply with COOL. • National Animal Identification System (NAIS): Animals that are part of a NAIS-compliant system may rely on the presence of an official ear tag and/or the presence of any accompanying animal markings, as applicable, to base origin claims. •

USDA-Approved Age Verification Programs: Participation

October 8, 2008 in USDA Quality System Verification Programs (QSVP), such as the USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) and the Quality Systems Assessment (QSA) Program, which contain a source verification component, is also considered acceptable evidence to substantiate COOL claims.

COOL is a USDA marketing program mandated in the 2008 farm bill that requires retailers to notify their customers of the country of origin of beef (including veal), goat meat, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, pecans, peanuts, macadamia nuts and other perishable agricultural commodities. Retailers, packers and their suppliers are mutually responsible for contributing the information necessary to meet the requirements of this new law. “Livestock producers are not directly regulated by the COOL law because livestock are not considered covered commodities. However, only producers have first-hand knowledge concerning the origin of their animals,” explained Caroline Rydell, director of congressional relations for AFBF. “Definitive origin information must be provided to slaughter facilities so that meat products, as covered commodities, can be accurately labeled at retail. Livestock producers should be prepared to provide necessary country-of-origin documentation to their buyers.”

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Scientists Harvest Blue Crabs in Freshwater Ponds SOURCE: www.thefishsite.com US - Work by researchers at North Carolina State University is leading to a new kind of crab harvest – blue crabs grown and harvested from freshwater ponds, instead of from the sea. Scientists Harvest Blue Crabs in Freshwater Ponds US - Work by researchers at North Carolina State University is leading to a new kind of crab harvest – blue crabs grown and harvested from freshwater ponds, instead of from the sea. Crab lovers shouldn't worry, researchers say, because the pond-raised crabs look and taste just like their ocean-raised brethren. North Carolina's native blue crab population has been at historic lows since 2000. Dr. Dave Eggleston, director of NC State's Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) and professor of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences, looked at various methods for helping the population recover. He hit upon a solution which not only reduces pressure on existing crab populations, but also benefits farmers looking to diversify their crops: using irrigation ponds on farms to grow blue crabs. "We started out by catching small crabs in the wild and stocking them into farm ponds loaded with bass and bluegill predators, and were still able to get 12 percent survival," Eggleston says. "So we teamed with the University of Maryland's Center of Marine Biotechnology who had the expertise to growth hatchery-reared blue crabs, and stocked these blue crabs in freshwater experimental aquaculture ponds at NC State's Vernon James Research and Extension Center in Plymouth, N.C., where the crabs exhibited some of the highest growth rates on record."

October 1, 2008

Eggleston then noticed that a lot of farmers in Eastern N.C. were trying to Photo: NCSU diversify their crop offerings in response to the decline in tobacco demand. "A lot of these farms have irrigation ponds, and we thought if crabs can live in fresh water, this would take some pressure off the coastal crab population and give farmers another crop, by letting their ponds work for them," he says. Eggleston and his fellow researchers discovered that crabs can tolerate a salinity level of only .3 parts per thousand, which is about the same level found in coastal tap water. They did further work to determine the best set of circumstances for raising crab: population density, food rations, and habitat structure in ponds. This past July, Eggleston and Ray Harris, NC State director of cooperative extension for Carteret County, had the opportunity for a large-scale test when they stocked a 10-acre lake with 40,000 hatchery-raised crabs, and a smaller pond with 4,000 crabs. The crabs will take approximately 105 days to reach maturity, and so far the endeavor looks successful. With the rapid rate of growth for pond-raised crabs, Eggleston expects that in a given year, a farm could produce two to three harvests, as crabs don't do well in freshwater during the winter months. "If you look at a 2 1/2 -acre pond, you could stock it with 50,000 hatchery-raised crabs and expect to harvest around 20 percent, or 10,000 fully grown crabs. At $3 per crab, that's $30,000 – and multiply that times three. It definitely adds up."

Catfish, Delacata? New Name, Same Old Problem SOURCE: www.thefishsite.com US - Roger Barlow, the president of the Catfish Institute in Mississippi has said that soon U.S. farm-raised catfish, will not be called catfish. According to a report by Guido Mocafico for The New York Times, Mr Barlow said that the new name that has been chosen, and market-tested is Delacata. Delacata, he told The New York Times, was going to be a specially filleted Grade-A piece of the best of the farmed North American channel catfish. It was being tested at high-

October 14, 2008

end bistros in California, and the “Iron Chef America” judge Cat Cora had signed on to endorse it. The rollout of Delacata should have been the 40-year-old catfish industry’s transcendental moment, marking catfish’s transformation from a poor subsistence food to America’s most commercially successful farmed fish, reports the news agency. About a third of the region’s growers have quit, and those remaining increasingly see

their ponds as liabilities. If attrition continues apace, very little catfish will be farmed in the United States before long. "The ostensible reason for the industry’s collapse is last year’s doubling of feed and fuel prices. But as one farmer put it, the cost increases are just the “knockout punch.” Why North American catfish hit the ropes in the first place and why some catfish might not be called catfish anymore cut to the heart of the American food system’s viability", wrote Guido Mocafico. For Delacata is not just about getting a higher price to compensate for higher costs; it is about America’s ability to protect its food production and regulation from an emergent Asia."

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Self-Propelled Cage for Fish Farming Tested source: www.thefishsite.com September 14, 2008 US - A self-propelling underwater cage developed and recently tested by an Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher could not only cut costs for offshore ocean-based fish farms but also aid the movement of such operations into the high seas, avoiding the user conflicts and compromised water quality of coastal zones. Fish farms account for more than half of the seafood produced globally; 40 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States is farmed in other countries and imported. However, very little of that comes from ocean-based farms. In conventional offshore fish farming, cages are routinely repositioned to control disease. Stout towboats haul the enormous cages to another site, and both the cage size and typical propulsive inefficiency of boats make such movements very energy-intensive events. Cliff Goudey, director of MIT Sea Grant's Offshore Aquaculture Engineering Center, is exploring a different approach to moving the cages. By placing large, slow-turning propellers directly on a cage, Goudey frees it from the normal constraints of a boat. His system uses a pair of eight-foot diameter, electrically powered propellers, with 6.2horsepower underwater motors. The motors are powered through tethers to the surface attached to a diesel generator and a pair of motor controllers mounted on a small boat. Recently he tested the approach at Snapperfarm Inc., an offshore fish farm in Culebra, Puerto Rico, that grows cobia in submerged cages. By fixing a pair of the propellers to the middepth of a 62-foot diameter Aquapod® fish cage in a horizontal line 9 feet apart, Goudey maneuvered the cage as well as any boat-based system. "These tests demonstrate that the concept of mobile cage operations is technically feasible," Goudey says. The project is funded by NOAA's Marine Aquaculture Program, aimed at demonstrating the technology needed to

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raise fish in the vast portions of the oceans that are too deep for conventional anchored fish cages. By operating while submerged and in predictable ocean currents, mobile fish farms need only a modest means of positioning to stay within planned trajectories. Although the recent tests are promising, Goudey notes that "the economic feasibility [of offshore mobile fish farming] remains an open question, as only a very large-scale operation" could be viable. However, "the utility of cage self-propulsion extends well beyond the futuristic application of ocean-going aquaculture," he continues. For example, besides the use of self-propulsion for routine cage movements, the propellers have additional utility. Often, the limiting factor in cage stocking density is dissolved oxygen levels due to fish metabolism during slack water. The propellers provide a ready opportunity to supplement water flow through the cage during those brief events, thereby allowing larger crops of fish. All involved in the testing were impressed with the performance of the propellers. Steve Page, CEO of Ocean Farm Technologies, developer of the Aquapod, says, "My opinion of the [propellers] is very high. I want to consider using them to help with future installations. There is also a growing demand for self-propelled harvest pens that may be a great market for this technology." Brian O'Hanlon, founder of Snapperfarm, says, "I was incredibly impressed with the power and efficiency of the [propellers] and Cliff's ability to steer the cage. I see this technology having a broad range of applications in mariculture and other marine industries. This futuristic concept of farming the high seas just came one step closer to reality." With the technical feasibility proven, Goudey is turning his attention to assessing the system's economic viability, both as a tool for routine cage movements in offshore fish farming and in a business strategy involving mobile cages associated with specific routes in concert with predictable ocean currents or tidal gyres. This future work will involve the collaboration of ocean modelers and aquaculture business people.

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Oceanasphere™ Fish Farm: A Design for the Future Source: www.thefishsite.com Self-sustaining and untethered to the ocean floor, the Oceansphere™ is designed to produce large harvests in a very small footprint. For example, twelve Oceanspheres in less than half of a square mile can yield as much as 24,000 tons of seafood. The Oceansphere™ is powered by a patent pending hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion system that does not depend on fossil fuels, so the entire system operates with minimal environmental impact.

October 24, 2008

According to Hawaii Oceanic Technology, even in a modern age awash in technology and precision control, the world’s seafood harvesters continue to operate as hunter-gatherers on a mass scale. They say: "This alarming reality has created a serious near-term threat to the survival of the ocean ecosystem. Wild fisheries are being depleted at a devastating rate fish are caught well before they can mature and reproduce, subsequently, population numbers are in rapid decline, and soon, demand will far exceed this primitive system’s capacity to sustainably provide seafood.

Designed to operate offshore in deep water, Hawaii Oceanic Technology says that this next-generation architecture exploits the expansive dimension the ocean affords and in doing so, stands to provide quality seafood in quantities that dwarf existing "The solution to this impending global alternatives. crisis lies in the domesticated The large size of the Oceansphere production of seafood in an offers lower stocking densities so fish can grow in a more healthy environmentally appropriate and environment. Additionally, a economically feasible manner." carefully controlled food supply av o ids t he co nt a m inant Hawaii Oceanic Technology, Inc. absorption found in wild fish and statement. ensures a safer end product.

"The solution to this impending global crisis lies in the domesticated production of seafood in an environmentally appropriate and economically feasible manner. To that end, Hawaii Oceanic Technology, Inc. has created the Oceansphere™. A revolution in open ocean aquaculture technology, the Oceansphere™ makes farming fish in the open ocean a practical reality."

WANTED: QUESTIONS FOR THE AQUACULTURE STUDENT QUIZ BOWL AT AQUACULTURE AMERICA 2009 The success of last year’s quiz bowl is due in large part to the excellent questions submitted by Fish Culture Section and USAS members. In order for this year’s quiz bowl to be as great as the previous two, we need more questions. Please send short questions with 1-5 word answers on any aquaculturerelated topic to Heidi Lewis ([email protected]) by December 15th.

Thanks!

Newsletter of the Fish Culture Section of the American Fisheries Society October 2008 President............................................Curry Woods ............ Immediate PastBarnes Past-President.................Mike President................. PresidentTrushenski President-Elect...................................Jesse Elect................................... SecretaryKittel Secretary-Treasurer...........................Carl Treasurer........................... Committee Chairpersons (Standing): Auditing................................................................................. Chris Green Hall of Fame.......................................................................... Mike Barnes Membership...........................................................................Curry Woods Newsletter..............................................................................Heidi Lewis Nominating.............................................................,..............Mike Barnes Program................................................................................. Jesse Trushenski Committee Chairpersons (Ad Hoc): Continuing Education...........................................................Mike Frinsko Student Awards.....................................................................Steve Lochmann Student...................................................................................Heidi Lewis President’s Appointees: FCS Representative to PFIRM..............................................Vince Mudrak FCS Representative to Triennial Program Committee........Mike Frinsko FCS Representative to Triennial Steering Committee.........John Nickum FCS Liaison to USAS..............................................................Max Mayeaux FCS Webmaster......................................................................Cortney Ohs Contact Information: Curry Woods............................................................curry@umd.edu Mike Barnes..............................................................Mike.Barnes@state.sd.us Jesse Trushenski.......................................................saluski@siu.edu Carl Kittel.................................................................Carl.Kittel@tpwd.state.tx.us Chris Green..............................................................ccgree@gmail.com Heidi Lewis...............................................................hal7e7@siu.edu Mike Frinsko............................................................Mike_Frinsko@ncsu.edu Steve Lochmann.......................................................slochmann@uaex.edu Vince Mudrak..........................................................Vincent.Mudrak@fws.gov John Nickum............................................................jgnickum@hotmail.com Max Mayeaux...........................................................mmayeaux@csrees.usda.gov Cortney Ohs.............................................................cohs@ufl.edu