January 2008

AFS Fish Culture Section

Fish Culture Section of the American Fisheries Society PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Inside this issue: •

FCS Mid-Year Meeting Announcement...2

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USAS/AFS Joint Symposium Call for Papers.........3-4

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In Memoriam, Dr. Howard Clemens .............5

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Aquaflor® Drug Approval.............6

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Aquaculture News.............7-20

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Hall of Fame Ceremony....21-22

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Midwest F&W Conference...23-24

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FCS Committee Information.......26

BY

CURRY WOODS

Holiday Greetings to my fellow fish culturists! I’ve made a New Year’s resolution to try and be brief, but those who know me say it “ain’t gonna happen!” I would like to use this edition of the Newsletter to underscore our cooperative activities with the U.S. Aquaculture Society. Many of you are also USAS members and for those who aren’t; I encourage you to consider the merits of belonging to the USAS (more on that in a future Newsletter). I want to bring to your attention two significant activities that we have ‘partnered’ with our sister culture society in the New Year.

Liaison to the USAS. He is also one of the co-organizers of the Special Session and has provided a link to the program of Aquaculture America 2008: https://www.was.org/ m e e t i n g s / p d f / A A2008Conf erencePro gram .pd f. Please make plans to attend this special culture conference and the Special Session we have helped put The Fish Culture Section’s Midyear together. For those who will be able to Meeting will be held at Disneyworld make it to Orlando, don’t forget to set in Orlando, Florida February 9-12, aside time to attend our Fish Culture 2008. I hope to see all of you at Section Business Meeting (details of Aquaculture America ’08! The first time and place can be found in this activity will take place at this venue. Newsletter). Your presence, your The USAS and the FCS have coparticipation, your ideas are important! organized an outstanding Special {Note: For those who will not be able Session entitled: “The Role of to travel to Orlando but will be able to Hatcheries in Stock Enhancement”. make it to the AFS Annual Meeting, There has been such a tremendous August 17-21, 2008 in Ottawa, response to the call for papers that it Ontario- here’s a little secret: Jesse will run each day of the meeting. Max Trushenski, you know, our PresidentMayeaux is the Fish Culture Section’s Elect and Program Committee Chair; she is working quietly Aquaculture America 2008 Program Link: behind the scenes with https://www.was.org/meetings/pdf/ Max and others to AA2008ConferenceProgram.pdf develop a similar (Continued on page 2)

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President’s Message (continued) Participate in a “National Assessment of Aquaculture Trends at PostSecondary Institutions in the United States”

session for the AFS Annual Meeting with the help of the organizers and presenters for the Orlando session!} The second activity involves a major initiative by the USAS and Fish Culture Section to perform a “National Assessment of Aquaculture Trends at Post-Secondary Institutions in the United States”. Representatives from 25 universities, colleges, and resource agencies have signed on to provide guidance with this timely effort. The goal of the project is to create baseline information and data on the national trends over the past 10 years and assess

the future outlook over the next 5 years on academic and training programs, student enrollment, faculty positions, and other capacity building issues in the field or discipline of aquaculture. Gary Jensen of USDA and Co-Chair of the project will provide a presentation to update folks on the progress of this activity at the Aquaculture America ’08 meeting. Even if you won’t be able to attend to conference you may know of others who may be able to contribute information. Please encourage them to forward the information on aquaculture in academia to me at [email protected] .

MID-YEAR AFS FISH CULTURE SECTION BUSINESS MEETING I would like to invite you all to join me at our MidYear AFS Fish Culture Section Business Meeting. Our meeting will be held in conjunction with the Aquaculture America ’08 Meeting in Orlando, Florida this February. I have reserved the Coronado A&B Rooms on Sunday, February 10th from 5:00-6:00 PM. —Curry Woods, President AFS Fish Culture Section

October 2007 Newsletter Correction: “FCS Program Development—We need your help!” (page 18) listed the Paddlefish Culture Symposia to be held at the 2008 Annual AFS Meeting. This symposia will be a Paddlefish/Sturgeon Session held during Aquaculture America 2009. We apologize for this error and will provide more details concerning this session when they become available.

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Call for Papers Joint Symposium Cultured Aquatic Animals: Use and Implications for Stock Enhancement, Fisheries Management, and Species Diversity

138th meeting of the American Fisheries Society Ottawa, Canada August 17-21, 2008 On behalf of the American Fisheries Society Fish Culture and Genetics Sections and the United States Aquaculture Society, we would like to invite you to present in a joint symposium entitled: "Cultured Aquatic Animals: Use and Implications for Stock Enhancement, Fisheries Management, and Species Diversity", to be held at the 138th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society in Ottawa, Canada, August 17-21, 2008. The theme of the 2008 AFS meeting: Fisheries in Flux: How Do We Ensure Our Sustainable Future reflects the dynamic nature of fisheries and that we, as fisheries professionals and stewards of aquatic resources, must be equally adaptive in our approaches to managing fisheries. As management strategies are evolving, the goals of fisheries enhancement are changing and culture methods are responding accordingly. Rather than focusing on quantity, culturists are now aiming for quality in terms of genetic diversity, local adaptations, and contributions to wild populations for the sustainable management of our fisheries resources. In organizing this symposium, the AFS Fish Culture and Genetics Sections and the U.S. Aquaculture Society wish to highlight the changing goals for hatcheries and stocking programs as well as innovative methods to achieve these goals.

cultured aquatic animals, to encourage critical thinking and interdisciplinary solutions to real or perceived issues associated with hatcheries, and to facilitate dissemination of information about the use of cultured aquatic animals among fisheries professionals.

Specifically, this symposium will address: 1) Hatchery reform; what it is and how it is working; 2) Culture methods to improve rearing success and integration into the wild; 3) Genetic assessment tools and breeding strategies to maximize beneficial contributions to wild populations and minimize risks associated with the use of cultured aquatic animals; 4) The changing regulatory landscape which directs the implementation of the above in reforming fisheries enhancement and management programs.

Our objectives in organizing this symposium are to foster communication between the various stakeholders involved in the propagation and use of

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Symposium participants and o th er s in attendance will benefit from information that c a n b e immediately utilized by those engaged in fish culture and/or stocking and FWS Employees spawn threatened e n h a n c e m e n t Lahontan cutthroat trout (Washington programs. The DC Library). symposium will also continue to foster science-based discussion regarding the use of cultured aquatic animals to achieve management objectives, means to assess and minimize risks associated with cultured aquatic animals, and the importance and relevance of hatcheries in managing our fisheries into the future. Additionally, the proposed symposium represents an ongoing effort on the part of the AFS Fish Culture and Genetics Sections and the U.S. Aquaculture Society to strengthen connections between these organizations due to the many complex issues involved and our areas of mutual interest. We are currently soliciting speakers for the development of a tentative agenda for the submission of a symposium proposal as required conference

organizers. The deadline for the submission of this proposal is January 11, 2008 so time is of the essence. Presenters’ abstracts will be due by February 29, 2008. If you are planning to make a presentation, a prompt response is absolutely necessary and vital to whether the proposed symposium is accepted by the conference organizers. Please provide your name, affiliation, and a tentative Title for your presentation. We must reiterate and strongly emphasize the importance of having a prompt response in order for the symposium organizers to develop a preliminary schedule of speakers for the symposium to be accepted by the conference organizers. The agenda and titles submitted will be preliminary so changes can be made at a later date. If you are interested in joining us in Ottawa or have additional questions about the proposed symposium or the AFS conference, please contact Jesse Trushenski at your earliest convenience via her contact information provided below. Additionally, if you have colleagues who may be interested in presenting, please forward this invitation to them. Thank you for your consideration and we hope you will join us in Ottawa. Curry Woods, President, AFS Fish Culture Section Jimmy Avery, President, United States Aquaculture Society Ed Heist, President, AFS Genetics Section

Contact information: Jesse Trushenski President-Elect, AFS Fish Culture Section Southern Illinois University Fisheries and Illinois Aquaculture Center Life Science II, Room 173 Carbondale, IL 62901-6511 Voice: 618/536-7761 Fax: 618/453-6095 [email protected]

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In Memoriam...Dr. Howard Paul Clemens Dr. Howard Paul Clemens died on 20 November 2007 at the age of 84 in his home in Norman. He was born on 31 May 1923 in Arthur, Ontario, Canada. He earned a B.S. and M.S from the University of Western Ontario and received his Ph.D. from Ohio State University. In 1949, he joined the Zoology Department of the University of Oklahoma where he had a long and distinguished career as a researcher and teacher. His research centered on reproductive physiology in fishes, specifically the characterization of the role of the pituitary gland in spawning. He applied this basic knowledge to management and artificial propagation of commercially important fishes, such as the channel catfish. Testing these practical methods, he collaborated with Federal biologists at the National Fish Hatchery, Tishomingo, OK. Howard Clemens was one of the first researchers to investigate steroid-induced sex reversal in tilapia, which has developed into an important requisite for commercial global tilapia production. Howard (Howie to his friends) will also be remembered, appreciated and widely identified for his role as a dedicated mentor for many Peace Corps volunteers in Fish Culture. His unique tutorial training modality applied to this program, directly influenced many developing fish culturists, and subsequently a multitude of fish farmers in developing countries around the world. His first Peace Corps group in 1966 included 12 trainees who subsequently went to Togo, West Africa. He continued to mentor increasing numbers of volunteers through 1982 when the ‘Fish Doc’ retired from the University, but not from other passions such as begonia and chrysanthemum horticulture and antique clock collection and repair. The Peace Corps Training Program which he initiated at OU continued for several more years, essentially maintaining the Socratic model that he developed; the last trainee leaving Norman in 1986. Over the period from 1966 through 1987, a total of nearly 900 volunteers trained in Oklahoma and served in 29 different countries. Howard was not one to suffer idle time – during the 60’s he developed a catfish farm and operated this in his ‘spare time’ for several years. He was the 2nd President of Catfish Farmers of America. When the work load of the Peace Corps training increased in the late 60’s, he set the farm aside to devote his attention to the training program. For many years, he was active as a leader in the Boy Scouts where he developed some of his ideas on experiential learning. Howard was a truly unique individual; his drive and dedication to excel in whatever engaged his evolving interests was inspiring. He will be missed by his colleagues and friends. —Charles C. Carpenter and William L. Shelton

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NEWS RELEASE: MAJOR AQUACULTURE DRUG APPROVAL FOR AQUAFLOR® (http://www.fda.gov/cvm/CVM_Updates/AquaflorUpdate.htm)

GREAT NEWS!!! FLORFENICOL (AQUAFLOR®) WAS APPROVED IN THE UNITED STATES FOR CONTROL OF MORTALITY IN FRESHWATER-REARED SALMONIDS DUE TO FURUNCULOSIS ASSOCIATED WITH AEROMONAS SALMONICIDA (OCTOBER 26, 2007) The sponsor, Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation (SPAH, Union, New Jersey; www.schering-plough.com), is to be again congratulated for this success and for investing in this approval. This is a very important approval because it is:

· · · ·

The first antimicrobial approved for controlling mortality due to furunculosis outbreaks in 20 years The third label claim approved for Aquaflor®, the first new antimicrobial approved for aquatic species in more than two decades The third label claim for Aquaflor® to gain designation under the Minor Use and Minor Species Animal Health Act which entitles SPAH to seven years of exclusivity for marketing rights The third label claim approval for Aquaflor®, a drug that is classified as a Veterinary Feed Directive drug

This approval will greatly benefit the commercial salmonid industry and public production of any salmonid reared in fresh water. Furunculosis is a serious pathogen that causes significant losses of hatchery-reared salmonids, including losses at state and federal hatcheries producing fish for native salmonid restoration programs. The approval of Aquaflor® for controlling mortality due to furunculosis in freshwater-reared salmonids is the result of a cooperative effort among the sponsor, Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation (=SPAH, Summit, New Jersey), federal researchers, and the National Coordinator for Aquaculture New Animal Drug Applications. Aquatic Animal Drug Approval Partnership Program (=AADAP, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bozeman, Montana) conducted and coordinated the pivotal and supportive efficacy studies. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Makah National Fish Hatchery aided AADAP in conducting the effectiveness studies. The Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (=UMESC, U.S. Geological Survey, La Crosse, Wisconsin) supported the effectiveness studies by providing feed analyses. SPAH used the UMESC effluent survey to support the environmental assessment for continuous-flow systems. AADAP and UMESC developed the data with financial support through base funds and the Federal-State Aquaculture Drug Approval Partnership Project that was under the auspices of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The National Coordinator for Aquaculture New Animal Drug Applications provided coordination of the research efforts with all involved partners including the Center for Veterinary Medicine. SPAH previously recognized AADAP, UMESC, and the National Coordinator for Aquaculture New Animal Drug Applications for their contributions to the approval of Aquaflor® for the control of mortality due to enteric septicemia in catfish at Aquaculture America 2006.

News Release prepared December 13, 2007 by Rosalie (Roz) Schnick National Coordinator for Aquaculture New Animal Drug Applications Michigan State University, 3039 Edgewater Lane La Crosse, Wisconsin 54603-1088 Phone: (608)781-2205; Fax: (608)783-3507 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/jsa/aquadrugs/index.htm

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North Carolina Freshwater Prawn Industry Continues to Expand Matt Parker While the culture of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) has been around for many years, it is the “new kid on the block” in NC. Five years ago, the industry got started with DJ & W King Prawn Farm. Now with six acres, they are the largest freshwater prawn farm in NC. Over the years, more farms have entered the market. Currently there are about 8 farms and about 20 acres in production in NC. This summer brought increased interest spurred on by several workshops organized by Mike Frinsko, NC Cooperative Extension Aquaculture Specialist. Due to these meetings and the positive experiences by our current farmers, there could be 2-3 more farms started over the next year. NC farms have been receiving a premium price for their prawns and have banded together to form a marketing and purchasing cooperative to ensure

continued premium pricing and to get group discounts on supplies. For more information on the potential for freshwater prawn farming on your farm, contact Mike Frinsko ([email protected]) or Steve Gabel ([email protected]) with the NC Cooperative Extension Service or Matt Parker (matthew. [email protected]) with the NC Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

http://microvet.arizona.edu/research/aquapath/2008%20APL%20Shortcourse%20brochure.pdf

October 12-14, 2008 http://www.ista8-egypt.com/

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ISU Awarded Grant to Develop In-Feed Vaccine SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM OCTOBER 31, 2007

US - Researchers at Idaho State University (ISU) have received a $550,000 grant to develop a food pellet vaccine for hatchery rainbow trout. If successful, the breakthrough could lead to new ways to treat and protect livestock and human health.

disease.

"There is no real effective oral delivery system for any vaccine. But if we can get this to work in trout, the real potential is not only for trout and this disease. We could apply this to other species and other diseases," ," said Wendy Sealey, a University of Idaho professor at the Aquaculture Research Institute in Hagerman.

"Fish have two stomachs. When you feed something to the fish, their gut breaks it down so the delivery system must protect (the vaccine) so it can be taken up in the lower gut where nutrients are absorbed," she explained.

The state Board of Education awarded the grant covering a two-year period - for research into the treatment and prevention of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus in farm-raised trout. The disease causes slime to accumulate near a fish's gills and eventual death by suffocation. About 30 percent of farm-raised trout — an industry that generates $40 million to $50 million annually in Idaho — contract the

Sophie St. Hilaire, an ISU biology professor and the project's lead researcher, says that getting the vaccine from the pellet into the trout's bloodstream is difficult.

This is achieved by delaying when the pellet is broken down. The vaccine needs to be protected from degradation in the first stomach so it can move into the second, where it will be broken down and then absorbed. ISU pharmaceutics professor John Eley is developing the method. He said that alsothough fish farming is the initial focus for this work, the outcomes could eventually benefit livestock, samll animal medicine . human treatment options.

NOAA Fisheries Service Outlines Top Research Priorities SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM, OCTOBER 30, 2007

US - The federal ocean fish managers of NOAA's Fisheries Service have outlined the top science and research priorities that its scientists will follow for the next three years. Published in the latest Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research the agency places an increased emphasis on managing fish stocks not as isolated populations, but rather linked together and influenced by the marine ecosystems that they inhabit. "This strategic vision reaffirms NOAA's commitment to advancing credible, peer-reviewed knowledge about the ocean," said Dr. Steve Murawski, chief scientist and director of science programs at NOAA's Fisheries Service. "As a world leader in fisheries research, NOAA has elevated the profile of marine ecosystems science to support holistic approaches to ocean

management." Other priorities include continuing the work to produce the next generation of fishery stock assessments. This will be more sophisticated and accurate and have the ability to reduce uncertainty and incorporate ecosystem considerations. The plan also stresses a need for continued development of advanced technologies such as acoustic techniques, remotely operated vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, and submersible research to directly evaluate deep water fisheries and their habitat. And, aquaculture is also key priority. The agency will evaluate new candidate species for commercial production and is calling for more studies on the environmental, ecological, social, and economic impacts of fish farming and stock enhancement activities. It believes that science-based strategies and guidelines that avoid and minimise and the negative impacts of aquaculture activities is vital for success of this sector. This will be the focus of the agency's work in this area.

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Rebrand and Management Boost for Natural Additives Specialist SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM OCTOBER 31, 2007

WORLDWIDE F ol l o w i n g K i o t e ch International’s acquisition of Agil at the end of 2006, the company has rebranded to become Kiotechagil. The move reflects the union of expertise in both companies across the three key meat production sectors - poultry, pig and fish. The agricultural expertise of Agil is now working closely with Kiotech’s aquaculture team allowing more funds to be directed into product development and providing a clear rationale for the new Kiotechagil name, says the company. "Our aim is for Kiotechagil to become recognised as the leading player in supplying high performance natural feed additives which enhance health, growth and sustainability in aquaculture and agriculture," said CEO Richard Edwards. "Our drive to build closer ties with leading research organisations should also lead to an enhanced product portfolio."

Team strengthened Kiotechagil has also strengthened its management team by recruiting Ian Cockshott as Technical Sales Manager and David Bullen as Business Development Director. Ian brings nutrition expertise for both pigs and poultry having previously worked for Aviagen and BOCM Pauls. While David has significant international experience, having been the Head of sales and marketing for Novartis in the Benelux. "With our new Kiotechagil brand we now have a clear focus on becoming a leading supplier of natural feed additives to the aquaculture and agriculture industries. The strengthened management team means we can concentrate on developing new products for our customers and opening up new territories in addition to the 50 countries we currently serve," added Richard Edwards.

Paddlefish Plus Points for Environment and Caviar Harvest SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM NOVEMBER 1, 2007 US - Kentucky State University aquaculture researchers have worked out an innovative way to recycle outdated water treatment facilities, help sewer systems clean water better and grow strong young paddlefish ready for largescale fish farming. Dr. Steven Mims successfully raised 40,000 paddlefish in decommissioned wastewater tanks at the Frankfort Sewer Department during the summer. "We used processed water, which has to pass EPA standards. It's near drinking-water quality, not a whole lot different from the Kentucky River water. It's good water," Mims said. Such treatment facilities often develop persistent problems with an overabundance of the zooplankton "daphnia." Too much zooplankton can actually stir up the tanks and prevent solids from filtering out, jeopardizing water quality. Turns out, daphnia is what young paddlefish love. "It's a free food source, plus it's helping the sewer plant," said Dr Mims .

KSU was able to harvest hundreds of pounds of it to feed the paddlefish in their first month. Then they switched to pelleted feed for three months. The combination has proven so successful that the 4-monthold paddlefish he harvested yesterday are larger and healthier than expected, making them more likely to survive when stocked in lakes. The paddlefish will be put into municipal water supply lakes around the state, where they can mature and eventually produce caviar and be harvested for boneless meat. "It's a fledgling industry. We see this as an avenue to continue to market this product," Mims said. As sturgeon caviar from the Caspian Sea has become more scarce, prices for paddlefish caviar have risen from about $25 a pound in the 1980s to an average of about $100 a pound today.

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Buyers and Suppliers to Benefit from FOS Web Service SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSTIE.COM NOVEMBER 7, 2007

WORLDWIDE - The international sustainable seafood certification scheme, Friends of the Sea (FOS), has launched www.friendofthesea.com- the first online market where companies can offer, demand or search for sustainable fish, seafood and feed products The worldwide demand for sustainable seafood is also creating a demand for an official service for business to business contacts. And this new website can provide retailers and buyers with a powerful and reliable platform to find the products they want from certified sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, says FOS. Producers can also use the internet service to promote their sustainable seafood, and more directly to potential customers.

“Products from fisheries which comply with FAO Guidelines and Minimum Requirements can be inputted in the system, even if certified by schemes other than Friend of the Sea.” explains Dr Paolo Bray, director of Friend of the Sea. “Products from over exploited stocks or fisheries whose habitat impact has not been effectively addressed, such as South African hake, New Zealand hoki, Australian mackerel icefish, cannot be included.” Using the new FOS Marketplace is free of charge and its a good means for companies meet new customers and follow up deals. Sustainable fishmeal, fish feed, organic and Friend of the Sea certified aquaculture products are among the various categories which can be browsed or inputted, apart from the more traditional wild-caught certified sustainable seafood.

Certified Farmed Halibut Out on EU and US Shelves SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM NOVEMBER 13, 2007

US - More Friend of the Sea certified farmed products are now out on the UK, EU and US shelves. The scheme has gathered the interest of several main European aquaculture producers.

vessels fishing with bottom trawls. This fishing method has a high impact on seabed and corals and catch many small immature fish thus reducing the reproductive potential of the halibut stocks. Farming halibut therefore takes the pressure off the marine habitat.

In particular, Friend of the Sea has recently confirmed certification of the Framgord salmon and halibut production, in the Shetland Islands.

Friend of the Sea certified also Framgord farmed Organic Salmon, Organic certification UK4. A stringent stocking density of no more than 10kg/m3 is applied and harvesting is Freedom Food approved. Framgord products carry the Friend of the Sea logo on their boxes and are out sold at UK supermarkets, French Système U, Italian Coop Italia and in the USA.

Atlantic halibut was formerly a very important food fish, but its slow rate of population growth means that it is unable to recover quickly from overfishing. The fishery has largely collapsed and now it is endangered throughout its range, according to the IUCN Redlist. "Having retailers source Atlantic halibut only from certified aquaculture production is the only way to save this species from extinction in the wild" affirms Dr Paolo Bray, Director of Friend of the Sea "Consumers do not want to eat wild-caught species threatened of extinction" Most Atlantic Halibut is now taken as by catch by

“We believe Friend of the Sea sustainability same-logo certification of wild-caught as well as farmed products is an important and fair opportunity for aquaculture producers” states Mr Frank Johnson, Director of Framgord Ltd “Friend of the Sea represents a clear, uniform and positive message to consumers, finally placing sustainable aquaculture at the same level of sustainable fisheries in the effort for marine conservation”.

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PWSAC Projects Surplus of $1.5 Million By Brandy Johnson

SOURCE: WWW.THECORDOVATIMES.COM DECEMBER 5, 2007

A bountiful return of hatchery salmon stocks in 2007 proved to be a boon for both the Prince William Sound commercial fishing fleet and the Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corp. In an executive committee meeting held on Monday, Nov. 5, Dave Reggiani, the president of PSWAC, reported that revenue projections for fiscal year 2008 could wind up close to $1.5 million. Reggiani reported that an increase in salmon prices and sales during egg take, coupled with an already budgeted surplus and a decrease in expenses, accounted for the sizeable surplus. Reggiani also stated that PWSAC met its $11 million contingency goal for cash reserves last year.

Committee member Steve Smith inquired about a plan for expending the projected surplus. "That's one of the big things that the finance committee is eager to jump into and talk about," Reggiani said. Regianni stated that one of the ideas presented is to use the surplus to apply toward cost recovery next year. Of the 51,459,927 pink salmon harvested in 2007 in Prince William Sound, the combined regional hatcheries were able to contribute 41,487,681 pinks to the overall catch. The hatcheries were also responsible for producing 2,358,966 of the 2,463,978 chums harvested in 2007. The Gulkana and Main Bay hatcheries contributed 913,255 sockeyes to this year's catch numbers.

Collectively, the hatcheries project came in under budget for expenses.

Forty-five full-time employees, including the six full-time employees in the Cordova office, staff the PWSAC.

Reggiani complimented the visiting regional hatchery managers for "doing a great job out there keeping an eye on the budget."

The goal of the aquaculture corporation, a nonprofit founded in 1974, is to organize five hatcheries to enhance commerce harvest levels and offset Sound fisheries from cyclical weaknesses associated with wild salmon returns.

$371,400 Grant for Catfish Disease Studies SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM NOVEMBER 23, 2007 US - The US Department of Agriculture has awarded more than $371,400 to Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine to study enteric septicemia, or ESC. Researchers believe a modified live vaccine against the disease could dramatically reduce economic losses to catfish farmers.

Project director Attila Karsi, an assistant research professor, said enteric septicemia is a bacterial disease that costs the catfish industry $50 million to $60 million each year. First identified in 1976, the disease has impacted Mississippi’s catfish production every year. The state’s catfish industry was valued at nearly $273 million in 2006.

Attila Karsi, research assistant professor at MSU, and Nagihan Gulsoy, a visiting professor, examine a catfish fingerling with enteric septicemia, a bacterial disease that costs the catfish industry millions of dollars.

“Finding safe and effective vaccines to protect the nation’s most important aquaculture industry is an urgent priority,” Karsi said.

MISSISSIPPI - Mississippi State University researchers are working to develop a new vaccine to protect catfish from a devastating bacterial disease that costs the industry millions of dollars each year. The US Department of Agriculture has awarded more than $371,400 to MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine to study enteric septicemia, or ESC. Researchers believe a modified live vaccine against the disease could dramatically reduce economic losses to catfish farmers.

Dr. Mark Lawrence, associate professor in the CVM’s Department of Basic Sciences, said the goal is to help producers by improving catfish profitability. “We are convinced that development of effective vaccines is the smartest and fastest approach to ease the disease problem in the catfish industry,” Lawrence said. Charlie Hogue, catfish specialist with MSU’s Extension Service, said ESC and columnaris are the most common (Continued on page 12)

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diagnoses made in Mississippi aquaculture laboratories. ESC is present in spring and fall when water temperatures are between 72 and 82 degrees. “Although ESC can be in food-fish production ponds, it mainly impacts fingerling ponds where fish are kept in the largest concentrations. Once the disease is present, it can spread pretty quickly,” Hogue said. Farmers have two options in addition to the existing ESC vaccine. Hogue said they can wait until they see ESC symptoms and provide medicated feeds, or they can stop all feeds when they see symptoms. By withholding feed, the fish are not taking in as much of the bacteria that are present in the water. Karsi said the three-year project will involve functional genomics to determine virulence genes of the bacterial pathogen causing the disease. Researchers will genetically modify the bacteria and assess the modified strains’ vaccine potency. Once the most promising modified live vaccines have been developed, researchers will test for the most effective method.

factors that regulate virulence of the bacteria, and then produce vaccines by stopping the function of those genes,” Karsi said. The project has an additional educational aspect. Researchers will develop a workshop for faculty members and students. “Computational biology students will learn about the use of microarray technology in gene expression analysis and will be given the opportunity to get involved in data mining as their class projects,” Karsi said. The professor said researchers are excited about the benefits of the project. “By revealing bacterial genome secrets, we will be able to understand microbial pathogenesis and then develop modified live vaccines to prevent economic losses to the catfish industry while educating future scientists on cuttingedge research,” Karsi said.

“We want to discover the major genes and their associated

Crawfish Farmers Get Tips for New Season SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM DECEMBER 10, 2007

US - Harvesting is the most expensive part of producing crawfish, so reducing that cost can mean the difference between profit and loss, says Robert Romaire, LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist. Speaking at 2007 Crawfish Farmers Association Expo at Rayne, Romaire said 3/4-inch square-mesh pyramid traps are the most effective and that bait fish work best in colder water — less than 70 degrees. However, manufactured bait was more effective in warmer temperatures and is less expensive. "Traps should be baited with no more than one-third pound of material," he said. The most effective number of traps is 10 to 15 per acre in a low-density pond common to Louisiana, but 18 traps to 22 traps per acre are recommended for high-density ponds. Harvesting every other day also provides larger crawfish, he said. "Fluctuations are common in harvests, Romaire said,

with the catch declining around the time of a full moon, which stimulates the molting phase for crawfish. That’s true of other crustaceans, such as crabs. They won’t feed until their shells harden and flushing a pond sometimes prompts molting” Romaire said. Catches generally decline after a cold front, Romaire said, and improve after rainfall. Romaire said the white spot syndrome virus that struck numerous ponds earlier in 2007 may not be as much of a problem after all. He said research, partially funded by crawfish producers’ self-assessed fees, is being done to learn more about the disease.

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Aquaculture Plan for Gulf of Mexico Needs More Review -- Fishing, Enviro Groups By Debra Kahn SOURCE: WWW.EENEWS.NET DECEMBER 13, 2007 A proposal to open the Gulf of Mexico to offshore aquaculture is drawing heat from environmentalists and commercial fishers who fear concentrated fish farming's environmental and economic effects. The proposal would allow concentrated fish and shellfish farming in open ocean waters 3 to 200 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The plan does not specify which fish species would be included, but mentions cobia, mutton snapper, greater amberjack, red drum and red snapper as likely candidates. Public hearings this week in Texas, Florida and Louisiana drew dozens of detractors and only four supporters, according to attendees. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council proposed an amendment to establish a regional permitting system for aquaculture fishing. The Bush administration has been pushing for legislation to set up a federal regulatory system, but the bills on the matter have not progressed during the past two sessions. Environmental groups claim the fisheries council has been fast-tracked with little public notice and isn't comprehensive enough. Water pollution from concentrated fish-feeding operations, the dangers posed to native fish if cultured fish escape and the disease that could result from highly concentrated fish populations are among the concerns highlighted by opponents to the plan. "We don't know where [the cages] are going to be, what they're going to be growing, what they're going to do about the discharge from these facilities," said Marianne Cufone of Food and Water Watch. "It's a decent draft plan, but for a final plan it's atrocious." The council was planning to finalize it at its last meeting in October, she said, but delayed it to accommodate more public hearings. Tom McIlwain, chairman of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, presided over this week's public meeting in Biloxi, Miss. Prior to the hearing, he said some environmental concerns were overblown. By only allowing indigenous species, threats to local stocks would not be an issue, he claimed.

Neil Sims, president of Kona Blue Water Farms, which operates two underwater cages in state waters off Hawaii, said the United States sorely needs to increase its fishing capacity in order to decrease reliance on exports and meet growing demand. Present global aquaculture production is about 60 million tons per year, 1.3 percent of it from North America. U.S. seafood consumption is about 7 million tons per year, 81 percent of it imported. And the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates a domestic seafood supply gap of 2 million to 4 million tons by 2025. Besides Sims' farm, which has two cages, there are three other aquaculture projects around the country in state waters. "So long as you site the farms properly and manage them properly, there is no detrimental environmental impact," he said. "Monitoring has found no significant environmental impact." Sims, who helped start a trade group earlier this year devoted to passing national aquaculture legislation, said he would still prefer a legislative fix. "I think we need to establish national policies and national regulations, but because there are vast differences in the ecosystems around the nation, there should probably be different regional standards," he said. "And this is what we would hope the federal government does, establish a national policy and framework but then allow the details to be described in the regulations." A bill that would create a permitting system to allow fish cages in the federal Exclusive Economic Zone has been submitted in both houses of Congress at the administration's request for the past two sessions, but the legislation has yet to move. NOAA spokeswoman Monica Allen said she was "optimistic" about the bill's chances. "The gulf council wanted to set up a framework largely parallel to the federal legislation," she said. The council is expected to vote on the amendment next month and submit that decision to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, which has said it supports the council's plan.

TO VIEW THE GULF OF MEXICO FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL’S AQUACULTURE PROPOSAL: http://www.gulfcouncil.org/Beta/GMFMCWeb/Aquaculture/Aqua-amend% 20DPEIS%20120707%20with%20index.pdf

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Aquaculture Only Way to Fill the Coming "Fish Gap" Top ministers debate the future of fish farming SOURCE: WWW.FAO.ORG/NEWSROOM/ NOVEMBER 19, 2007

Rome - By 2030 an additional 37 million tonnes of fish per year will be needed to maintain current levels of fish consumption for an ex pan d ed world population. Because traditional capture fisheries have reached their maximum production levels, fish farming represents the only way to fill the gap. But it will only do so if it is promoted and managed in a responsible fashion.

malnutrition by providing food rich in protein, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, it also significantly improves food security by creating jobs and raising incomes. In Asia, for instance, fish farming directly employs some 12 million people.

This was the message FAO gave to a group of the world's top fisheries authorities* gathered in Rome for a high level meeting on the contribution of aquaculture to sustainable development.

In a video-taped message played at today's meeting, Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse underscored the important role that fish farming plays by supporting people's livelihoods in Asia and elsewhere. "For largely rural based societies, aquaculture provides many opportunities for low income earners to diversify their livelihoods to obtain a larger income," he said.

The future of fish is farms

Africa lagging behind

For a quarter century, fish farming has been the world's fastest growing food production sector, sustaining an annual growth rate of 8.8% since 1970. By way of comparison, livestock production, also considered a growth sector, increased at a rate of just 2.8% a year during the same period.

One worrying exception to the aquaculture boom is Africa, the only world region where per capita consumption of fish has dropped and whose share of global aquaculture production is less than one percent. "Africa has the full resource potential for aquaculture growth," FAO's paper said, and should be a "priority region" for aid aimed at promoting aquaculture development.

Today, some 45% of all fish consumed by humans -- 48 millions tonnes in all -- is raised on farms. By 2030, the addition of 2 billion more people to the world population will mean that aquaculture will need to produce nearly double that, 85 million tonnes of fish per year, just to maintain current per capita consumption levels. Citing these trends, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf told the meeting that further development of the aquaculture sector should be a priority for the international development agenda. He cautioned however that good policy decisions regarding the use of natural resources like water, land, seed and feed as well as sound environmental management will be necessary to sustain and enhance aquaculture's growth. Income and jobs from fish farming increasingly important An FAO paper presented at the meeting noted that not only does aquaculture help reduce hunger and

*The fisheries ministers of Algeria, Angola, Bahamas, Bahrain, Chad, Ecuador, Eritrea, Faroe Islands, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Indonesia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda participated in the event, which was also attended by high-level delegates from a number of other countries. The session was co-chaired by Ms Helga Pedersen, Minister of Fisheries and Coastal affairs of Norway and Mr Amin Ahmed Mohamed Othman Abbaza, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation of Egypt. Contact: George Kourous Media Relations, FAO [email protected] (+39) 06 570 53168 (+39) 348 141 6802

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Disease Management Takes Centre Stage at USAHA US - Diseases with a substantial economic impact were the focus of the 2007 joint scientific session of the US Animal Health Association and the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. The session featured presentations on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, Salmonella infections in poultry, viral hemorrhagic septicemia in fish, scrapie, bovine viral diarrhea, equine infectious anemia, and Johne's disease. "This year, we wanted to look at how the organizations can positively impact economically significant diseases for food animal producers," said Jim Leafstedt, a pork producer from Alcester, SD, and the 2007-2008 USAHA president. "USAHA and AAVLD have long been involved in many aspects of disease prevention, control, and eradication, across multiple species." Leafstedt co-chaired the program with Dr. Grant Maxie, AAVLD president. The four key areas addressed during the session were an overview of the science in dealing with the noted diseases; development of solutions to mitigate or eliminate diseases; what tools may be absent that limit progress; and what role the USAHA and AAVLD can fill in the development of programs for prevention, control, and eradication of the diseases. Specific discussions The Committee on Animal Emergency Management called for a comprehensive effort by government and industry to create a funding system that will provide the resources for state animal health agencies to reach the amounts needed to protect livestock from disease outbreaks and other hazards. The Committee on Animal Health Information Systems discussed development of national surveillance systems. A number of USAHA recommendations.

committees

also

made

* The Committee on Aquaculture issued a call for a national surveillance program for viral hemorrhagic septicemia. The committee reports that such a surveillance program would help determine which fish species were infected with VHS as well as the geographic distribution of the disease.

* The committee on Feed Safety and the Committee on Food Safety held a joint session to discuss lessons learned from the melamine and cyanuric acid contamination that caused a pet food recall in spring 2007. * An upcoming bluetongue survey was outlined at the Committee on Bluetongue and Bovine Retroviruses meeting. The survey will be conducted by the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study at the request of the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The objectives are to determine the species of Culicoides midge in Florida and to further develop a surveillance system for bluetongue virus in whitetailed deer in the southeastern United States. Awards A number of awards were also presented at the conference. Dr. J. Lee Alley and Linda Ragland were each presented with a Medal of Distinction. Dr. Alley has served as the association's secretary since 1999. He was USAHA president from 1991-1992 and served on various committees. Ragland has served on the association's staff for 33 years, most of that time as office administrator. They will both retire from their positions at the end of the year. Dr. Francois Elvinger, professor of epidemiology at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, was presented with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's Animal Health Award. In 1995, he coordinated a workshop that was the genesis of the NAHRS. Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas state veterinarian, earned the National Assembly Award for his outstanding contributions to U.S. animal health in the regulatory field. He is chair of the USAHA Committee on Livestock Identification and serves on the Secretary of Agriculture's Advisory Subcommittee for the National Animal Identification System. Also of note, Dr. Ron DeHaven, AVMA executive vice president, earned a joint president's award from USAHA and AAVLD in honor of his partnership with the two organizations.

SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM DECEMBER 7, 2007

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Scientists Patent Mollusc Detox Process SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM DECEMBER 4, 2007

EU - Researchers at the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) have patented an innovative method to remove organic pollutants, such as pesticide residues, from bivalve molluscs.

hydrostatic pressure at high temperatures for 48 hours. However, complete removal of pesticides from the tissues of the bivalve molluscs takes several days, so the conventional treatment may not be sufficient.

Innovation in filtration: A patented process can now be used to remove pollutants from cultivated molluscs.

“The method that we have developed allows us to improve this process and means that pesticides can be removed from the tissues of molluscs twice or even four times as quickly, depending on the type of pollutant. It also increases tolerance to oxidative stress”, says Roque Serrano, a scientist at the University Institute of Pesticides and Waters at UJI and co-author of the study.

The new technique increases the rate of removal of organic compounds by a factor of two or, depending on the type of pollutant, even four with respect to other methods used to date. Bivalve molluscs (mussels, oysters, clams and cockles, among others) obtain their food by filtering sea water in order to retain the organic particles it contains. But together with nutrients, molluscs also tend to accumulate other suspended particles such as organic pollutants, which later enter the human organism when the molluscs are eaten. The cultivation of bivalve molluscs in shallow waters close to urban, industrial and agricultural areas may cause these organisms to accumulate organic pollutants, including pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, furans and endocrine disruptors. High consumption of these polluted animals during periods of intense contamination represents a serious concern for public health. Pesticide risks According to a number of studies, chronic exposure to pesticides and the other pollutants mentioned above is associated to a higher risk of developing cancer and certain neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Moreover, endocrine disruptors may interact with the metabolic system of animals and humans and deteriorate a variable number of developmental functions. This is why it is necessary to detoxify molluscs before they are eaten. To date, this decontamination consisted in treating them with filtered, sterilised water or by applying

Stimulating success The method consists in utilising N-acetylcysteine, a substance that is capable of stimulating the intracellular synthesis of glutathione and triggers glutathione S-transferase and glutathione reductase activity in mussels. Glutathione is essential in most living organisms, since it intervenes in several very important cellular phenomena, such as detoxification of xenobiotics and the elimination of free radicals. The importance of the work carried out by the UJI and CSIC researchers lies in the fact that it proves that administration of Nacetylcysteine enhances glutathione activity in molluscs and, therefore, has remarkable applications as a technique for removing pollutants from mussels. The researchers responsible for the invention of the method are Samuel Peña Llopis, who is currently working at the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Roque Serrano Gallego, from the University Institute of Pesticides and Waters at UJI, and Juan B. Peña Forner, from the Department of Biology, Culture and Pathology of Marine Species at the CSIC’s Torre de la Sal Aquaculture Institute.

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Insect Protein Available Next Year SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM DECEMBER 5, 2007 MISSISSIPPI - Neptune Industries, Inc. an innovative aquaculture technology company with interests in production system technology, food science, sustainable seafood has announced that Phase II trials on it's novel insect-based dietary protein Ento-Protein(TM) have been successfully completed. These trials represents the pivotal milestone in developing a viable dietary protein alternative to fishmeal in the $7 billion dollar market for fishmeal. Phase I selected four species of suitable insects based upon a myriad of key production and nutritional parameters. This type of alternative protein source is preferred alternative, because vegetable-derived proteins are not well tolerated or digested by carnivorous fish, such as Salmon and trout. Developing the insect-derived protein has been a collaborative venture between Neptune Industries and Mississippi State University. Research has been underway since January 2007 and the phase II trials have been conducted co-operatively between the university's department of Entomology, Wildlife and Fisheries, and Food Science and Technology. Fish eat flies, naturally: A newly developed insect protein could reduce aquaculture's relieance on fishmeal. The latest studies compared juvenile hybrid striped bass fed on a typical fishmeal-based diet, with those fed with Neptune's Ento-Protein. Results indicated that the fish fed with insect-derived product had the same behavioral patterns and were not compromised in any way. The trials also proved that fish fed the diet including Ento-Protein

actually tasted better than those fed fishmeal. Optimal blend Final development work is now underway to establish an optimal blend of insect species for fish production. The selection will be primed to achieve the fastest growth rates and optimum digestibility in farm raised fish. Neptune says the investigations will be completed by the spring 2008, and the first pilot studies will follow. It plans to launch the product commercially by the end of next year. Dr. Patti Coggins, Director at Mississippi State's Department of Food Science and Technology said that the results of the sensory evaluation comparing the taste, texture, aroma, and appearance of the fish given EntoProtein were very encouraging. "A sensory panel of experts actually favored the flavor of the fish fed with the Ento-Protein diet over fish on the traditional fishmeal based diets. Also worth mentioning was the break through observation that both the raw and cooked fish had less of a 'fishy' aroma due to the EntoProtein feeding. This could be seen as a positive attribute for many potential consumers and positively impact the way alternatives for fish feed are viewed," she added. President of Neptune Industries, Ernest Papadoyianis said that the Phase II results set the stage for providing a global solution to the protein shortage that has been plaguing the global aquaculture market.

Fish-Flavored Fish SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM DECEMBER 10, 2007

US - As stocks of ocean-caught fish dwindle in the face of overfishing and environmental changes, farmed fish has flooded the market, helping to meet our growing appetite for seafood.

first farmed fish manipulated to taste like a wild fish.

But one sector of the seafood industry has remained elusive. Fast-food restaurants, which serve hundreds of millions of deep-fried-fish sandwiches every year, have always chosen wild species over farmed ones, because the flavor is better.

The company, which is negotiating distribution deals with several fast-food chains, employs good oldfashioned food-processing technology to imitate the industry standard. It uses flavoring compounds to replicate the mild taste of Alaska pollock, a northern Pacific whitefish that holds a near-monopoly over products like fish sticks, imitation crabmeat and frozen fish fillets. HQ has even found a way to replicate the mushy texture of cooked pollock.

But now even these piscean purists may start buying from the farm. This spring, after 10 months of testing, the aquaculture company HQ Sustainable Maritime Industries created what it calls “sea-flavored” tilapia, the

“It met 10 out of our 10 taste parameters,” says HQ’s president and CEO, Norbert Sporns.

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Fish Research Aims to Help Native Population The location of the fish must remain secret to guard against opponents of animal cloning. By Jimmy Blue SOURCE: WWW.DAILYEVERGREEEN.COM NOVEMBER 30, 2007 Tucked away in a basement somewhere on WSU’s Pullman campus is a small concrete room holding thousands of juvenile rainbow trout.

treated with radiation from a machine otherwise used by the College of Veterinary Medicine to treat cancer. This radiation kills the chromosomes coming from the female.

The young trout are nurtured until they are about four inches long at which time they are transferred to another location on the outer edge of campus. There they live out their lives as the focus of genetic research led by Gary Thorgaard, professor and director for the School of Biological Sciences Center for Reproductive Biology.

The eggs are then fertilized by the milt and are subjected to a heat shock that disrupts mitosis, preventing the cell from making its initial division. It does not prevent the cell nucleus from dividing and when this happens, the cell is left with a second set of chromosomes that are a duplicate of the initial set.

Thorgaard’s research involves identifying parts of the rainbow trout genome that code for specific traits in the fish.

“Sometimes we get a lot of fertilized eggs and sometimes we’re totally unsuccessful, the radiation and heat put a lot of stress on the eggs,” said Paul Wheeler, a research technologist in Thorgaard’s lab.

“We want to understand the nature of differences from one population to another,” Thorgaard said. Kyle Martin, a zoology graduate student who works with Thorgaard, has his own research focus. Martin, who also works to identify certain genes, focuses on those that control the fish’s stress response. “Stress causes slower growth and development in the fish, but without it wild fish are more vulnerable to predators and disease,” he said. “What we learn can be applied to aquaculture to try and raise efficient hatchery fish that do not pose a threat to wild fish.” As with most research that involves living animals, there are those who disagree with the practices Thorgaard’s practices. For this reason the locations of the fish holding tanks have to remain a relative secret, Thorgaard said. The specifics of the research is what makes the process controversial. Thorgaard’s lab is built on the research and study of cloned trout. “People don’t like the idea of cloning and genetic engineering but they don’t realize that foods they eat everyday are genetically engineered in a lab, seedless watermelon for example,” Thorgaard said. With a focus on environmental concerns and a desire to develop better farming practices, Thorgaard said his research is important and timely. “We can use the information discovered from this research to raise better farm fish and help conserve native fish populations. What we learn from trout about disease resistance, stress response and growth rates can also be applicable to other fish, particularly Pacific salmon species,” he said. The first step in the research process is securing sperm, or milt, and eggs from the fish. Before fertilization the eggs are

Once the trout hatch, though there are very few losses, Wheeler said. In this way, both male and female lines of clones are created for each of nine different rainbow trout populations. These populations represent trout from as far north as Alaska and as far south as Mexico. Clones from different lines are studied and interbred to determine how traits are expressed differently in each line and how these traits can be manipulated. In this process researchers also attempt to locate the spot on the genome where information is coded for different traits. Wheeler has worked with Thorgaard for 19 years managing the fish and producing the different lines for research. He said much of the research has focused on the genetics of domestication. For example, the controversy about the influence of hatcheries on native fish populations. “We are also trying to quantify different behaviors; tame versus wild behaviors, and trying to find out if these are genetic or learned,” Wheeler said. The holding rooms for the growing fish are crowded with buckets, hoses rigged to feed the trout and natural filtration systems. Wheeler said they are beginning to upgrade their equipment but the improvements can be expensive. Thorgaard said the money for research and operations comes from grants. “Current support to our lab is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and from the National Institutes of Health, which is for a joint project with the University of Idaho. It is a challenging environment for getting funding but we are hopeful that we can keep our research program going,” Thorgaard said.

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Fisheries and Aquaculture Recovery Three Years After the Asian Tsunami "Soft" Assistance Now Key SOURCE: WWW.FAO.ORG/NEWSROOM/ DECEMBER 20, 2007 The Asian tsunami of 26 December 2004 killed nearly 300 000 people and devastated the livelihoods of millions more, many of them poor fishers and fish farmers. Indeed, fisheries and aquaculture were the hardest-hit sectors, with large numbers of boats, fishing gear, aquaculture ponds and support installations damaged or destroyed. FAO's Fisheries and Aquaculture Department has played a leading role in helping fishers and fish farmers in the region get back on their feet, building and repairing boats, providing replacement fishing gear, and clearing and rehabilitating damaged fish farms. Now, as the immediate impact of the disaster is fading, the UN agency remains engaged in affected countries, helping fishing communities and national authorities transition from short-term recovery to looking at long-term issues like fisheries resources management, safety at sea and sustainable development. A new phase of rehabilitation "Now that many fishers and aquaculturists are back to work, we're trying to address the underlying vulnerability and unsustainability of their livelihoods that characterized many areas prior to the tsunami," says Lahsen Ababouch of FAO's Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, who coordinates the agency's post-tsunami assistance in the areas of fisheries and aquaculture. "This means doing things better. For example, working with national authorities we've helped establish boat construction standards appropriate to local conditions, published construction manuals, and have helped train boatbuilders in best practices. New boats will last longer and be safer," he explains. "In a similar vein, we're working with governments and communities to provide training and technical advice that will strengthen their capacity to better manage fisheries and aquaculture and plan their future development." Noting that FAO has provided a good deal of material assistance, Ababouch argues that the UN agency's most valuable contribution to tsunami rehabilitation is in the area of providing technical training and policy advice, rather than in delivering goods and making repairs. "Think of the first as software and the second as hardware," he says. "It's the software that makes everything else work." Assisting tsunami affected countries with this “software

assistance”, through commissioning institutional reviews and capacity assessments of fisheries management institutions in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Maldives, is one of the core tasks of FAO's “Coordination and Technical Support Unit (CTSU) to Tsunami Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Fisheries and Aquaculture”, established through Swedish funding in 2006 . The objective of the CTSU is to establish sustainable livelihoods in coastal communities and reduce their vulnerability to future natural disasters. The CTSU will continue to provide this type of assistance well into 2008, as countries recognize capacity building needs and strive to implement improved strategies for resources management. To this effect the CTSU also lends support through the design of targeted, country-specific or regional cooperation projects for longer-term recovery and sustainable development. From disaster relief to sustainable development In Sri Lanka, the tsunami affected 1 300 km of coastline and damaged or destroyed 75 percent of the country’s fishing fleet. Over 70 000 survivors had been involved in fishing or fisheries-related activities prior to the tsunami. FAO, with key support from the government of Italy and help from other donors, partnered with the Sri Lankan government to help fisherfolk cope. Efforts to repair or replace boats, engines, and fishing gear allowed over 21 000 fishers to get back to work. But beyond material aid, the project moved on to promote new sea-safety measures and improve fishing vessel stability through awareness campaigns and providing training to thousands of fishers. In the boatyards, builders and workers were given both better safety equipment as well as training. FAO also supported the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Sri Lanka in the preparation of a new set of national regulations to standardize the construction of fishing vessels and the establishment of a new government unit responsible for certifying the safety of all new fishing (Continued on page 20)

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vessels constructed in the country. Spectrum of assistance In Aceh Province of Indonesia, around 55 percent of boats and fishing gear were lost to the tsunami. An estimated 70 percent of brackish water fish ponds were also destroyed and 70 percent of related infrastructure, including landing places, fish markets and small-scale traditional boatbuilding facilities was severely affected. After the disaster, generous support from a number of donors helped FAO meet the immediate needs of affected fisherfolk and aquaculturists. This included providing replacement boats and equipment and rebuilding jetties so fishermen could land their catch. For fish farmers, it involved clearing and repairing their ponds and providing them with fingerlings, feed and fertilizer -- and getting the hatcheries on which aquaculturists depend to renew their stocks back up and running. FAO also helped those who process, transport and sell fish get back to business by providing them with fish drying and processing equipment, vehicles, a reliable source of ice, coolers and new marketplaces. "All of these activities certainly were important, but I think 25 years from now, the work that we have been engaged in once emergency relief tapered off will have been our greatest contribution," says Rudolf Hermes of FAO's Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, who worked on the ground in Banda Aceh following the tsunami.

This included coming up with a new boat design -- an improved and safer version of the traditional wooden craft favored in the region -- and publishing an easy-to-use builder's manual in the local dialect that gives clear guidance on proper construction techniques. FAO also trained scores of boat builders in best-practices of vessel construction and engine fitting techniques. The UN agency also offered training and technical assistance in a number of other areas as well, all aimed at strengthening local capacities to sustainable manage fisheries and aquaculture. These included: issuing guidelines on how to rehabilitate damaged fish farms; holding workshops for fish farmers on best management practices; introducing hatchery operators to modern biosafety practices and techniques; educating processors and marketers in proper post-harvest fish handling, and; helping district and provincial authorities with rehabilitation planning and coordination. Now FAO has recently partnered with the American Red Cross to implement a three year project in Indonesia aimed at building the capacity of national and local authorities as well as fishers and fish farmers, to sustainable manage the resources on which they depend. Contact: George Kourous Media Relations, FAO [email protected] (+39) 06 570 53168 (+39) 348 141 6802

NOAA Director Steps Down SOURCE: WWW.THEFISHSITE.COM DECEMBER 28, 2007

US - Dr. Bill Hogarth is to leave the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where he has been director of NOAA Fisheries since 2001. Dr Hogarth is moving to the University of South Florida where he will serve as interim dean for the College of Marine Science. He counts among his successes the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act with stronger mandates to end over fishing; seafood and health initiatives; and the introduction of aquaculture legislation in Congress. A replacement at NOAA has yet to be named, but they will serve just one year since the position is a political appointment that will be made by the Bush Administration.

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D.C. BOOTH DAY AND NATIONAL FISH CULTURE HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY SCHEDULED FOR MAY 18, 2008 On Sunday, May 18th, a ceremony honoring the newest members into the National Fish Culture Hall of Fame will be held in Spearfish, South Dakota, at the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery. The Hall of Fame inductees this year include the late Dr. Harry K. Dupree, sponsored by Gary Burtle and Dr. John G. Nickum, sponsored by Vince Mudrak.

Harry Kenneth Dupree

was born on February 15, 1931, at Washington, D.C. Raised in Marion, Alabama, he attended Marion Military Institute, then transferred to Auburn University in 1950, and graduated in March, 1953 with a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries Management. After service in the Army, from 1953 to 1955, he returned to Auburn University, where he graduated with M.S. (1956) and Ph.D. (1960) degrees. Dr. Dupree started his career in 1960 as a Research Biologist at Southeastern fish Cultural Laboratory in Marion, Alabama and then became Director in 1965. From 1974 to his death in 1999, he was Director of the Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Dr. Dupree was one of the first students of Dr. Homer Swingle to leave Auburn University to spread fish culture technology and scientific methods to places outside of the university. His path clearly developed into an ever expanding web of people influenced by his experiences in aquaculture. From early research at the Southeastern Fish Culture Laboratory, Marion, Alabama to the Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center, Stuttgart, Arkansas, Dr. Dupree’s influence expanded from state, to region, to nation, and on to international venues. Today, through the vital people stationed at the Stuttgart center, the foundation he helped lay for aquaculture research in the United States lives on. Publications authored by Dr. Dupree show knowledge of basic and applied science related to aquaculture. The summary work published in “Third Report to the Fish Farmers: The Status of Warmwater Fish Farming Research” has been used

by thousands of students, professionals, and fish culturists. Dr. Dupree’s accomplishments have been recognized by naming the Stuttgart lab in his honor, he has been named to the Joe Hogan award by the Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, and his defining publication has been republished. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Turnipseed Dupree, Theodore, Alabama.

John G. Nickum is a

scientist, conservationist, educator, public servant, fish culturist, and writer. Throughout his varied career, Dr. Nickum strived to develop practical solutions for complex problems, while also working to keep these solutions from being needlessly complex. He developed many of these personal values while earning a B.S. degree from Mankato State College, an M. S. from University of South Dakota and a Ph. D. from Southern Illinois University. His educational training was followed by teaching and research positions at South Dakota State University, Cornell University, and Iowa State University. His passion for practical conservation, which he defined as “using resources in such a manner that future generations can also use them”, began during his childhood on a farm in southeastern Minnesota where his father was an early user of contour farming techniques, a hunter, and an angler. This hands-on background provided the foundation for his practical resource conservation philosophy of “use it, but don’t abuse it.” Fish culture provided an ideal arena for his interests in pure science questions concerning fish nutrition, larval development, behavior, and health. John used his broad scientific background to develop culture systems and techniques for species, such as the walleye, that had not been reared previously under hatchery conditions, as well as improved (Continued on page 22)

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methods for the culture of trout and catfish. John’s career in research, teaching, conservation, and fish culture were very much interwoven. He credits his former graduate students for accomplishing much of the hard, nitty gritty detailed work that led to numerous advances in fish culture techniques, including development of systems for producing “wild-looking, wild-acting” fish under hatchery conditions. John believed that his philosophy of guiding and assisting his students, but not limiting them, resulted in higher accomplishments for the students and himself. In his role as National Aquaculture Coordinator for the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, John used his experience as a scientist, fish culturist, and teacher to “Help Aquaculture Grow” in size, quality, and sustainability. After retirement, John turned to writing about fish culture, conservation, and science for the public; trying to encourage additional people to “challenge conventional wisdom”, to ask the question “How do you know that”, to use resources in a sustainable manner, and to learn from the past to improve the future.

Hall of Fame weekend will begin on Saturday, May 17th with a social for family, friends and guests at 5:30 pm in the famous 1905 historic Booth House, hosted by the Booth Society, Inc. Sunday’s May 18th induction ceremony will begin at 1:00 pm. For additional information on the HOF weekend, please contact Steve Brimm, HOF coordinator at [email protected] or HOF Chairman, Mike Barnes [email protected]

Position Title: Fisheries Biologist E9 Agency/Location: Michigan DNR Thompson State Fish Hatchery Responsibilities: Assist the hatchery manager with the daily operations of a large cold-water fish hatchery. Evaluate fish cultural methods, diets, water quality, and disease problems in relation to operational procedures. Oversee and assist fisheries technicians and others in the production and distribution of fish at this hatchery. Maintain records and compile reports. Act in capacity of hatchery manager during his/her absence. Will be required to live on-site and participate in the oncall rotation. Qualifications: Possession of a B.S. degree in fisheries or a related field is required. Experience working in a large coldwater fish hatchery is desirable. Salary: $16.87 to $28.43/hr Closing Date: 02/04/2008 Contact: For application materials, access the State of Michigan’s Department of Civil Service vacancy posting website at: http://web1mdcs.state.mi.us/vacancyweb/VacancyInq.asp? Par=sJob

AFS Fish Culture Section

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AFS Fish Culture Section

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AFS Fish Culture Section

AFS STUDENT NEWS!!

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Newsletter of the Fish Culture Section of the American Fisheries Society January 2008 President................................ Woods President............................................Curry ............ Immediate PastBarnes Past-President................. President.................Mike ................. PresidentTrushenski President-Elect................................... Elect...................................Jesse ................................... SecretaryKittel Secretary-Treasurer........................... Treasurer...........................Carl ........................... 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...................................................................................Brett Timmons and 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 Brett Timmons.........................................................shadowgrotto@gmail.com Vince Mudrak..........................................................Vincent.Mudrak@fws.gov John Nickum............................................................jgnickum@hotmail.com Max Mayeaux...........................................................mmayeaux@crees.usda.gov Cortney Ohs.............................................................cohs@ufl.edu