Features

This animal has done everything right. It has been around for 300 million years, outlived the dinosaurs and survived the catastrophic meteorite impact, warm phases and glacial periods.Even today, it continues to populate the sea at depths where it eats carrion…

The aquaculture industry has developed significantly over recent decades and is, today, one of the fastest-growing food production sectors in the world. One of the most important problems that affect aquaculture is the appearance of infectious diseases, writes…

This guide explains how integrated aquaculture farming (where a farmer can rear fish, chicken and plant vegetables) on a plot of 10 by 10 feet can generate food and an income for a family in the Philippines.

Shrimp culture tends to now be developed intensively with upgraded technology for higher and successful production.In many occasions shrimp culture are affected by various diseases and experienced in loss of crop or reduced the production level by various reas…

A major European-wide research project is making strong inroads into developing new breeding programmes to improve the stock of six important aquaculture species, writes Chris Harris.

This study was carried out to evaluate the value chain performance of the aquaculture feed sector in Egypt, in terms of value addition, employment and profitability, write Abdel-Fattah M. El-Sayeda, Malcolm W. Dicksonb and Gamal O. El-Naggarb, Alexandria Unive…

Fishing incurs costs from many different aspects the vessel itself, fuel, fishing equipment, crew, licences, and so forth. Making sure every bit of a catch counts as income is essential especially where fishers are running on tight margins.

An Aquaculture Experience Farm in Java operates a hybrid system, based on a careful balance between autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms which gave average outputs of 20 tonnes/ha in early 2013, Agus Saiful Huda, Junaedi Ispinanto, Fauzan Bahri and Olivier …

The threat of disease in the aquaculture industry, coupled with greater restrictions or ban on antibiotic use, has increased interest in evaluating antibiotic alternatives, write Wing-Keong Ng et al, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Salmon migrating from the open ocean to inland waters do more than swim upstream. To navigate the murkier freshwater streams and reach a spot to spawn, the fish have evolved a means to enhance their ability to see infrared light. Humans lack this evolutionary …

Researchers from the Queensland Brain Institute at The University of Queensland have uncovered a new form of secret light communication used by marine animals.

The recent boom in 3-D printing has driven innovations in fields as disparate as haute couture and medical implants.

Often dubbed the aquatic chicken, farmed tilapia is now a staple in many parts of the world. A healthy source of protein, micronutrients and essential fatty acids, tilapia is now the fourth most consumed fish in the US and it is farmed extensively in China, Eg…

This article shows the retention efficiency of nutrients from feed resources to final product in Norwegian salmon production, including limiting resources such as the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA and phosphorous. It is highly relevant to compare the efficie…

Cultured marine fish larvae are most often fed rotifers (Brachionus sp.) the first few weeks after first-feeding. However the nutritional value of rotifers is generally inferior to the natural diet of marine fish larvae which is comprised of zooplankton, mostl…

Scientists have solved a longstanding mystery about how some fish seem to disappear from predators in the open waters of the ocean, a discovery that could help materials scientists and military technologists create more effective methods of ocean camouflage.

Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS),1 or exopolymers, play vital roles in the productivity of commercial hatcheries, yet have received little attention in aquaculture outside of their role in the biofilters of recirculating systems, write A. Joycea and S.…

The main objective of this study by Hooi Ling Khaw et al, Wageningen University, Netherlands, is to quantify the genetic and non-genetic indirect effects for harvest weight in the GIFT strain of Nile tilapia.

In early 2014, a trial to evaluate the effects of a mixture of Bacillus strains on early mortality syndrome bacteria during the larviculture and nursery phases for shrimp was carried out at a commercial hatchery in Mexico, write Oliver Decamp et al, INVE Aquac…

This article will show different behaviours of oxidative disinfectants in corrosivity and efficacy under soiled conditions.

Research by Phuthongphan Rattayaporn, Srianek Patipon, Roeland Wouters, Geert Rombaut and Olivier Decamp, INVE Aquaculture, discovered increased palatability of shrimp feed when it was coated with a specific probiotic.

Research by Anna K. Farmery et al, University of Tasmania, Australia, has found that the distance seafood is transported is not the main determinant of food sustainability. Despite the increased distance between production and consumption, carbon footprints of…

This article by Dr Abdel Raheam H. A. El-Bassir and colleagues from Sudan explores the effects of preserving fish using salt on its nutritional properties.

Sub-Saharan Africa presents a solid marketing opportunity for tilapia producers, processers and traders, particularly in view of the dwindling nature of traditional sources of fish, population growth, and rising incomes. However, it is important to first under…

On hot, humid days, you might jump into water to cool down, but for the tiny mangrove rivulus fish, cooling down means jumping out of water, according to a new study from the University of Guelph.

Scientists looking at the fecal material of 12 Baleen whales of three different species found some surprises. While Baleen whales are carnivores, feeding on fish and crustaceans, the microbes found in their guts the so-called whale microbiome share characteris…

Achieving better growth rates or improved efficiency relies on good gut performance in aquaculture species, write Rui Gonalves, Gonalo Santos..

When it comes to catching elusive prey, many fishes rely on a special trick: protruding jaws that quickly extend their reach to snap up that next meal. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on October 8 have found a clever way to…

This article offers an introduction to the new environmentally friendly and highly productive closed fish farming systems, by Jacob Bregnballe, FAO.

Aquaculture certification programs essentially mark milestones on the journey toward more sustainable practices. There is a role for a clearly defined starting point of minimum acceptable standards, but it is equally important to create incentive structures to…

The aim of this guide from the Irish Sea Fisheries Board (BIM) is to provide practical and contemporary guidelines on the handling and quality of herring, at all stages, from capture to the first point of sale.

IRTA researcher Enric Gisbert explains what the Feed Conversion Ratio is, how to calculate it and its importance for fish production.

Poxviruses are large DNA viruses of vertebrates and insects causing disease in many animal species, including reptiles, birds, and mammals. Although poxvirus-like particles were detected in diseased farmed koi carp, ayu and Atlantic salmon, their genetic relat…

For lovers of sushi, or those living in Asia, the sight of algae in a meal is not uncommon. Humans around the globe have consumed wild algae for centuries, but it is in Japan that the first farming of algae is believed to have begun.

Consumer awareness of sustainable aquaculture production has led to increased interest in certification for sustainable aquaculture practices. In contrast to common belief, this certification encompasses a broader scope than just environmental issues. It also …

Obligate and opportunistic parasites play a critical role in determining the productivity, sustainability and economic viability of global finfish aquaculture enterprises. Without stringent and appropriate control measures, the impact of these pathogens can of…

Since the worlds first government-sponsored ecolabel The Blue Angel (Der Blaue Engel) was launched in Germany in 1978, ecolabels have become increasingly more commonplace.

The aim of this guide from the Irish Sea Fisheries Board (BIM) is to provide practical and contemporary guidelines on the handling and quality of Blue Whiting, at all stages, from capture to the first point of sale.

Dr Bob Carling writes about the influential ideas of economist Nicholas Stern on the value that we place on biodiversity.

A new technology promises to revolutionize the simultaneous detection of mycotoxins and greatly expand our scientific knowledge. Several cases in the field along with the 2014 BIOMIN Mycotoxin Survey results reveal the value of multiple mycotoxin detection in …