ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
For the Period
September 1, 2004 to August 31, 2005
January 2006
North Central Regional Aquaculture Center
13 Natural Resources Building
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1222
Telephone: (517) 353-1962 FAX: (517) 353-7181
Web site: http://aq.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/ncrac
A table of commonly used abbreviations and acronyms can be found inside the back cover.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE 1 (North Central Regional Aquaculture Center funded projects)
PROJECT TERMINATION OR PROGRESS REPORTS
Aquaculture Drugs: 17α-methyltestosterone Target Animal Safety Study (Progress Report)
Aquaculture Regional Extension Facilitator (Termination Report)
Hybrid Striped Bass (Termination Report)
National Coordinator for Aquaculture INADs/NADAs (Progress Report)
Wastes/Effluents (Termination Report)
Yellow Perch (Termination Report)
APPENDIX (Publications, Manuscripts, Papers Presented, and Other Outputs for all Funded Projects)
Conferences/Workshops/Symposia
Environmental Strategies for Aquaculture Symposium
National Aquaculture Extension Workshop/Conferences
North Central Regional Aquaculture Conferences
National Coordinator for Aquaculture INADs/NADAs
The U.S. aquaculture industry is an important sector of U.S. agriculture. Production in 2003 was about 926 million pounds and generated nearly $961 million for producers. Yet, anticipated growth in the industry, both in magnitude and in species diversity, continues to fall short of expectations.
Much of what is known about aquaculture science is a result of institutional attention given to our traditional capture of wild fisheries with the goal of releasing cultured fishes into public waters for enhancement of declining public stocks. Despite extensive efforts to manage wild populations for a sustained yield, as a nation we consume substantially greater amounts than we produce. Much of the United States' demand for seafood has been met by imports. The value of imported fisheries products has substantially increased over the last two decades. In 2004, the U.S. imported $22.9 billion of fisheries products and the trade deficit was $9.4 billion for all fisheries products, most of which was for edible fish and shellfish.
Landings for most commercial capture fisheries species and recreational fisheries of the United States have been relatively stable during the last decade, with many fish stocks being over exploited. In this situation, aquaculture provides an opportunity to reduce the trade deficit and meet the rising U.S. demand for fish products. A strong domestic aquaculture industry is needed to increase U.S. production of fish and shellfish. This can be achieved by a partnership among the Federal Government, State and local public institutions, and the private sector with expertise in aquaculture development.
Congress recognized the opportunity for making significant progress in aquaculture development in 1980 by passage of the National Aquaculture Act (P.L. 96-362). Congress amended the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-113) in Title XIV of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (P.L. 97-98) by granting authority to establish aquaculture research, development, and demonstration centers in the United States in association with colleges and universities, State Departments of Agriculture, Federal facilities, and non-profit private research institutions. Five such centers have been established: one in each of the northeastern, north central, southern, western, and tropical/subtropical Pacific regions of the country. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-171), otherwise known as the Farm Bill, has reauthorized the Regional Aquaculture Center program at $7.5 million per annum. As used here, a center refers to an administrative center. Centers do not provide monies for brick-and-mortar development. Centers encourage cooperative and collaborative aquaculture research and extension educational programs that have regional or national application. Center programs complement and strengthen other existing research and extension educational programs provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other public institutions. As a matter of policy, centers implement their programs by using institutional mechanisms and linkages that are in place in the public and private sector.
The mission of the Regional Aquaculture Centers (RACs) is to support aquaculture research, development, demonstration, and extension education to enhance viable and profitable U.S. aquaculture production which will benefit consumers, producers, service industries, and the American economy.
The North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) was established in February 1988. It serves as a focal point to assess needs, establish priorities, and implement research and extension educational programs in the twelve state agricultural heartland of the United States which includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. NCRAC also provides coordination of interregional and national programs through the National Coordinating Council for Aquaculture (NCC). The council is composed of the RAC directors and USDA aquaculture personnel.
Michigan State University (MSU) and Iowa State University (ISU) work together to develop and administer programs of NCRAC through a memorandum of understanding. MSU is the prime contractor for the Center and has administrative responsibilities for its operation. The Director of NCRAC is located at MSU. ISU shares in leadership of the Center through an office of the Associate Director who is responsible for all aspects of the Center's publications, technology transfer, and outreach activities.
At the present time the staff of NCRAC at MSU includes Ted R. Batterson, Director, and Liz Bartels, Executive Secretary. The Center Director has the following responsibilities:
< Developing and submitting proposals to USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (USDA/CSREES) which, upon approval, becomes a grant to the Center;
< Developing appropriate agreements (sub-contracts) with other parties, including ISU for the Associate Director's office, for purposes of transferring funds for implementation of all projects approved under the grants;
< Serving as executive secretary to the Board of Directors, responsible for preparing agenda and minutes of Board meetings;
< Serving as an ex-officio (non-voting) member of the Technical Committee and Industry Advisory Council;
< Coordinating the development of research and extension plans, budgets, and proposals;
< Coordinating and facilitating interactions among the Administrative Center, Board of Directors, Industry Advisory Council, and Technical Committee;
< Monitoring research and extension activities;
< Arranging for review of proposals for technical and scientific merit, feasibility, and applicability to priority problems and preparing summary budgets and reports as required;
< Recruiting other Administrative Center staff as authorized by the Board of Directors;
< Maintaining liaison with other RACs; and
< Serving on the NCC.
At the present time NCRAC's Office for Publications and Extension Programs at ISU is under the direction of Joseph E. Morris, Associate Director. The Associate Director has the following responsibilities:
< Coordinating, facilitating, and executing regional aquaculture extension program activities;
< Serving as head of Publications for NCRAC, including editor of the fact sheet, technical bulletin, culture manual, and video series as well as of the NCRAC Newsletter;
< Serving as the NCRAC liaison with national aquaculture extension programs, including in particular, extension programs of the other four USDA Regional Aquaculture Centers; and
< Serving as a member of NCRAC's Extension Executive Committee.
The Board of Directors (BOD) is the primary policy-making body of the NCRAC. The BOD has established an Industry Advisory Council (IAC) and Technical Committee (TC). Membership of the BOD consists of four persons from the IAC, a representative from the region's State Agricultural Experiment Stations and Cooperative Extension Services, a member from a non-land grant university, representatives from the two universities responsible for the center: Michigan State and Iowa State, and chairs of the two subcommittees of the Center's Technical Committee. The IAC is composed of representatives from each state's aquaculture association and six at-large members appointed by the BOD who represent various sectors of the aquaculture industry and the region as a whole. The TC is composed of a sub-committee for Extension (TC/E) and a sub-committee for Research (TC/R). Directors of the Cooperative Extension Service within the North Central Region appoint representatives to the TC/E. The TC/R has broad regional make-up and is composed of scientists from universities and state agencies with varied aquacultural expertise who are appointed by the BOD. Each sub-committee of the TC has a chairperson who serves as a member of the BOD.
NCRAC functions in accordance with its Operations Manual which is periodically amended and updated with BOD approval. It is an evolving document that has changed as the Center's history lengthens. It is used for the development of the cooperative regional aquaculture and extension projects that NCRAC funds.
Since inception of NCRAC February 1, 1988, the role of the Administrative Center has been to provide all necessary support services to the BOD, IAC, TC, and project work groups for the North Central Region as well as representing the region on the NCC. As the scope of the NCRAC programs expand, this has entailed a greater work load and continued need for effective communication among all components of the Center and the aquaculture community.
The Center functions in the following manner.
< After BOD approval of Administrative Center costs, the Center submits a grant to USDA/CSREES/Grants Management Branch for approval. To date the Center has received 17 grants from USDA for FY88 (Grant #88-38500-3885), FY89 (Grant #89-38500-4319), FY90 (Grant #90-38500-5008), FY91 (Grant #91-38500-5900), FY92 (Grant #92-38500-6916), FY93 (Grant #93-38500-8392), FY94 (Grant #94-38500-0048), FY95 (Grant #95-38500-1410), FY96 (Grant #96-38500-2631), FY97 (#97-38500-3957), FY98 (#98-38500-5863), FY99 (#99-38500-7376), FY00 (#00-38500-8984), FY2001 (#2001-38500-10369), FY2002 (#2002-38500-11752), FY2003 (#2003-38500-12995), FY2004 (#2004-38500-14269), and FY2005 (#2005-38500-15847) with monies totaling $13,275,567. Currently, five grants are active (FY01-05); the first thirteen grants (FY88-00) have terminated.
< The Center annually coordinates a program planning meeting which typically sets priorities for the next funding cycle and calls for development of project outlines to address priority problem areas.
< Work Groups are formed which submit project outlines to the Center. The projects are peer reviewed by experts from both within and outside the region and a Project Review Committee.
< The BOD, using the Project Review Committee's recommendation and reviewers' responses, decides which projects are to be approved and funding levels. The Center conveys BOD decisions to all Project Work Groups. Those that are approved for funding are asked to submit revised project outlines incorporating BOD, Project Review Committee, and reviewers' comments.
< The Center then submits the revised project outlines as a Plan of Work (POW) to USDA for approval.
< Once a POW is approved by USDA, the Center then prepares subcontracts for each participating institution. The Center receives all invoices for subcontractual agreements and prepares payment vouchers for reimbursement. Thus, the Center staff serve as fiscal agents for both receiving and disbursing funds in accordance with all terms and provisions of the grants.
Through August 31, 2005, the Center has funded or is funding 71 projects through 322 subcontracts from the first 16 grants received. Funding for these Center supported projects is summarized in Table 1 below (pages 5-6). Information about funded projects is also available at the Center's Web site (http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/ncrac).
During this reporting period, the Publications Office at ISU produced and distributed a number of publications including fact sheets, technical bulletins, videos, and the Center's newsletter. A complete list of all publications from this office is included in the Appendix under Extension.
Other areas of support by the Administrative Office during this reporting period included: monitoring research and extension activities and developing progress reports; developing liaisons with appropriate institutions, agencies and clientele groups; soliciting, in coordination with the other RACs, written testimony for the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies and the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies; participating in the NCC; numerous oral and written presentations to both professional and lay audiences; working with other fisheries and aquaculture programs throughout the North Central Region; and in conjunction with the Aquaculture Network Information Center (AquaNIC) maintaining the NCRAC Web site.
As indicated in Table 1, NCRAC has funded a number of projects for many of the project areas it has selected for research and extension activities. For example, there have been ten separately funded projects in regard to Extension and eight on Yellow Perch. Project outlines have been written for each separate project within an area, or the project area itself if only one project. These project outlines have been submitted in POWs or amendments to POWs for the grants as indicated in Table 1. Many times, the projects within a particular area are continuations of previously funded activities while at other times they are addressing new objectives. Presented below are Progress or Termination Reports mostly for projects that were underway or completed during the period September 1, 2004 to August 31, 2005. Projects, or Project components, that terminated prior to September 1, 2004 have been reported on in earlier documents (e.g., 1989-1996 Compendium Report and other Annual Progress Reports).
A cumulative list of all publications, manuscripts, papers presented, or other outputs for all funded NCRAC project areas is contained in the Appendix.
Table 1. North Central Regional Aquaculture Center funded projects.
|
Project Area |
Project Number |
Proposed Duration Period |
Funding Level |
Grant Number |
|
Aquaculture Drugs |
1 2 3 4 5 6 |
7/1/96-6/30/97 12/1/96-11/30/97 10/1/99-9/30/00 6/1/04-11/30/05 7/15/04-7/14/05 11/1/04-10/31/06 |
$27,000 $950 $8,415 $223,677 $60,000 $50,000
|
95-38500-1410 95-38500-1410 97-38500-3957 2002-38500-11752 2003-38500-12995 2002-38500-11752 |
|
Baitfish |
1 |
9/1/92-8/31/94 |
$61,973 |
92-38500-6916 |
|
Conferences/Workshops/ Symposia |
|
|
|
|
|
Environmental Strategies Symposium |
1 |
9/1/00-5/31/01 |
$5,000 |
96-38500-2631 |
|
Nat'l. Aquaculture Exten. Workshop/Conference
|
1 2 3 |
10/1/91-9/30/92 12/1/96-11/30/97 11/1/02-10/31/03 |
$3,005 $3,700 $4,500
|
89-38500-4319 95-38500-1410 00-38500-8984 |
|
NCR Aquaculture Conference |
1 2 |
6/1/90-3/31/91 12/9/98-6/30/99 |
$7,000 $3,000
|
90-38500-5008 96-38500-2631 |
|
Percis III |
1 |
11/1/02-12/31/03 |
$4,000 |
00-38500-8984 |
|
Crayfish |
1 |
9/1/92-8/31/94 |
$49,677 |
92-38500-6916 |
|
Economics/Marketing |
1
2 3 4 5 |
5/1/89-12/31/91
9/1/91-8/31/92 9/1/93-8/31/95 9/1/99-8/31/01 9/1/03-8/31/04 |
$127,338 $34,350 $53,300 $40,000 $47,916 $50,000
|
88-38500-3885 89-38500-4319 91-38500-5900 93-38500-8392 97-38500-3957 2002-38500-11752 |
|
Extension |
1
2 3 4 5
6 7 8
9 10 |
5/1/89-4/30/91
3/17/90-8/31/91 9/1/91-8/31/93 9/1/93-8/31/95 9/1/95-8/31/97
9/1/97-8/31/99 9/1/99-8/31/01 9/1/01-8/31/03
9/1/03-8/31/05 9/1/03-8/31/05
|
$39,221 $37,089 $31,300 $94,109 $110,129 $10,813 $20,391 $38,000 $94,000 $28,500 $18,154 $28,000 $100,000
|
88-38500-3885 89-38500-4319 89-38500-4319 91-38500-5900 91-38500-5900 92-38500-6916 95-38500-1410 97-38500-3957 99-38500-7376 99-38500-7376 2001-38500-10369 2002-38500-11752 2002-38500-11752 |
|
Hybrid Striped Bass |
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 |
5/1/89-8/31/91
6/1/90-8/31/92 9/1/91-8/31/93 9/1/93-8/31/95 9/1/95-8/31/97 6/1/99-5/31/00 9/1/01-5/31/04 |
$68,296 $68,114 $101,000 $96,550 $168,000 $150,000 $15,000 $98,043 $211,957
|
88-38500-3885 89-38500-4319 90-38500-5008 91-38500-5900 93-38500-8392 95-38500-1410 96-38500-2631 98-38500-5863 2001-38500-10369 |
|
National Coordinator for Aquaculture INADs/NADAs |
1
2 |
9/1/93-8/31/94 5/15/95-5/14/96 5/15/96-5/14/97
5/15/97-5/14/98 5/15/98-5/14/99 5/15/99-5/14/00 7/15/04-7/14/05 9/15/05-8/31/06 |
$2,000 $5,000 $6,669 $3,331 $15,000 $13,241 $10,000 $9,000 $15,000
|
89-38500-4319 94-38500-0048 92-38500-6916 95-38500-1410 96-38500-2631 94-38500-0048 95-38500-1410 2003-38500-12995 2004-38500-14269
|
|
Nutrition (HSB & YP) |
1 |
9/1/04-8/31/06 |
$200,000
|
2002-38500-11752 |
|
Salmonids |
1
2 3 4 |
6/1/90-8/31/92
9/1/92-8/31/94 9/1/94-8/31/96 9/1/97-8/31/99 |
$9,000 $120,799 $149,997 $199,290 $158,656
|
89-38500-4319 90-38500-5008 92-38500-6916 94-38500-0048 97-38500-3957 |
|
Sunfish |
1 2 3 4 5 |
6/1/90-8/31/92 9/1/92-8/31/94 9/1/94-8/31/96 9/1/96-9/31/98 9/1/99-8/31/01 |
$130,758 $149,799 $173,562 $199,921 $199,748
|
90-38500-5008 92-38500-6916 94-38500-0048 96-38500-2631 99-38500-7376 |
|
Tilapia |
1 2 |
9/1/96-8/31/98 9/1/98-5/14/00 |
$118,791 $150,000
|
96-38500-2631 98-38500-5863 |
|
Walleye |
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 |
5/1/89-8/31/91 6/1/90-8/31/92 9/1/91-8/31/92 9/1/92-8/31/93 9/1/93-8/31/95 9/1/95-8/31/97
9/1/99-6/30/02 |
$177,517 $111,657 $109,223 $75,000 $150,000 $117,395 $59,835 $127,000
|
89-38500-4319 90-38500-5008 91-38500-5900 89-38500-4319 93-38500-8392 94-38500-0048 95-38500-1410 98-38500-5863 |
|
Wastes/Effluents |
1 2 3 |
9/1/92-8/31/94 9/1/96-8/31/98 9/1/01-8/31/04 |
$153,300 $100,000 $106,186 $88,814
|
92-38500-6916 96-38500-2631 00-38500-8984 2001-38500-10369 |
|
White Papers |
1 2
|
7/1/98-12/31/98 9/1/99-12/31/99 |
$4,999 $17,495
|
96-38500-2631 97-38500-3957 |
|
Yellow Perch |
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
5/1/89-8/31/91
6/1/90-8/31/92 9/1/91-8/31/93 9/1/93-8/31/95 9/1/95-8/31/97 9/1/97-8/31/99 9/1/98-8/31/00 9/1/01-5/31/04 |
$76,957 $85,723 $92,108 $99,997 $150,000 $199,507 $185,458 $92,370 $326,730 $125,016
|
88-38500-3885 89-38500-4319 90-38500-5008 91-38500-5900 93-38500-8392 95-38500-1410 97-38500-3957 98-38500-5863 00-38500-8984 2001-38500-10369 |
PROJECT TERMINATION OR PROGRESS REPORTS
AQUACULTURE DRUGS: 17α-METHYLTESTOSTERONE FEED STABILITY AND WATER BIODEGRADATION STUDIES [1]
Progress Report for the Period
June 1, 2004 to August 31, 2005
NCRAC FUNDING: $223,677 (June 1, 2004 to August 31, 2005)
PARTICIPANTS:
|
Terence P. Barry |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Wisconsin |
|
Ashok Marwah |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Wisconsin |
|
Padma Marway |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Wisconsin |
|
Industry Advisory Council Liaison: |
||
|
Mark Willows |
North American Fish Farmers Coop., Binford |
North Dakota |
|
Extension Liaison: |
|
|
|
Laura G. Tiu |
Ohio State University |
Ohio |
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
(1) Develop a robust and validated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) method to measure 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) in fish feed.
(2) Conduct a series of stability studies on MT in fish feed (note: after receiving NCRAC funding to conduct the stability study, it was learned that two additional feed studies must also be completed: (1) a feed homogeneity study and (2) a feed segregation study).
(3) Gain acceptance from the Food and Drug Admionistration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) for the series of stability studies.
(4) Review and develop an LC-MS method for detecting MT in water.
(5) Conduct a biodegradation study of MT in water.
(6) Gain acceptance from CVM for the biodegradation study on MT.
ANTICIPATED BENEFITS
MT is used to manipulate the gender of a variety of fish species cultured in the U.S., including tilapia, hybrid striped bass, yellow perch, sunfish, and esocids. These studies are needed for an original New Animal Drug Approval (NADA) for MT in tilapia.
PROGESS AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OBJECTIVE 1
A method to measure MT in fish feed has been developed. The method has already been published in a peer-reviewed journal. The method was also submitted to the CVM for review; on Oct. 21, 2005 the method was accepted by CVM for use in the studies proposed under Objective 2.
OBJECTIVE 2
A detailed experimental protocol was written describing the required studies (i.e., the feed stability, homogeneity, segregation experiments) and submitted to CVM for review. The review process took several months; the CVM review was received in September 2005 suggesting some changes to the protocol. The revised protocol will be resubmitted to CVM in October 2005. The suggested changes were relatively minor, and all of the proposed studies can now proceed before receiving final approval from CVM on the protocol revisions. One change could delay the completion of the studies. CVM indicated that the homogeneity study must be conducted using at least three commercial-sized batches of feed. Such batches are only made every six months or so, and the next batch is not scheduled be made until the spring of 2006. Negotiations are currently underway with CVM to allow use of only one batch of feed to complete the study, or to use smaller-sized batches.
OBJECTIVE 4
The LC-MS method to detect MT in water/sediment is currently under development. However, based on the preliminary method development data submitted to CVM with the water study protocol (see Objective 5 below), CVM informed the investigators that the biodegradation experiments could begin without final CVM approval of the analytical method.
OBJECTIVE 5
A detailed experimental protocol was written describing the required biodegradation experiments. The review took several months; the CVM review was received in late September 2005. Several changes were made to the protocol, as suggested by CVM. A revised protocol was resubmitted to CVM in October 2005. The biodegradation studies, however, will begin before final CVM approval of this revised protocol is received, tentatively in November 2005.
An unexpected early challenge in this study was the extremely high cost of custom synthesizing carbon-14-labeled MT ([14C]-MT). However, a source a source of [14C]-MT was found and sufficient quantities were purchased within the budget to conduct the proposed studies. A thin-layer chromatography (TLC) method was developed to purify [14C]-MT. A preliminary biodegradation experiment was conducted using [14C]-MT and high organic sediment under aerobic conditions. Approximately 50% of the [14C]-MT was mineralized completely to C02 within one month.
OBJECTIVES 3 and 6
Conducting the experiments according to protocols used by the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) investigators will help insure acceptance of these studies by CVM. After NCRAC funding was received, it was discovered that the investigatory laboratories had to be fully GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) compliant, or the studies would be rejected by CVM. In the submitted protocols, CVM was informed that the UW-Madison laboratories were not, and could not become, fully GLP compliant. The investigators were informed by CVM, however, that this is acceptable as long as certain elements of accepted GLP procedures are adhered to.
WORK PLANNED
An analytical method to measure very low concentrations of MT in water is currently being developed. The feed studies (Objective 2) could begin as early as the first week of November 2005, but no later than December 2005. The exact start date will depend on the availability of feed from Rangen, Inc. Notification has been received from CVM that the water studies (Objective 5) can begin immediately. The required incubation units, purifying additional [14C]-MT, and refining our extraction methods are currently being built.
IMPACTS
Approval by CVM for the use of MT to manipulate the gender of tilapia will result in improved production efficiency and, thus, profitability for those in the U.S. who are commercially culturing these fish.
PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, OR PAPERS PRESENTED
See the Appendix for a cumulative output for all NCRAC-funded Aquaculture Drugs activities.
SUPPORT
|
YEAR |
NCRAC-USDA FUNDING |
OTHER SUPPORT |
TOTAL SUPPORT |
||||
|
UNIVER-SITY |
INDUSTRY |
OTHER FEDERAL |
OTHER |
TOTAL |
|||
|
2004-05 |
$223,677 |
|
|
|
|
|
$223,677 |
|
TOTAL |
$223,677 |
|
|
|
|
|
$223,677 |
AQUACULTURE DRUGS: 17α-METHYLTESTOSTERONE TARGET ANIMAL SAFETY STUDY [2]
Progress Report for the Period
December 15, 2004 to August 31, 2005
NCRAC FUNDING: $23,730 (December 15, 2004 to August 31, 2005)
PARTICIPANT:
|
Anita M. Kelly |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale |
Illinois |
|
Industry Advisory Council Liaison: |
||
|
Rosalie A. Schnick |
National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator |
Wisconsin |
|
Extension Liaison: |
|
|
|
Joseph E. Morris |
Iowa State University |
Iowa |
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
(1) Interact with the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) to determine the study design and protocol.
(2) Submit the study protocol to CVM and gain acceptance from CVM for the study protocol.
(3) Conduct a target animal safety study using 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) on tilapia according to CVM guidelines for a target animal safety study in feed under good laboratory practices (GLP).
(4) Write the final study report and submit to CVM through the MT Investigational New Animal Drug (INAD) Coordinator at Auburn University.
(5) Provide progress reports to the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC).
(6) Gain acceptance from CVM for the target animal safety study on MT in tilapia.
ANTICIPATED BENEFITS
The ability of aquaculturists to produce a fish that is uniform in growth and expends little energy toward reproduction will increase the profits and production from a facility. Currently, determination of the gender of tilapia by visual inspection is relatively difficult until the fish have obtained sexual maturity. Sex inversion of fish prior to sexual differentiation would enable the production of monosex populations. Under an existing INAD, tilapia are being sex inverted using 17-α methyltestosterone. However, in order for this hormone to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a target animal safety study must be conducted and approved by FDA/CVM. This study will complete the target animal safety study.
PROGESS AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OBJECTIVE 1
Dr. Kelly has been in constant communication with CVM and developed a protocol that was submitted on August 30, 2005. The late submittal of this protocol is the result of one area of the protocol that needed to be addressed. In order for the target animal safety study to be started, it is necessary for the investigators to know the concentration of MT within the feed is equivalent to that proposed in the protocol. The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) has developed a method to determine the MT concentrations in feed and submitted that method to CVM on March 31, 2005. This was the desired method to be used for the protocol for the target animal safety study. Original communications with UW-Madison indicated they would do the analysis. However, they quoted a price of $500/sample. Dr. Terry Barry of UW-Madison attempted to get the cost of analysis reduced, however, the cost of the analysis went up because the methods chemist discovered that we had more than one concentration to be analyzed. At the advice of Dr. Don Prather, Aquaculture Drugs Team Leader at CVM, CanTest, Inc. in Canada was contacted (this company did the MT analysis for Rangen in the years prior to CVM wanting an approved method). The division that does the analysis is currently not GLP certified. They expect to be GLP certified in 9 months or more. The GLP division quoted a price of $57,400 to transfer the method and analyze the 12 samples that would be produced. Based on the fact that this project is funded for $50,000 only, another plan has been developed. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (SIUC) has a standard operating plan for extracting and analyzing MT from feed. That plan has been submitted to CVM for approval to analyze the feed samples not only for the target animal safety study, but also for other entities that need validation that the feed contains a certain amount of MT. During the 11th Annual U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Drug Approval Coordination Workshop held August 2-3, 2005, approval was received from Dr. Prather to send the protocol to CVM with a general description of how the MT will be analyzed. If approval is not received from CVM, a protocol deviation request could be submitted.
OBJECTIVE 2
The protocol was submitted on August 8, 2005 to the USFWS Aquatic Animal Drug Approval Partnership Program, holders of the INAD who must submit all protocols to CVM. The protocol was submitted on August 30, 2005.
WORK PLANNED
Objectives 3-6 will be completed once CVM has approved the target animal safety protocol.
IMPACTS
Approval by CVM for the use of MT to manipulate the gender of tilapia will result in improved production efficiency and, thus, profitability for those in the U.S. who are commercially culturing these fish.
PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, OR PAPERS PRESENTED
See the Appendix for a cumulative output for all NCRAC-funded Aquaculture Drugs activities.
SUPPORT
|
YEAR |
NCRAC-USDA FUNDING |
OTHER SUPPORT |
TOTAL SUPPORT |
||||
|
UNIVER-SITY |
INDUSTRY |
OTHER FEDERAL |
OTHER |
TOTAL |
|||
|
2004-05 |
$23,730 |
|
|
|
|
|
$23,730 |
|
TOTAL |
$23,730 |
|
|
|
|
|
$23,730 |
Progress Report for the Period
May 1, 1989 to August 31, 2005
NCRAC FUNDING LEVEL: $549,706 (May 1, 1989 to August 31, 2005)
PARTICIPANTS:
|
Fred P. Binkowski |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee |
Wisconsin |
|
James M. Ebeling |
Ohio State University |
Ohio |
|
Robert D. Espeseth |
University of Illinois |
Illinois |
|
Donald L. Garling |
Michigan State University |
Michigan |
|
Jeffrey L. Gunderson |
University of Minnesota-Duluth |
Minnesota |
|
F. Robert Henderson |
Kansas State University |
Kansas |
|
Chester L. Hill |
North Dakota State University |
North Dakota |
|
John N. Hochheimer |
Ohio State University |
Ohio |
|
Paul B. Jarvis |
North Dakota State University |
North Dakota |
|
Anne R. Kapuscinski |
University of Minnesota |
Minnesota |
|
Terrence B. Kayes |
University of Nebraska-Lincoln |
Nebraska |
|
David L. Klinkebiel |
North Dakota State University |
North Dakota |
|
Ronald E. Kinnunen |
Michigan State University |
Michigan |
|
Christopher C. Kohler |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale |
Illinois |
|
David J. Landkamer |
University of Minnesota |
Minnesota |
|
Charles D. Lee |
Kansas State University |
Kansas |
|
Frank R. Lichtkoppler |
Ohio State University |
Ohio |
|
Terry A. Messmer |
North Dakota State University |
North Dakota |
|
Jeff Mittlemark |
University of Minnesota |
Minnesota |
|
Joseph E. Morris |
Iowa State University |
Iowa |
|
Kenneth E. Neils |
Kansas State University |
Kansas |
|
Robert A. Pierce II |
University of Missouri |
Missouri |
|
Shawn H. Sanders |
North Dakota State University |
North Dakota |
|
Daniel A. Selock |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale |
Illinois |
|
John P. Slusher |
University of Missouri |
Missouri |
|
Fred L. Snyder |
Ohio State University |
Ohio |
|
Brian R. Stange |
North Dakota State University |
North Dakota |
|
LaDon Swann |
Purdue University |
Indiana/Illinois |
|
Laura G.Tiu |
Ohio State University |
Ohio |
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
(1) Strengthen linkages between North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) Research and Extension Work Groups.
(2) Enhance the NCRAC extension network for aquaculture information transfer.
(3) Develop and implement aquaculture educational programs for the North Central Region (NCR).
ANTICIPATED BENEFITS
Members of the NCRAC Extension Work Group have promoted and advanced commercial aquaculture in a responsible fashion through an organized education/ training outreach program. The primary benefits are:
< Increased public awareness through publications, short courses, and conferences regarding the potential of aquaculture as a viable agricultural enterprise in the NCR;
< Technology transfer to enhance current and future production methodologies for selected species, e.g., walleye and hybrid striped bass, through hands-on workshops and field demonstration projects;
< Improved lines of communication between interstate aquaculture extension specialists and associated industry contacts;
< Access to information by the aquaculture industry through 24-hour access to worldwide aquaculture information (i.e., photographs and publications);
< An enhanced legal and socioeconomic atmosphere for aquaculture in the NCR; and
< Continued development of state producer organizations that are engaged in identifying and providing solutions to industry issues.
<
PROGRESS AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OBJECTIVE 1
Aquaculture Extension Work Group members have:
< Served as an extension liaison, if not an active researcher, for every NCRAC-funded project.
< Provided the NCRAC Economics and Marketing Work Group with information relevant to that group's efforts to develop production budgets.
< Participated as Steering Committee members for a regional public forum regarding revision of the National Aquaculture Development Plan, the three past National Aquaculture Extension Workshops/Conferences, as well as the proposed 4th National Aquaculture Extension Workshop/ Conference.
< Served as writers and reviewers of several white papers for NCRAC.
< Served as Steering Committee members of state-specific aquaculture conferences as well as state aquaculture coordinating councils.
OBJECTIVE 2
The demand for aquaculture extension education programs cannot be met by the few specialists in the NCR (currently less than 3.0 full time equivalents). A NCRAC white paper on extension presents several strategies to address this concern.
Networking of specialists and Cooperative Extension Service (CES)-designated contacts has maximized efficiency of education programs and minimized duplication. Individual state extension contacts often respond to 120+ annual calls from outside their respective state as well as interacting with colleagues with mutual concerns related to developing aquaculture activities. Many of these requests have been met by providing fact sheets, technical bulletins, and detailed responses to both generalized and specialized questions. This extension network is critical to being able to match specific aquaculture questions with the best source of information, e.g., crawfish and leech information with Gunderson; yellow perch information with Garling, Binkowski and Tiu; and sunfish information with Morris.
The Aquaculture Network Information Center (AquaNIC [http://aquanic.org/]) was established at Purdue University (Purdue) in 1994 through funds from the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program. AquaNIC hardware is housed in the Department of Animal Sciences at Purdue and is coordinated by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program.
AquaNIC was the first U.S. aquaculture Web site and is globally one of the most widely accessed and cited aquaculture Web sites. More than 1,000 individual, educational, commercial, and governmental, Web sites link to AquaNIC as a source of online aquaculture information. In 2003-2005, there were >40 million hits (downloaded items) and >4 million visits by individuals from 164 countries.
AquaNIC is reaching increasingly more users in additional countries each year and is serving to enhance not only the NCRAC extension of aquaculture information transfer, but also to meet AquaNIC's stated goal as the gateway to the world's electronic resources in aquaculture.
AquaNIC is currently ranked in the top 8% of all Web sites visited worldwide by www.ranking.com, a professional internet monitoring company that keeps track of almost 900,000 Web sites around the globe.
Aquaculture handbooks have been developed and distributed to each NCRAC-designated aquaculture extension contact and selected CES and Sea Grant field staff member.
As with any organization, there have been changes in NCRAC extension personnel since the inception of the project. For instance, Landkamer was the primary aquaculture extension contact for Minnesota. In the intervening years, he has been replaced by Kapuscinski and then by Gunderson. Two other individuals were replaced in 1994. In Kansas, Neils replaced Henderson and in Illinois, Kohler replaced Selock. Lee replaced Neils in Kansas in 1996. Hochheimer, who replaced Ebeling in Ohio, left Ohio State University; Tiu was appointed as the aquaculture extension specialist for Ohio in 1998. Sanders was appointed as the extension contact for North Dakota in 1998 replacing Klinkebiel. Upon Sanders' resignation, Brian Stange followed and was replaced by Paul Jarvins in 1999. Chet Hill replaced Jarvis in 2002. Jerry Mills is now the appointed NCRAC Extension contact for South Dakota. As of 1999, Kayes is no longer with Nebraska Extension; to date no replacement has been designated. In 2000, Swann resigned from Purdue/Illinois Sea Grant; that position is currently open with Michael Plumer serving Illinois and Brian Miller serving Indiana in the interim.
OBJECTIVE 3
A number of workshops, conferences, videos, field-site visits, hands-on training sessions, and other educational programs have been developed and implemented in cooperation with members of the NCRAC Research Group; extension contacts have assisted with the planning, promotion, and implementation these workshops. The workshops have been on general aquaculture principles, fish diseases, commercial recirculation systems, cage culture, aquaculture business planning, pond management (fish and vegetation), water quality, and taxa-specific topics, e.g., baitfish, channel catfish, crayfish, hybrid striped bass, leech, rainbow trout, sunfish, walleye, and yellow perch culture, as well as in-service training for high school vocational-agricultural teachers. Depending on the workshop, the number in attendance often exceeded 100. Through these workshops, critical issues in the private aquaculture industry have been identified, e.g., market availability, economic returns, and regulatory concerns.
Four North Central Regional Aquaculture Conferences have been held. The first in Kalamazoo, Michigan was held in March 1991; the second was held in February 1995 in Minneapolis, Minnesota; the third conference was held in Indianapolis, Indiana; and the fourth was held February 1999 in Colombia, Missouri. These regional meetings were attended by hundreds of individuals including persons from Canada.
On April 10, 1993, over 700 viewers from 35 states and Canada watched the first national interactive teleconference on aquaculture, "Investing in Freshwater Aquaculture," that was broadcast from Purdue. It was a televised satellite broadcast for potential fish farmers.
A Yellow Perch Producers' Forum was conducted in Hudson, Wisconsin on January 21-22, 2000. NCRAC extension contacts helped design the forum. The goals of the forum were to: (1) increase profitability and sustainability of existing perch producers, (2) increase cooperation between and among producers, researchers, and extension personnel, and (3) identify yellow perch research and extension needs.
Kinnunen was instrumental in developing and compiling support for the "Environmental Strategies for Aquaculture Symposium." This two-day meeting took place during the 62nd Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 5-6, 2000. The symposium provided a forum where industry, resource management agencies, and environmental/conservation organizations could discuss the scientific information available and/or needed to make reasoned decisions regarding aquaculture development. Several NCRAC state aquaculture extension contacts, i.e., Gunderson, Morris, Kinnunen, and Tiu, participated in the planning of or made presentations in this symposium.
In 2000, a workshop entitled "Organic Aquaculture Standards Workshop" was developed and supported by Minnesota extension contacts. With support from the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, Packard Foundation, and the University of Minnesota's Extension Service, 43 national and international participants came together to address issues of concern regarding the National Organic Standards Board's organic aquaculture standards.
The NCR is dotted with unused agriculture buildings harkening to the days when small farms could survive raising small numbers of hogs or chickens. One option that many are exploring is converting the buildings for aquaculture use. To help farmers further explore this option, a videoconference workshop was designed and produced to explore the pros and cons of converting existing agricultural buildings into fish culture facilities. This workshop, held November 16, 2002 in Lima, Ohio, was sponsored by NCRAC, Ohio State University, and the OAA, and was broadcast to several sites throughout the Midwest, including Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. Notebook materials from this workshop are available online at http://southcenters.osu.edu/oaa/.
University of Wisconsin Great Lakes WATER Institute staff and Morris organized and conducted a "Yellow Perch Aquaculture Workshop" in Kearney, Nebraska on February 26, 2005. The workshop was part of a joint annual meeting of the Nebraska Aquaculture Association and the Nebraska Sandhills Yellow Perch Cooperative. Some of the topics covered were: Development and Maintenance of Yellow Perch Brood Stock, Intensive Aquaculture Technology for Yellow Perch, and Yellow Perch Production and Costs: Case Studies of Three Wisconsin RASs.
NCRAC extension contacts have served as editors for regional aquaculture newsletters as well as in-state aquaculture associations; served on state aquaculture advisory councils and state aquaculture task forces; and assisted in the planning and implementation of state aquaculture association meetings.
Extension specialists have completed or assisted in the development of fact sheets, book chapters, and videos; these are often associated with NCRAC-funded research projects. Specific examples include assisting in developing, writing, and editing several culture manuals, e.g., Walleye Culture Manual, Sunfish Culture Guide, and the soon-to-be-completed Yellow Perch Manual. To date there are, in part, fact sheets on hybrid striped bass and walleye culture, technical bulletins on marketing, videos on sunfish culture as well as special publications on topics such as aquaculture effluents and waste by-products. In addition, Garling updated the State Importation and Transportation Requirements for Cultured Aquatic Animals Web page at
http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/ncrac/actr/index.htm. These extension materials, arising from the combined efforts of both extension specialists and researchers, help to address many questions concerning aquaculture in the NCR.
In addition to the previously mentioned areas, NCRAC extension specialists have been instrumental in fostering the continued growth of the aquaculture industry in the region. For example, Pierce created the Cooperative Extension Aquaculture and Marketing Educational Program to facilitate the development and implementation of aquaculture educational programs in Missouri. Tiu has also worked to revitalize the Ohio Aquaculture Association (OAA). She has continued to serve as advisor to OAA as well as representing Ohio aquaculture in meetings with Ohio Rural Development, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, the Negev Foundation, and Ohio Sea Grant.
Gunderson has worked to distribute information about the Environmental Assessment Tool for Land-based Aquaculture developed by Kapuscinski (University of Minnesota) under contract by the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission. Lee has worked with the Kansas Aquaculture Association to develop and fund a current directory of Kansas fish producers. This directory is available both as printed copy as well as through the internet.
Many of the NCRAC extension contacts have worked with industry and governmental representatives to produce state aquaculture plans and improved governmental regulations. Binkowski has worked with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection in the production of A Wisconsin Aquaculture Industry Profile Processor Survey 1998 and 1998 Wisconsin Aquaculture Directory.
Pierce served on the Missouri Aquaculture Coordinating Council (MAAC) which, in part, provides a forum for developing proactive strategies that address pertinent aquaculture issues as identified by the industry. He also provided leadership for developing aquaculture educational programs and information through the organization of an "Aquaculture Extension and Education" subcommittee of the MAAC, and continued to provide educational support for the Missouri Aquaculture Association's MOAA Newsletter and Web site, developed by the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
Pierce also provided educational assistance to extension field staff and Missouri aquaculture producers as the USDA Trade Adjustment Assistance Program was implemented. He also disseminated information developed by extension aquaculture specialists to Missouri catfish producers that highlighted eligibility requirements and technical assistance opportunities provided under the Trade Adjustment for Farmers Program.
Pierce served to collaborate in the development of an Aquaculture Field Day, conducted at the Lincoln University Carver Farm in October 2004. The field day results from a collaborative educational effort between Lincoln University Cooperative Research, University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC) Extension, UMC School of Natural Resources, the Missouri Department of Agriculture, and NCRAC.
Plumer conducted and chaired three meetings with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunities, University of Illinois Extension, Southern Illinois Fisheries Department, and aquaculture industry people to develop a plan for southern Illinois aquaculture industry. Ideas were developed on potential industry and for the type of support that is needed to grow the aquaculture industry. The results of the meetings resulted in funding appropriated from state government for $200,000 in the 2004‑05 budget to support the aquaculture industry. Most producers listed market availability, reliability, and price discovery as their first priorities and the limiting factor for more people to become involved in profitable aquaculture enterprise. Related to this development, Plumer served on the committee to hire a person for the Illinois‑Indiana Sea Grant Marketing position; Kwamena Quagrainie was hired in October 2005.
In recent years, processors and aquaculturists have needed continuing education and training in several aquaculture areas. For example, all fish processors, including those who handle aquaculture products, are now required by law to process their fish following Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) guidelines. Kinnunen has conducted numerous HACCP training workshops throughout the NCR. These workshops served to train fish processors on the principles of HACCP and to give them knowledge on how to develop and implement a HACCP plan for their specific facility. Attendees, who come from throughout the NCR, represent both public and private audiences, including Native Americans.
Additional HACCP training is in the area of nuisance species (ANS). NCRAC extension contacts have been responsive to arising issues for the NCR aquaculture industry. The aquaculture industry is accused of being an important vector for the spread of aquatic ANS like zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, round goby, and others because water and organisms are moved from one body to another. Minnesota and Michigan extension contacts worked with other aquaculture and exotic species specialists from around the region to address this issue important to many fish farmers in the NCR, especially people raising fish for stocking or baitfish. To better identify the risks of spreading exotic species and to reduce those risks, a HACCP approach was used. Extension specialists in Illinois/Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio are participating in this project. The project is designed to identify critical control points and to develop guidelines for controlling the spread of exotic species while not overburdening the industry with unnecessary regulations. At the OAA conference on "Culturing Bait and Freshwater Shrimp in Ohio" Kinnunen made a presentation on ANS‑HACCP. Kinnunen and Gunderson have continued to do ANS-HACCP training workshops involving Native American, state, and national natural resource agencies as well as private fish culturists.
In-service training of secondary teachers has taken placed in a number of states. For instance, teachers in Iowa, Ohio, and Wisconsin have received instruction in aquaculture.
Several states have on-site facilities that are used for extension programming. For instance, the facilities in Piketon, Ohio operated by Ohio State University, are used to inform the public about aquaculture as well as foster grass root support for this agriculture enterprise.
WORK PLANNED
Efforts will continue in regard to strengthening linkages between research and extension work groups as well as enhancing the network for aquaculture information transfer. Participants will also continue to provide in-service training for CES, Sea Grant, and other land owner assistance personnel.
Educational programs and materials will be developed and implemented. This includes final publication of the Yellow Perch Culture Guide.
Future HACCP workshops will be planned as needed in the NCR. Any additional workshops developed and hosted by state extension contacts will be advertised in surrounding states to take advantage of the NCRAC extension network and the individual expertise of Extension Work Group participants.
Planned work for the next year of the NCRAC "Base" Extension project includes continued maintenance of the AREF Web site and phone hotline, interaction with members of the IAC, and coordinating and participating in additional aquaculture workshops in conjunction with state aquaculture associations. In addition, new fact sheets will be produced through the review of previous NCRAC-funded research projects.
University of Wisconsin Great Lakes WATER Institute staff will also organize, coordinate, and participate in a basic aquaculture workshop to be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to serve the northern part of the NCR. Also, two workshops on early life history culture are being planned in cooperation with Morris.
The Ohio Center for Aquaculture Development plans to expand their extension programming by hosting the Regional Aquaculture Extension Specialist. Plans are underway to enhance Web‑based communications through the use of streaming videos and electronic fact sheets.
IMPACTS
< Development of aquaculture education programs for the NCR has provided "hands‑on" opportunities for prospective and experienced producers. More than 5,000 individuals have attended workshops or conferences organized and delivered by the NCRAC Extension Work Group.
< Fact sheets, technical bulletins, videos, and CDs have served to inform a variety of clients about numerous aquaculture practices for the NCR. For instance, "Making Plans for Commercial Aquaculture in the North Central Region" is often used to provide clients with initial information about aquaculture, while species-specific publications on walleye, trout, and catfish have been used in numerous regional meetings and have been requested by clients from throughout the United States. Publications on organizational structure for aquaculture businesses, transportation of fish in bags, and others are beneficial to both new and established aquaculturists. In a 1994 survey, NCRAC extension contacts estimated that NCRAC publications were used to address approximately 15,000 client questions annually.
< NCRAC extension outreach activities have helped to foster a better understanding and awareness for the future development of aquaculture in the region.
< AquaNIC has become an entry point for many people searching for aquaculture information on the Web. AquaNIC's home page now averages more than 3,000 visits per month by people from more than 50 countries.
< Fish processors who have attended NCRAC-sponsored HACCP Training Workshops have learned the principles of HACCP with regards to its importance in insuring the production of a safe fishery product. HACCP Plans have now been implemented by workshop attendees who are now keeping records of their daily processing and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures. About 200 fish processors and/or aquaculturists have attended HACCP Training Workshops.
< Kinnunen and Gunderson have been leaders in the development of ANS-HACCP workshops and materials. Attendees to these workshops have included both commercial culturists as well as culturists with natural resource agencies. Many of these individuals have implemented many of the principles of ANS-HACCP into their operations.
< In Ohio, an organized OAA has allowed producers to now have the forum necessary to encourage appropriate legislation necessary for the success of the aquaculture industry. Closer working relationships with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources resulted in the first electronic database of Aquaculture Permit Holders in Ohio. Two individuals who attended the Alternative Aquaculture Production workshop in Ohio have converted their barns and are now raising fish.
< The recently completed Web site, http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/ncrac/actr/index.htm has been useful for regional fish culturists who transport fish across state lines.
< Wide distribution of extension materials help clients make informed decisions.
< Closer working relationships with Ohio Department of Agriculture Resources resulted in the formation of an Aquatic Health task force.
< Continued management of three aquaculture list‑serves results in more effective dissemination of aquaculture information in Ohio.
< Over 1,000 people from the region gained aquaculture education through workshops and presentations hosted by Ohio staff.
< To measure the positive impact that the aquaculture research and extension activities are having in Ohio, one only needs to look at the numbers in the most recent Census's of Agriculture. The 1998 Census of Aquaculture reported 33 fish farms in Ohio with $1,788,000 in total sales. The 2002 Census of Agriculture reported 100 fish farms in Ohio with $3,338,000 in total sales. This means the number of fish farms in Ohio increased at a rate of 30%/year and the total aquaculture sales increased at a rate of 17%/year. If this rate of growth continues, it is anticipated that approximately 200 fish farms with sales of over $5.3 million will be reported in the 2005 Census of Aquaculture, set to be conducted by the National Agriculture Statistics Service. Previously unranked, aquaculture is now ranked 15th in Ohio for value of agriculture products sold.
< The OAA has been successful to the extent that after years of support by the University, they now provide support for an aquaculture research assistant by paying 1/5th of the salary.
< Results of the 2004 Producer Survey were presented at the IAC meeting prior to the NCRAC Annual Planning Meeting on February 11, 2005. The goal was to help the IAC better organize, prepare, and contribute to the planning meeting.
< The Yellow Perch Aquaculture Workshop in Nebraska resulted in many positive comments by the attendees. Beneficial information was presented to two aquaculture groups that are located in a generally isolated area of the NCR.
PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, WORKSHOPS, AND CONFERENCES
See the Appendix for a cumulative output for all NCRAC-funded Extension activities.
SUPPORT
|
YEARS |
NCRAC- USDA FUNDING |
OTHER SUPPORT |
TOTAL SUPPORT |
||||
|
UNIVER- SITY |
INDUSTRY |
OTHER FEDERAL |
OTHER |
TOTAL |
|||
|
1989-91 |
$107,610 |
$237,107 |
|
|
|
$237,107 |
$344,717 |
|
1991-93 |
$94,109 |
$152,952 |
|
|
|
$152,952 |
$247,061 |
|
1993-95 |
$110,129 |
$198,099 |
|
$250,000 |
$55,000 |
$503,099 |
$613,228 |
|
1995-97 |
$31,204 |
$149,325 |
$5,000 |
$84,000 |
|
$238,325 |
$269,529 |
|
1997-99 |
$38,000 |
$110,559 |
|
|
|
$110,559 |
$148,559 |
|
1999-01 |
$94,000 |
$108,124 |
|
|
|
$108,124 |
$202,124 |
|
2001-03 |
$46,654 |
$99,702 |
|
|
|
$99,702 |
$146,356 |
|
2003-05 |
$28,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
$28,000 |
|
TOTAL |
$549,706 |
$1,055,868 |
$5,000 |
$334,000 |
$55,000 |
$1,449,868 |
$1,999,574 |
AQUACULTURE REGIONAL EXTENSION FACILITATOR (AREF) [4]
Project Termination Report for the Period
September 1, 2003 to August 31, 2005
NCRAC FUNDING: $100,000 (September 1, 2003 to August 31, 2005)
PARTICIPANT:
|
Fred P. Binkowski |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee |
Wisconsin |
|
Industry Advisory Council Liaison: |
||
|
Forrest Williams |
Bay Port, Michigan |
Michigan |
|
Extension Liaison: |
|
|
|
Joseph E. Morris |
Iowa State University |
Iowa |
REASON FOR TERMINATION
The projects objectives were completed.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
(1) Develop communication strategies for the region, i.e., hotline, list server.
(2) Support state aquaculture associations.
(3) Develop a resource matrix.
(4) Organize regional conferencesC proceedings/publications.
(5) Information needs assessment of producers.
PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OBJECTIVE 1
As a result of this project two new communication aids have been established to assist aquaculture information transfer specific to the North Central Region (NCR): the AREF Web site and the dedicated phone hotline based through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER Institute.
AREF Web Site (www.ncaref.org): In January 2004, the North Central AREF Web site was established as a tool to assist current and potential aquaculturists of the NCR. This Web site embodies the aquaculture information resource matrix (see Objective 3) for the region and contains publications, state aquaculture associations' contact information, references, announcements, and calendars of events. The goal is to have a regionally focused, user-friendly resource for regional aquaculturists. The intent is not to duplicate, but to complement existing Web- based resources that typically take a broader sweeping view of aquaculture that can make it more difficult and time consuming to find an appropriate answer to a regionally specific inquiry. The AREF site consolidates contact information for regional expertise within the NCR and provides simplified access to regionally pertinent information resources. The AREF Web site will continue to be updated to provide current aquaculture information, with the focus being on the North Central and Great Lakes regions. The Great Lakes WATER Institute, in cooperation with Wisconsin Sea Grant, will take over the responsibility for supporting this initiative September 1, 2005.
AREF Phone Hotline (414-430-0326): The AREF phone service was established to provide the industry in the NCR with a personal response to address questions that cannot be answered using the Web site, and to address possible Aaquaculture emergencies. Questions related to AREF expertise are answered directly. If a question cannot be answered directly, the inquirer is directed to someone on the multidisciplinary "team of experts" who specializes in the specific field in question. The phone is answered Monday-Friday from 7:00 AM- 4:00 PM CST, with voice mail available for calls outside of these hours.
To develop awareness of the availability of the AREF Web site and phone service "hotline," over 1,200 colored post cards announcing these services were mailed to NCR aquaculturists. Since its inception, usage of the AREF Web site has been tracked by "Webilizer" software. During the second year of the project, the Web site was visited more than 11,000 times. The AREF phone hotline and e-mail have been a valuable communication resource for practicing and prospective regional aquaculturists.
OBJECTIVE 2
To facilitate communication within and between state associations, the AREF Web site contains contact information of each of the existing state aquaculture industry associations for the 12 state NCR, and links to existing state association Web sites. Contact information for the state aquaculture coordinators and pertinent regulatory agency contacts is also posted. The ready availability of this information is intended to assist communication and to support the state associations. The availability of these services was communicated to the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) Industry Advisory Council (IAC) and association officers. A presentation updating the AREF project was given to the Wisconsin Aquaculture Association on March 12, 2004 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. A PowerPoint presentation was given to the Michigan Aquaculture Association at their annual meeting on February 11, 2005 in Lansing, Michigan. The presentation highlighted the AREF Web site and the benefits it has on the regional aquaculture industry. A similar presentation was given to a joint meeting of the Nebraska Aquaculture Association and the Nebraska Sandhills Yellow Perch Cooperative on February 26, 2005 in Kearney, Nebraska. In addition, a presentation entitled "Yellow Perch Production and Costs: Case Studies of Three Wisconsin RASs" was given to the Wisconsin Aquaculture Association at their annual meeting in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin on March 11, 2005.
OBJECTIVE 3
The AREF Web site currently is organized to provide easily accessed information on inquires concerning appropriate NCR aquaculture species, various rearing systems, and individual state contacts. In addition, it has a general aquaculture topic category for topics that do not fit into the previously mentioned categories (effluents, water chemistry, marketing, etc.). It also provides a calendar of aquaculture events, links to other Web-based aquaculture information sources and organizations, and e-mail and phone contacts. The Web site is highly dynamic and updated continuously with the addition of current aquaculture information.
OBJECTIVE 4
In an effort to support state aquaculture associations (Objective 2) and disseminate current and beneficial aquaculture research to the industry, a "Yellow Perch Aquaculture Workshop" was organized and conducted in Kearney, Nebraska on February 26, 2005. The workshop was part of a joint annual meeting of the Nebraska Aquaculture Association and the Nebraska Sandhills Yellow Perch Cooperative. Some of the topics covered were: Development and Maintenance of Yellow Perch Broodstock; Intensive Aquaculture Technology for Yellow Perch; and Yellow Perch Production and Costs: Case Studies of Three Wisconsin RASs. Attendees at this conference included representatives from Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas.
OBJECTIVE 5
In December 2004, 1,277 NCR aquaculture producers (including all NCRAC IAC members) were sent a 10-question survey asking their opinions on regional aquaculture needs and constraints. The results were presented at the IAC meeting prior to the NCRAC Annual Program Planning Meeting on February 11, 2005. The results are also posted (http://www.ncaref.org/Producer%20Survey.htm) on the AREF Web site. In addition, the members of the NCRAC Technical Committees (Research and Extension) were asked (1) What do you feel is the most important issue related to the needs of the NCR aquaculture industry to make that industry advance and be profitable and (2) What do you feel is the most important issue related to the needs of your local aquaculture industry to make that industry advance and be profitable? The results of the surveys provided valuable information that is very relevant to regional industry needs, and can be used to benefit most producers. Additionally, these results will be important in crafting subsequent aquaculture surveys.
IMPACTS
< Usage of the AREF Web site, which provides the most current aquaculture information for the NCR, has steadily increased to more than 1,000 visits per month since its inception in January 2004.
< Results from the producer opinion surveys, questions and comments to the phone hotline, and discussions at aquaculture workshops and conferences have increased the awareness of regional aquaculture needs. By further examination and addressing these needs, the aquaculture industry in the NCR should advance at a much greater pace than in the past.
< AREF program clientele have improved access to information of direct use to their enterprises. The AREF Web site and phone hotline will continue to be active. These two resources are being successfully utilized by prospective and established fish farmers.
RECOMMENDED FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
The needs of the regional aquaculture industry must be identified on a continual basis. Industry needs change rapidly. Industry opinion surveys should continue to be distributed and analyzed. This is the most direct and productive approach to assess current regional industry needs. In addition, direct interaction with the NCRAC/IAC and Technical Committees is necessary to facilitate their preparation for annual planning meetings and to make sure new research projects reflect NCR industry needs. Regional conferences should continue to be organized. They allow the most up-to-date research to be shared between NCRAC researchers and regional aquaculturists. Conferences and workshops should also be provided more often to rural areas of the NCR (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas) and areas with less active aquaculture associations. Starting in September 2005, the UW-Great Lakes WATER Institute and Wisconsin Sea Grant will provide the necessary resources to continue the AREF project and provide aquaculture services to the North Central and Great Lakes regions.
PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, OR PAPERS PRESENTED
See the Appendix for a cumulative output for all NCRAC-funded Extension activities.
SUPPORT
|
YEAR |
NCRAC-USDA FUNDING |
OTHER SUPPORT |
TOTAL SUPPORT |
||||
|
UNIVER-SITY |
INDUSTRY |
OTHER FEDERAL |
OTHER |
TOTAL |
|||
|
2003-05 |
$100,000 |
$18,046 |
|
$3,913 |
$18,046 |
$40,005 |
$140,005 |
|
TOTAL |
$100,000 |
$18,046 |
|
$3,913 |
$18,046 |
$40,005 |
$140,005 |
Project Termination Report for the Period
September 1, 2001 to August 31, 2005
NCRAC FUNDING: $310,000 (September 1, 2001 to May 30, 2005)
PARTICIPANTS:
|
Paul B. Brown |
Purdue University |
Indiana |
|
Christopher C. Kohler |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale |
Illinois |
|
William C. Nelson |
North Dakota State University |
North Dakota |
|
Industry Advisory Council Liaison: |
||
|
Forrest Williams |
Bay Port Aquaculture, Bay Port |
Michigan |
|
Extension Liaison: |
|
|
|
Joseph E. Morris |
Iowa State University |
Iowa |
|
Non-Funded Collaborators: |
|
|
|
David LaBomascus |
Genesis, Inc., Cedar Rapids |
Iowa |
REASON FOR TERMINATION
The project objectives were completed.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
(1) Marketing
a. Investigate and document current and potential demand (prices and quantities) for hybrid striped bass (live and processed), clearly identifying consumer groups, processors, and distributors by location, seasonality of demand, size preferences, unique demand attributes, i.e., "healer fish" in Chinese culture, and impact of increased supplies on market prices of hybrid striped bass and competitive species.
b. Estimate the processing and distribution costs (supply chain costs and margins) to derive expected "farm gate live weight" prices as a function of producer and consumer locations.
c. Conduct limited taste testing on hybrid striped bass to determine the effect of different feed rations.
d. Develop a Web page that would be a component of the NCRAC Web site that would provide analysis results to clientele quickly and to allow easy updates.
e. Design and investigate willingness of hybrid striped bass producers to become a part of a current market information system.
(2) Compare phase III production parameters and feed costs of hybrid striped bass/sunshine bass (female white bass H male striped bass) in ponds and recirculating aquaculture systems using commercially available diets (32, 36, and 40% protein) in a minimum of two locations (three feed treatments/ location), with 100 g " 20 g (3.5 oz " 0.7 oz) phase III fish (minimum of three replications/treatment), in ponds at least 0.04 ha (0.1 acre), with a stocking density of 7,413 fish/ha (3,000 fish/acre), or in tanks at least 1,83 L/tank (500 gal/tank) with a 60 g/L (0.5 lb/gal) at harvest loading density. A need also exists to identify cost-effective, commercially available diets for phase III production.
PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OBJECTIVE 1
Work on this objective was undertaken by researchers at North Dakota State University (NDSU). As a part of this objective NDSU researchers conducted background research on domestic and international aquaculture markets to gain knowledge on the general structure of the aquaculture industry.
It was determined that demand for U.S. hybrid striped bass is mainly fresh product (still over 80% in 2002) to Asian markets in the United States and Canada. The live market is the most rapidly expanding portion of the market with over a 60% increase from 2001 to 2002, and more than doubling by 2004. Markets are concentrated in larger cities such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and Toronto. However, Asian populations have increased in other areas of the U.S. over the last ten years as shown by Census maps; these areas need to be looked into for new or increasing markets for hybrid striped bass. Other ethnic groups, including Hispanic/Latinos and African Americans, have also shown an interest in hybrid striped bass according to various studies.
The demand for hybrid striped bass shows a typical relationship between volume and price, as volume increases, price decreases. From 1984 to 2004, the fresh sales price has gradually decreased from $11.02 to $5.51/kg ($5.00 to $2.50/lb) to while volume increased from 0.45 to 5.21 kg (1 to 11.5 million lb). Given North Carolina estimates of costs of pond production of hybrid striped bass of $4.19/kg ($1.90/lb) in 2001, these prices provide a fair return to producers. The price has been relatively stable since the late 1990s.
The marketing channel for hybrid striped bass is similar to most aquaculture products; producer to a broker to processor to wholesaler to food service or retail market. Ownership of the product is transferred at each step. In some cases, two of these steps are combined, i.e., broker/processor or processor/wholesaler. Starting with a producer price of $5.51/kg ($2.50/lb), there is typically a processor sales price of $11.02, wholesaler price of $13.23, and retail market price of $17.64 per kilogram ($5.00, $6.00, and $8.00 per pound, respectively). The price increases from level to level reflect real costs of transportation, processing, handling, and profits. From a regional or national perspective, there is substantial competition at the broker level with the number of firms in the industry decreasing at the processor and wholesaler level. Competition leads to efficiency and decreases opportunity for excess profits. There still can be local situations where the initial buyer has nearly a monopoly in the market.
NDSU researchers also found that there are several types of cooperatives that could work for the aquaculture industry. These include: Purchasing; Marketing; Processing and Marketing; and New Generation Processing and Marketing. However, the lack of interest by producers in developing their own marketing organizations, or the failure of these organizations, supports the conclusion that the current marketing/ processing system works quite well. NDSU's survey of producers revealed very little interest in forming marketing cooperatives, which was consistent with results of a NCRAC-funded project by Sue Kohler in 2004.
Taste testing to determine the effect of feed rations was not conducted due to the inability of accessing the proper expertise and facilities.
The Web page component of the project was to be limited in scope. However, to make the results of the project more accessible at a low cost, a decision was made to expand the site and make it a very comprehensive collection of information for the hybrid striped bass industry. It includes the summary report of the marketing portion of this project. The content of the site was organized into eight major sections (Fish Information; Research; Producers; Links; Literature; Recipes; Contacts; and Videos/Presentations). Information from this activity will be incorporated in a new Web site being designed for NCRAC by Iowa State University staff.
OBJECTIVE 2
Southern Illinois University‑Carbondale (SIUC) researchers investigated stock densities, culture systems, e.g., vertical raceways, ponds, recirculating aquaculture systems and cages, as well protein levels (32, 36, and 40% protein). Fish were stocked into vertical raceways (~8 m3 [282 ft3]) at two different densities (188 fish/m3 [5.3 fish/ft3] and 125 fish/m3 [3.5 fish/ft3), and fed 40% crude protein for 121 days. Fish production was negatively significantly affected by stocking density.
Fish grown in the vertical floating raceways were subsequently stocked by SIUC researchers into 12, 0.04‑ha (0.1‑acre) earthen ponds supplied with continuous aeration in April 2002. These phase III fish were stocked at a density of 6,177 fish/ha (2,500 fish/acre) and fed using diets with the same three protein levels. Fish were harvested in November 2002. There were no significant differences in fish production, dress out percentage, and feed conversion relative to the three dietary treatments. Production costs attributable to feed were $1.25, $1.38, and $1.41/kg ($0.57, $0.63, and $0.64/lb) gain for the 32, 36, and 40% protein feeds, respectively.
In addition to the previous studies, SIUC researchers investigated the use of a recirculating aquaculture system. Results from the SIUC recirculating aquaculture system study suggest that using finishing diets can reduce production costs of feeds when fish are fed to satiation during phase III of intensive production in a recirculating aquaculture system. Although fish fed diets containing lower concentrations of crude protein, 32% and 35%, respectively, consumed significantly more feed and did not gain weight maximally, the cost of feed per mass of fish produced was less, indicating that feeding reduced protein and energy near the end of the grow out cycle (~500 g [18 oz or 1.1 lb] individual fish weight) can be a cost effective strategy. While costs associated with feed used per mass of fish produced were not statistically significant, SIUC data indicate a cost reduction of $4,000 on 45,360 kg (100,000 lb) of fish produced. Also, because producing fish rapidly is often a primary goal in aquaculture, and the fish fed diets containing lower protein and energy still grew within 95% of the maximum, these factors become important when examining the fluctuating costs of feeds and should be considered as an optional feeding strategy when feed prices are high.
Two practical diets were formulated by SIUC researchers to contain 45% crude protein and 15% lipid with different highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) concentrations: (1) production diet (corn oil); and (2) finishing diet (fish oil). In a recirculating aquaculture system, there were no significant differences in fish production and fillet quality between these two diets. By implementing finishing diets in the production cycle, long‑chain n‑3 HUFA content may be augmented in fillets while dependence on dietary fish oil is reduced.
Researchers at Purdue University (Purdue) developed three production diets for grow out of hybrid striped bass. Those diets contained 32, 36, or 40% dietary crude protein, high levels of soybean meal, low levels of fish meal, and the essential amino acid profile determined optimal in previous laboratory studies. Fish were acquired from Keo Fish Farms (Keo, Arkansas) before the project actually began October 2001, and stocked into nine earthen 0.1-ha (0.25-acre) culture ponds in excess of 7,920 fish/ha (3,600 fish/acre) at the Purdue Aquaculture Research Laboratory (three ponds per each protein level). In 2002, ponds were seined and fish restocked at 7,920 fish/ha (3,600 fish/acre) into the same nine ponds.
Purdue researchers completed a laboratory study examining the best method of balancing diets for fish. Based on those data, balancing the essential amino acid needs of fish as a function of the dietary crude protein yielded the highest weight gains. Using those data, and results from a series of laboratory studies, Purdue researchers formulated practical diets containing 32, 36, or 40% crude protein and fed those diets to hybrid striped bass in earthen culture ponds (0.1 ha or 0.25 acre) for two full growing seasons. There were no significant differences in weight gain (average size of fish was 0.86 kg [1.9 lb]), feed conversion ratio (average 1.62 across all three treatments), or final standing crop average of 5,836 kg/ha (6,543 lb/acre). Feed costs ranged from $0.53/kg ($0.24/lb) for the 32% protein diet to $0.60/kg ($0.27/lb) for the 40% protein diet.
IMPACTS
< While the principal impact will be upon producers' profits, it is impossible to estimate the degree of impact of the information generated and effect of a market information cooperative at this time.
< The production of hybrid striped bass as a food fish is rapidly developing as a viable industry in the North Central Region (NCR). For example, production of food‑size hybrid striped bass in Illinois approached 113,400 kg (250,000 lb) in 2003. Results from this study further demonstrated the viability of rearing hybrid striped bass in ponds in at least the lower portion of the NCR. The indoor recirculating aquaculture system studies at SIUC also demonstrated the feasibility of raising these fish in such systems.
< Satiation feeding of fish in this study clearly contributed to improved feed efficiency and is commonly observed in studies where fish are fed in this manner. By utilizing a reduced protein and energy diet for larger fish, coupled with satiation feeding instead of feeding fish a restricted rate, costs can be reduced for pounds of fish produced.
< Feed represents the largest variable cost in intensive production of phase III hybrid striped bass, with protein levels and sources having the greatest affect on feed cost. Developments in dietary formulations will result in new, modern diets that meet the unique nutritional requirements of this species, while reducing ammonia and carbon dioxide excretion. Further, these diets contain ingredients that are available in the NCR and that can be manufactured in the region.
< Using a finishing diet at the end of the production cycle may affect the nutritional value of fish fillets to the consumer, preserve marketability of aquaculture products, and reduce perceived economic and environmental pressures of using marine‑based feedstuffs.
< Based on data from this project, NCR producers now have new formulations for hybrid striped bass that have been tested in small‑scale pond production situations at commercial densities. Further, consumption of feed was highest at temperatures of 19B26EC (66B79EF), typical of pond temperatures in the NCR in the summer. These formulations should be significantly less expensive and readily manufactured in the NCR.
RECOMMENDED FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
< Development of procedures for pond feed training during phase I to reduce costs and increase survival of fish.
< Complete diets for all phases of hybrid striped bass grow out are still needed.
< There is a need to develop brood stock diets specific for white bass and striped bass.
< Fatty livers are a common phenomenon in cultured hybrid striped bass. Whether fatty livers present a health problem for hybrid striped bass remains unknown.
PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, AND PAPERS PRESENTED
See the Appendix for a cumulative output for all NCRAC-funded Hybrid Striped Bass activities.
SUPPORT
|
YEARS |
NCRAC-USDA FUNDING |
OTHER SUPPORT |
TOTAL SUPPORT |
||||
|
UNIVER-SITY |
INDUSTRY |
OTHER FEDERAL |
OTHER |
TOTAL |
|||
|
2001-05 |
$310,000 |
$128,053 |
|
|
|
$128,053 |
$438,053 |
|
TOTAL |
$310,000 |
$128,053 |
|
|
|
$128,053 |
$438,053 |
NATIONAL COORDINATOR FOR AQUACULTURE
INADs/NADAs [6]
Progress Report for the Period
September 1, 2004 to August 31, 2005
NCRAC FUNDING: $24,000 (July 15, 2004 to August 31, 2006)
PARTICIPANT:
|
Rosalie A. Schnick |
Michigan State University |
Wisconsin |
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
(1) Ensure effective communications among groups involved with Investigational New Animal Drug/New Animal Drug Applications (INADs/NADAs), including Canada.
(2) Serve as an information conduit between INAD/NADA applicants and the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM).
(3) Identify and encourage prospective INAD participants to become involved in specific investigational studies and NADA approval-related research.
(4) Seek the support and participation of pharmaceutical sponsors for INAD studies and NADAs and coordinate with INAD/NADA sponsors to achieve CVM approval more quickly.
(5) Guide prospective and current INAD holders on the format for INAD exemption requests and related submissions to CVM.
(6) Identify existing data and remaining data requirements for NADA approvals.
(7) Review, record, and provide information on the status of INADs and NADAs.
(8) Encourage and seek opportunities for consolidating the INAD/NADA applications.
(9) Coordinate educational efforts on aquaculture drugs as appropriate.
(10) Identify potential funding sources for INAD/NADA activities.
ANTICIPATED BENEFITS
Investigation and approval of safe therapeutic and production drugs for use by the aquaculture industry are some of the highest priorities currently facing the industry. At present, only a few approved compounds are available to the industry and further development of the aquaculture industry is severely constrained by a lack of approved drugs essential for treating more than 50 known aquaculture diseases. CVM has afforded the aquaculture industry throughout the United States with a "window of opportunity" to seek approval of legal drugs to be used in their production practices. The need for additional drugs is great, but securing data necessary to satisfy the requirements of CVM for drug approval is time consuming, costly, and procedures are rigorous. The INAD/NADA process is the one method that allows the industry to provide CVM with data on efficacy and also aids producers in their production practices.
Coordination and educational efforts directed toward potential INAD/NADA applicants will save time and effort for both the industry and CVM. The National Coordinator for Aquaculture New Animal Drug Applications (National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator) serves as a conduit between an INAD/NADA applicant and CVM. The National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator helps to alleviate time demands on CVM staff, thus allowing more time to process a greater number of applications as well as increasing the breadth of research endeavors within the industry. The grouping of INAD applicants should help to alleviate redundancy, amalgamate efforts, and increase the amount of efficacy data, all of which should result in greater progress toward developing available, approved therapeutic and production drugs.
PROGRESS AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AQUI-S7CANESTHETIC
Two initial label claims in progress: zero withdrawal anesthetic for all salmonids and coolwater and warmwater fish.
(1) In February 2004, the National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator obtained $60,000 in funding through the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) for the radiolabeled material needed for the total residue depletion study on AQUI-S7 to be conducted by the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC). The funds were provided to the sponsor, AQUI-S New Zealand LTD., so that the purchase of the material did not have to go through the bidding process as would have been required for a federal agency. The material was purchased in the fall of 2004 and UMESC started the study in early 2005. UMESC completed the laboratory portion of the total residue depletion study on rainbow trout in the spring of 2005 and will complete the final report for submission to the Center for Veterinary Medicine by the end of December 2005.
(2) CVM accepted from the Aquatic Animal Drug Approval Partnership Program (AADAPP) as pivotal studies on hybrid striped bass (September 23, 2004), rainbow trout (November 12, 2004), channel catfish and tilapia (June 17, 2005), and pallid sturgeon, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass (July 1, 2005). CVM accepted as supportive studies on Chinook salmon (July 30, 2004), largemouth bass (October 12, 2004), channel catfish (January 7, 2005) and pallid sturgeon, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass (July 1, 2005). AADAPP submitted pivotal efficacy studies on Chinook salmon (May 10 and 27, and June 7, 2005) and supportive efficacy studies on rainbow trout (April 20, 2005) channel catfish (April 21, 2005) and Chinook salmon (May 26, 2005).
(3) The National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator prepared a fact sheet on the need for a zero withdrawal anesthetic and compared the approval efforts on AQUI-S7 with the regulatory status of MS-222, clove oil, sodium bicarbonate, and carbon dioxide gas. This fact sheet along with a cover letter was sent to all International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA) Drug Approval Working Group members, state fish chiefs, and aquaculture organizations in October 2004.
(4) On February 12, 2005, the National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator requested $150,000 in funding from the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) for the AQUI-S7 marker residue depletion studies in coolwater and warmwater fish.
(5) On February 16, 2005; the National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator developed a request for funding for AQUI-S7 residue chemistry studies and columnaris disease efficacy studies using a disease model to the IAFWA National Conservation Need (NCN). The NCN was accepted on March 17, 2005.
(6) On April 18, 2005, the sponsor provided a response to CVM comments on the analytical method in water.
(7) On April 30, 2005, the sponsor submitted human and environmental risk assessments and the residue studies on Atlantic salmon to CVM.
(8) On May 17, 2005, CVM found the target animal safety and efficacy studies on Atlantic salmon from the sponsor to be supportive.
(9) On May 22, 2005, CVM accepted as supportive a target animal safety study and efficacy study on Atlantic salmon.
(10) On June 3, 2005, the NCRAC Board of Directors agree to fund the development and validation of the determinative method for AQUI-S7 instead of the AQUI-S7 marker residue depletion studies in coolwater and warmwater fish because the method was needed before the depletion studies could begin and the NCN funds were phased in for too long a period of time to allow for the development of the method. The NCN will fund the marker residue studies instead along with target animal safety studies on coolwater and warmwater fish and coordination effects on AQUI-S7.
(11) On June 7, 2005, CVM concurred with the fetal no-observed-adverse-effect level of 500 mg/kg/day that the National Toxicology Program established from the teratology study in rats.
(12) On June 8, 2005, the National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator submitted a proposal to IAFWA for NCN funding entitled "A Complete the marker residue depletion portion of the Human Food Safety Technical Section, complete the Target Animal Safety Technical Section, and coordinate and oversee all activities toward the approval of AQUI‑S7 as a zero‑withdrawal anesthetic for short-exposure handling of all freshwater fish." This project was funded in September 2005 as a Multi-State Conservation Grant,
(13) CVM accepted the multigenerational reproductive rat study.
CHLORAMINE-TCEXTERNAL ANTIBACTERIAL
Two label claims close to completion: control of mortalities associated with (1) bacterial gill disease on all freshwater-reared salmonids and (2) external columnaris disease on walleye.
(1) On September 17, 2004, CVM sent its review to the sponsor, Axcentive SARL, on the proprietary environmental assessment (EA) on chloramine-T to CVM. The UMESC developed the EA for the sponsor with funds from the company. The sponsor, UMESC, and the National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator are working on a response.
(2) On March 4, 2005, CVM accepted the confirmatory method for p-TSA, the marker residue for chloramine-T.
(3) On March 11, 2005, CVM accepted the hybrid striped bass target animal safety data from UMESC to complete the Target Animal Safety Technical Section for all freshwater-reared fish.
(4) On July 6, 2005, the sponsor submitted a product chemistry package for their chloramine-T product (Halamid7);
COPPER SULFATECEXTERNAL MICROBICIDE
One label claim close to completion: control of Ichthyophthirius on channel catfish in earthen ponds with no outflows.
On May 25, 2005, CVM accepted as complete from the sponsor the target animal safety study on channel catfish for use in ponds.
CRUDE CARP PITUITARYCSPAWNING AID
On October 12, 2004, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale submitted the final report for the target animal safety study for crude carp pituitary to the National Research Support Project-7 for transmittal to CVM.
ERYTHROMYCINCORAL ANTIBACTERIAL
One label claim in progress: bacterial kidney disease in salmonids.
On May 23, 2005, Bimeda, Inc., the National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator, and the Principal Investigator at Idaho met with CVM for a pre-submission meeting to discuss the manufacturing processes and the requirements to complete this Technical Section.
FLORFENICOLCORAL ANTIBACTERIAL
Four label claims close to completion: control of mortalities associated with (1) furunculosis in freshwater-reared salmonids, (2) coldwater disease in freshwater-reared salmonids, (3) systemic columnaris disease in freshwater-reared salmonids and catfish, and (4) by Streptococcus iniae in tilapia and hybrid striped bass).
(1) On December 9, 2004, CVM accepted as complete from AADAPP the efficacy technical section for control of mortalities caused by Streptococcus iniae in hybrid striped bass.
(2) In 2005, the sponsor submitted an Administrative NADA for the control of mortality due to enteric septicemia in catfish (approved October 24, 2005).
FORMALINCEXTERNAL MICROBICIDE
One additional label claim close to completion: control of mortalities associated with saprolegniasis on all fish.
(1) On November 16, 2004, CVM accepted as supportive efficacy studies for the control of saprolegniasis on channel catfish by UMESC.
(2) On July 19, 2005, CVM accepted as pivotal efficacy studies for the control of saprolegniasis on rainbow trout by CVM Office of Research.
HYDROGEN PEROXIDECEXTERNAL MICROBICIDE
Four label claims close to completion: control of mortalities associated with (1) saprolegniasis on all fish eggs, (2) saprolegniasis on all warmwater fish, (3) bacterial gill disease on all freshwater-reared salmonids, and (4) external columnaris disease on all coolwater fish and channel catfish).
(1) On November 24, 2004, CVM accepted as pivotal efficacy data on hydrogen peroxide from UMESC for the control of mortalities associated with saprolegniasis on catfish but requested additional supportive data before this Technical Section can be considered as complete.
(2) On April 20, 2005, UMESC and the National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator met with CVM and resolved the remaining issues surrounding the environmental assessment on hydrogen peroxide. The EA is in the final stages for submission,
(3) On May 20, 2005, the National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator met with CVM to discuss the remaining data requirements and labeling for approval of hydrogen peroxide. Results of two efficacy studies were identified that needed to be added to the FOI summaries.
(4) On June 1, 2005, UMESC submitted a revised draft FOI summary to include the results of the two efficacy studies that had been identified at the May 20, 2005 meeting with CVM.
(5) On June 6, 2005, CVM accepted the Microbial Food Safety submission for Guidance Document #52 saying that if used according to label claim directions "would probably not cause any adverse effect on the human intestinal flora."
17α-METHYLTESTOSTERONE (MT) CGENDER MANIPULATION AID
One label claim close to completion: gender manipulation aid for tilapia.
(1) The University of Wisconsin-Madison submitted the analytical feed method on March 31, 2005 and protocols for the feed and environmental fate studies in summer 2005.
(2) On May 4, 2005, AADAPP submitted a protocol for pivotal efficacy studies on tilapia.
(3) On August 30, 2005, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale submitted a protocol for the target animal safety study on tilapia.
OXYTETRACYCLINECORAL ANTIBACTERIAL
Two label claims close to completion: control of mortalities associated with (1) systemic columnaris disease in steelhead trout and (2) systemic coldwater disease in all freshwater-reared salmonids.
On October 15, 2004, UMESC submitted an EA written to meet current guidelines and requirements to CVM. CVM responded on June 3, 2005 that the EA needed to be revised but that no additional studies would be required.
OXYTETRACYCLINECIMMERSION ANTIBACTERIAL AND MARKING AID One label claim approved marking all fish and one label claim close to completion for control of mortalities associated with external columnaris disease on all coolwater and warmwater fish).
(1) On October 22, 2004, CVM approved the supplemental NADA for Phoenix Scientific, Inc.'s oxytetracycline product (Oxytetracycline HCI Soluble Powder-343, now OTOMARK7) as an otolith marking aid for all fish fry and fingerlings.
(2) On October 27, 2004, CVM accepted from UMESC the bridging of the liquid chromatographic method to the official microbial inhibition method in fish tissue.
(3) On June 13, 2005, CVM approved the supplemental NADA for Pfizer, Inc.'s oxytetracycline product (TERRAMYCIN-3437) as an otolith marking aid for all fish fry and fingerlings.
GENERAL
(1) The National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator organized a Workshop on Marine Aquaculture Drug and Chemotherapeutant Issues and Needs on Southern United States that was held in Sarasota, Florida on November 16, 2004. This Workshop featured the need for marine aquaculture and fisheries entities to become involved in the approval efforts on AQUI-S7.
(2) The National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator met with CVM on December 6, 2004 to discuss implementing regulations and details of the new law, Minor Use Minor Species Animal Health Act. The National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator provided draft designation letters and designation packages for 14 drugs, 26 requests, and 34 label claims from December 2004 to February 2005.
WORK PLANNED
The Work Plan is to continue meeting Objectives 1-8.
IMPACTS
Establishment of the National Aquaculture NADA Coordinator position in May 1995 has resulted in coordination, consolidation, and increased involvement in the INAD/NADA process on 18 of the 19 high priority aquaculture drugs established in 1995 and activities on other new drugs of interest to aquaculture. INAD/NADA sponsors and other entities have initiated new INADs and made progress toward unified efforts on existing and new INADs/NADAs or have renewed their commitment to the INAD/NADA process on their drug products.
This enhanced coordination will help gain extensions and expansions of approved NADAs and gain original approvals for new NADAs. Supplemental NADAs has been approved by CVM for formalin, MS-222, and immersion oxytetracycline and original NADAs have been granted for human chorionic gonadotropin and florfenicol.
The approval of the candidate drugs will aid the aquaculture industry to reduce mortalities associated with infectious and handling diseases and to increase their efficiency by using spawning aids and gender manipulation aids. The domestic aquaculture industry will be better able to compete with foreign producers because there will be more legal drugs to use.
PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, PAPERS PRESENTED, AND REPORTS
See the Appendix for a cumulative output for all NCRAC-funded National Aquaculture INAD/NADA Coordinator activities.
SUPPORT
|
YEAR |
NCRAC-USDA FUNDING |
OTHER SUPPORT |
TOTAL SUPPORT |
||||
|
UNIVER-SITY |
INDUSTRY |
OTHER FEDERAL |
OTHER |
TOTAL |
|||
|
2004-05 |
$9,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
$9,000 |
|
2005-06 |
$15,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
$15,000 |
|
TOTAL |
$24,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
$24,000 |
Progress Report for the Period
September 1, 2004 to August 31, 2005
NCRAC FUNDING: $99,250 (September 1, 2004 to August 31, 2005)
PARTICIPANTS:
|
Paul B. Brown |
Purdue University |
Indiana |
|
Donald L. Garling |
Michigan State University |
Michigan |
|
Christopher C. Kohler |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale |
Illinois |
|
Jeffrey A. Malison |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Wisconsin |
|
Industry Advisory Council Liaison: |
||
|
Curtis Harrison |
Harrison Fish Farm, Hurdland |
Missouri |
|
Extension Liaison: |
|
|
|
Donald L. Garling |
Michigan State University |
Michigan |
|
Non-Funded Collaborators: |
||
|
Mark E. Griffin |
Land O'Lakes/Purina Feeds, St. Louis |
Missouri |
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
(1) Develop cost-effective fish meal-free diets for grow out of hybrid striped bass with an initial minimum weight of 100 g (3.5 oz).
(2) Develop cost-effective fish meal-free diets for grow out of yellow perch with an initial weight of 10 g (0.35 oz).
ANTICIPATED BENEFITS
Concern has been raised whether aquaculture can sustain its rapid growth worldwide if the industry continues to rely on fish meal and oil as the major dietary protein and lipid constituents. Issues have been raised concerning cost, fluctuating availability, and even if aquaculture is growing at the expense of wild fisheries dependent upon the same forage fish being harvested for fish meal. The implications revolving around fish meal and oil are particularly critical in the North Central Region (NCR) because both products must be imported. The studies proposed here will provide feed manufacturers with the information they will need to produce cost-effective feeds free of fish meal. This line of research is similar to the series of projects funded by the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) on Salmonids. Those projects were designed to develop fish meal-free diets for rainbow trout. Benefits derived from those studies included a new feed meal specializing in fish meal-free diets for the NCR. That new business is located in Ohio.
PROGESS AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OBJECTIVE 1
Research has been conducted at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (SIUC) to determine the maximum percentage of corn gluten meal that could be used as a substitution for fish meal in hybrid striped bass diets without adversely affecting growth. Two 2‑month feeding trials were conducted in a recirculating system with associated mechanical and biological filtration. Isonitrogenous, isocaloric diets containing 40% crude protein and 12% crude lipid were fed twice daily to satiation throughout both trials. During the first trial, ten ~40 g (1.41 oz) fish were stocked into each tank and fed five diets ranging from 0B30% fish meal. Based on the results from this study, a second trial was conducted feeding seven diets containing 0B24% fish meal using ten ~18 g (0.63 oz) fish per tank. All practical diets included fish meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, wheat middlings, fish and canola oils (50:50), sodium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, vitamin and mineral mixes, choline, and carboxymethylcellulose.
After the first trial, SIUC researchers observed no significant differences (P < 0.05) in growth between the 30 and 22.5% fish meal dietary treatments. At the conclusion of the second feed trial SIUC researchers found that hybrid striped bass fed less than 20% fish meal demonstrated significantly lower (P < 0.05) weight gain (Table 1); however, specific growth rates (SGR) and feed conversion rates (FCR) were maintained in treatments containing 12 and 16% fish meal, respectively.
SIUC researchers found partially substituting fish meal with corn gluten meal in hybrid striped bass diets is possible without adversely affecting growth. Long‑term benefits from this study include an improvement of the efficiency of aquaculture feeds for hybrid striped bass and a reduced reliance on the fish meal industry.
OBJECTIVE 2
University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW‑Madison) investigators are conducting a grow‑out trial on yellow perch comparing four diets. All diets were formulated to be 41% crude protein and 10.5% crude fat and meet or exceed the nutritional requirements for rainbow trout. The control diet is a commercial trout grower containing a high percentage of fish meal. The experimental diets are similar to the control diet, except that the fish meal was replaced with animal and plant meal mixes in the following ratios: 75% animal meal mix/25% plant meal mix, 55% animal meal mix/45% plant meal mix, and 35% animal meal mix/65% plant meal mix. Each of the experimental diets contains 5% shrimp meal to enhance palatability.
In April 2005, Mark Griffin at Land O'Lakes/Purina Feeds had approximately 31.8 kg (70 lb) of each of the experimental diets made into 2.0 mm (0.08 in) sinking pellets. The diets were subsequently shipped to UW‑Madison's facilities at the Lake Mills State Fish Hatchery, Lake Mills, Wisconsin, where they are being kept in frozen storage.
In mid‑May 2005, UW‑Madison investigators set up 12, 220‑L (58.1-gal) flow through tanks as described in the original proposal. Each tank was stocked with approximately 60 yellow perch having a mean weight of 15 g (0.53 oz). The fish in each tank had been fed a sinking commercial trout food (Silver Cup, Murray, Utah). Beginning in early June, the fish were transitioned to the new experimental diets (3 tanks per diet) over a two‑week period.
After the transitional period, UW‑Madison researchers observed that the feeding behavior of all of the perch in the four treatment groups was extremely poor. After an additional 3‑week period all fish were weighed and measured and extremely poor growth rates in all of the groups was noted. Because of the poor feeding response, the experiment was terminated. In July 2005, a new experiment with different fish was started. For this experiment, UW-Madison researchers altered the transition of the fish onto the experimental feeds by mixing equal amounts of Silver Cup trout food and the experimental diets. Approximately 5% of freeze‑dried krill flakes was added to each mixture. For one month the fish were fed this mixture, and all tanks ate well. After one month the Silver Cup diet was eliminated from the mixture, and the fish were fed the experimental feeds (for an additional month with a declining amount of krill). After this time, all of the fish were showing a good feeding response to the experimental diets alone. In mid‑September 2005, UW-Madison researchers began the grow-out study as described in the initial proposal. No data on this experiment is available at the present time.
WORK PLANNED
OBJECTIVE 1
Research at Purdue University (Purdue) was delayed due to a fire that destroyed the Aquaculture Research Laboratory in November 2004. Reconstruction of the laboratory has begun and will be completed by April 2006. Reestablishment of experimental fish culture systems has been completed and the initial experiments with hybrid striped bass as described in the Work Plan will be conducted in a temporary lab this winter. At this time, it is not anticipated that the project will need to be extended beyond the initial end date.
Studies conducted at Purdue will be continuations of previous studies designed to develop and evaluate all-plant diets for hybrid striped bass. In the first year of the study, practical diets will be fed to triplicate groups of fish (initial weight 100 g [3.52 oz] or greater, depending on availability). Six to ten practical diets will be developed based on results from recently completed studies. It is anticipated that diets will be developed along the lines of those evaluated in previous salmonid studies. That is, diets will contain mixtures of plant protein feedstuffs that meet the essential amino acid requirements for hybrid striped bass. The study will start with soy/corn mixtures using solvent-extracted soybean meal and incorporate both yellow and white corn gluten meals with and without flavor additives. If possible, canola/wheat mixtures and soy protein concentrates will also be evaluated. All diets will be formulated to contain 36% crude protein and 14% lipid. All diets will meet the established nutrient requirements for hybrid striped bass and all diets will be extruded by Wenger Manufacturing, Inc. (Sabetha, Kansas). Diets will be fed to quadruplicate groups of fish all housed in the same experimental system.
It is difficult to propose diets for the second year until results from the first evaluation are available. However, the approach taken with previous salmonid projects will be applied to this project, building on results from the first year, focusing efforts on expansion of ingredient combinations, or focusing on refinements in a diet that was accepted by hybrids in the first year and resulted in maximal or near-maximal weight gains. All methods will be the same in both years of the project.
The experimental system that will be used in both years is a series of 114-L (30-gal) glass aquaria connected to a settling chamber and biological filter. The system can be operated either flow-through or recirculating. Water flow rate to each aquarium will be adjusted to between 3 and 5 Lpm (0.8 and 1.3 gpm), depending on initial fish size, and temperature will be maintained at 28EC (82.4EF) for both studies. Critical water quality parameters, such as dissolved oxygen, ammonia-N, nitrite-N, and temperature will be monitored daily. Other water quality variables, such as pH, hardness, and alkalinity, will be measured weekly.
At the end of each study, final numbers and weights of fish will be determined. Fillet samples will be collected for determination of dress out percentage and proximate analysis using standard procedures. Liver samples will be collected for determination of hepatosomatic index and liver lipid concentrations. Intraperitoneal fat will be collected, weighed, and expressed as a function of wet weight of the fish.
Both studies will be statistically analyzed as completely randomized designs using diet as the main effect. If analysis of variance indicates significant differences among treatments, then Student Neuman Keuls will be used to separate mean values of weight gain, feed conversion, survival, hepatosomatic index, dress out percentage, and proximate composition of fillets.
Using the information gained from the fish meal elimination trials in year one, researchers as at SIUC are planning to determine the minimum quantity of fish oil needed to produce hybrid striped bass fillets with substantial levels of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs). The reference diet will contain 20% fish meal and 100% fish oil. Experimental treatments will contain graded levels of fish oil and canola oil as the primary lipid sources. At the conclusion of analyzed and HUFA levels between treatments will be compared. Proximate analysis of the fillet along with peroxide and aldehyde content of the fillet and liver will also be conducted to determine the effects of different lipid sources on the composition and health of the fish.
OBJECTIVE 2
As indicated above, research at Purdue was delayed due to a fire that destroyed the Aquaculture Research Laboratory in November 2004. Reconstruction of the Laboratory has begun and will be completed by April 2006. Work with yellow perch will begin in 2006. At this time, it is not anticipated that the project will need to be extended beyond the initial end date.
Studies conducted at Purdue will be continuations of previous studies designed to develop and evaluate all-plant diets for yellow perch. In the first year, the effects of soybean lectins on yellow perch will be evaluated. In the second year, the effects of soybean saponins on yellow perch will be examined. Both antinutritional factors will be incorporated into diets at graded levels representing soybean meal incorporation through 63% of the diet. In past studies, decreased performance in perch fed soybean meal over 40% of the diet was identified and these studies will determine which of the antinutritional factors limit incorporation. All diets will meet the established nutrient requirements for yellow perch and all diets will be extruded by Wenger Manufacturing, Inc. (Sabetha, Kansas). Diets will be fed to quadruplicate groups of fish all housed in the same experimental system.
The experimental system that will be used in both years is a series of 114-L (30-gal) glass aquaria connected to a settling chamber and biological filter. The system can be operated either flow-through or recirculating. Water flow rate to each aquarium will be adjusted to between 3 and 5 L/min (0.8 and 1.3 gal/min), depending on initial fish size, and temperature will be maintained at 24EC (75EF) for both studies. Critical water quality parameters, such as dissolved oxygen, ammonia-N, nitrite-N, and temperature will be monitored daily. Other water quality variables, such as pH, hardness, and alkalinity, will be measured weekly.
At the end of each study, final numbers and weights of fish will be determined. Blood will be collected for analysis of insulin in fish fed lectins and saponins will be measured in blood of fish fed that chemical. Liver samples will be collected for determination of hepatosomatic index and liver lipid concentrations.
Both studies will be statistically analyzed as completely randomized designs using diet as the main effect. If analysis of variance indicates significant differences among treatments, then Student Neuman Keuls will be used to separate mean values of weight gain, feed conversion, survival, hepatosomatic index, dress out percentage, and proximate composition of fillets.
The grow-out study and a study on the effects of the four experimental diets on reproductive development will continue at UW-Madison. Researchers are currently completing a grow-out trial on yellow perch comparing four diets. Yellow perch, are being raised to a market size of 110B120 g, (3.88B4.23 oz) which will require a grow-out period of approximately 10 months. The diets will be tested using triplicate tanks per treatment, with 80 perch initially stocked into each tank. During the grow-out trial, the tanks will be provided with flow-through water at 21EC (70EF), and light on a 16-h light/8-h dark photoperiod. The water in each tank will be exchanged 1.5B2.0H/h, and the tanks will be supplied with aeration to keep dissolved oxygen levels >80% of saturation levels. The fish in each tank will be fed to satiation once or twice daily (depending on their size), and daily records of feed consumption will be kept. The fish will be weighed and measured every three weeks. Endpoints during the grow-out phase will be weight gain, length gain, food consumption, feed conversion, and survival.
At the end of the grow-out study, most of the fish will be killed to determine fillet weight. The livers of the killed fish will be analyzed histologically to compare the extent of hepatic fat accumulation. An organoleptic comparison of fillets from fish fed the four diets will be conducted in conjunction with the UW-Madison Department of Food Science Sensory Analysis Laboratory. The cost-effectiveness of each of the four diets will be determined with the economic analysis of each diet incorporating diet cost, fish growth rate, feed conversion, and fillet yield.
In year 2, because many yellow perch farmers use a portion of their production animals as brood fish, and because diet can have a significant impact on reproductive development, the impact of the four diets on reproductive development will be assessed. After the grow-out study is completed, 30 fish from each treatment group will be held for an additional six months under a normal wintertime ambient temperature/photoperiod regime to induce reproductive development (i.e., the temperature will slowly decline to <5EC (41EF), and rise again with the approach of spring. Similarly, the photoperiod will decline to 8-h light/16-h dark, and then rise. During this time, the fish will continue to be fed using the four different diets. The following April these fish should be reproductively mature and will be spawned (using at least four single pair matings per treatment). Key reproductive endpoints will be compared including egg quantity, quality, and size, fertilization rate, sperm viability and motility, percent hatch, fry size, and early development.
Research at Michigan State University (MSU) was delayed to obtain feed-trained, young-of-the-year (YOY) yellow perch fingerlings to avoid problems associated with older, mixed gender fingerlings of the desired size. Older mixed gender stocks of yellow perch tend to be predominantly slow growing males. Semi-purified feeds have been formulated and made by researchers at Purdue with trypsin inhibitor (TI) values as found in soybean meal-based diets. The experimental recirculating aquaculture system has been constructed and the biofilter has been pre-conditioned to accept fish. A source of feed-trained YOY yellow perch was identified and they were to be stocked in the system and feeding trials were to begin in mid-October 2004. Unfortunately, the fish stock was affected by a disease of unknown etiology resulting in significant levels of mortality and they were rejected by the researchers. The researchers are seeking an alternative source of fingerlings and hope to begin the experimental trials by mid-November.
The first MSU feed trial is designed to examine the effects of TI associated with soybean meal-based diets, on growth, feed conversion, and body composition of juvenile yellow perch. A total of 400 feed- trained yellow perch fingerlings (5.08B7.62 cm; 2B3 in) will be obtained from a commercially licensed aquaculture facility for use in the study. These fish will be randomly distributed into 15, 110-L (29-gal) tanks, at 25B28 fish/tank, and acclimated to the recirculating aquaculture system at MSU for a period of 10B14 days prior to commencement of feed trial. Fish will be fed a commercial trout diet over the acclimation period. Flow rate is approximately 2.75 Lpm/tank (0.73 gpm) and the temperature range expected through the trial is 20B24EC (68.0B75.2EF). Tank water quality will be monitored daily.
Just prior to initiating the feed trial, a few fish will be randomly removed from each tank in order to begin the study with 20B25 fish/tank, depending whether any mortalities occurred over the acclimation period. Fish removed will be measured for weight and length, and 15 will be randomly selected for whole body samples to be frozen for subsequent body composition analysis. Total weight samples will be taken from all tanks on at the start of the feed trial.
At the start of the feed trial, fish will be fed, in triplicate, one of five test diets manufactured by Purdue, containing graded levels of TI. Test diet TI inclusion rates are equivalent to diets containing 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60% soybean meal. Fish will be fed three times daily based on a percentage body weight basis, adjusted every two weeks when total weight samples are taken. The length of this first feed trial is to be eight weeks. At the completion of the study, full weight and length samples will be taken on all fish. Weight gain, feed conversion rates, and condition factors will be determined through the course of the study for comparison. Three fish per tank will be randomly selected for comparison of body composition analysis.
The experimental design for the second MSU feed trial depends to an extent on results obtained from the first feed trial. If the fish in the first trial show no significant signs of nutritional deficiency across treatments over the course of the first eight weeks, feed the second trial will extend the treatment period an additional six to eight weeks to examine longer term effects (of TIs), closer to that expected in a commercial production cycle for yellow perch. If the fish in the first trial do show nutritional deficiencies across treatments, MSU will obtain larger production size yellow perch, 50B100 g (1.76B3.53 oz), from a licensed fish supplier or reputable aquaculture facility, to test the same TI inclusion rates fed in the preceding trial (equivalent to feeds containing 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60% soybean meal) on larger yellow perch. Fish will be fed twice a day for a period of eight weeks based on a percent body weight basis, adjusted every two weeks when total weight samples are taken. At the completion of the study, full weight and length samples will be taken on all fish. Weight gain, feed conversion rates, and condition factors will be compared. Three fish per tank will be randomly selected for body composition analysis. Potential additional analyses will include trypsin activity levels, muscle fatty acid composition, free amino acids, bacteriology, and serum antibodies.
IMPACTS
The development, testing, and use of fish meal‑free diets are critical to the aquaculture industry for two primary reasons. First, some critics of aquaculture have expressed the opinion that wild fish populations are hurt by the growth of aquaculture because of the industry's dependence on fish meal. Second, fish meal is an expensive dietary ingredient that raises the cost of food, and thereby increases overall fish production costs. This project, if successful, should provide the key information needed by commercial feed producers so that they can begin providing a quality fish meal‑free diet to perch producers.
PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, OR PAPERS PRESENTED
See the Appendix for a cumulative output for all NCRAC-funded Nutrition activities.
SUPPORT
|
YEAR |
NCRAC-USDA FUNDING |
OTHER SUPPORT |
TOTAL SUPPORT |
||||
|
UNIVER-SITY |
INDUSTRY |
OTHER FEDERAL |
OTHER |
TOTAL |
|||
|
2004-05 |
$99,250 |
|
$1,000 |
|
|
$1,000 |
$100,250 |
|
TOTAL |
$99,250 |
|
$1,000 |
|
|
$1,000 |
$100,250 |
Termination Report for the Period
September 1, 2001 to August 31, 2005
NCRAC FUNDING: $195,000 (September 1, 2001 to March 31, 2005)
PARTICIPANTS:
|
Fred P. Binkowski |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee |
Wisconsin |
|
Jeffrey A. Malison |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Wisconsin |
|
Douglas J. Reinemann |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Wisconsin |
|
Robert C. Summerfelt |
Iowa State University |
Iowa |
|
Steven E. Yeo |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee |
Wisconsin |
|
Industry Advisory Council Liaison: |
|
|
|
Harry Westers |
Aquaculture Bioengineering Corporation, Rives Junction |
Michigan |
|
Extension Liaison: |
|
|
|
Fred P. Binkowski |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee |
Wisconsin |
|
Non-Funded Collaborators: |
|
|
|
Michael Becker |
Odbek Industries, Inc., St. Paul |
Minnesota |
|
Von Byrd |
USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Madison |
Wisconsin |
|
Chuck Ehlers |
Ehlers Enterprises, Manning |
Iowa |
|
Jae Park |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Wisconsin |
|
Mark Raabe |
REM Engineering, LLC, Evansville |
Wisconsin |
|
Todd Rogers |
Odbek Industries, Inc., St. Paul |
Minnesota |
|
Roger Rowell |
USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Madison |
Wisconsin |
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
(1) Document the fate of aquaculture waste components (phosphorus, nitrogen, solids) relative to feed input into traditional and newly designed aquaculture systems.
(2) Evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of rapid solids removal/recovery appropriate for new aquaculture facility designs.
(3) Demonstrate economically sound processing methods for beneficial use of aquaculture waste.
(4) Provide workshops and fact sheets that address best management practices (BMPs) for waste control.
PROGRESS AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OBJECTIVE 1
Researchers at Iowa State University (ISU) estimated nutrient retention by largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), walleye (Sander vitreus), hybrid striped bass (aka sunshine bass, Morone chrysops & H Morone saxatilis %), and rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss) in five 39.2 m3 (10,357 gal) >Cornell type' dual-drain culture tanks of a commercial recirculating aquaculture facility in west-central Iowa (Ehler Enterprises, Inc., Manning). Walleye were cultured in two of the five tanks. Most of the rainbow trout (643 g; 1.4 lb) and walleye (497 g [1.1 lb] and 398 g [0.88 lb]) were market size whereas the largemouth bass (73 g; 0.16 lb) and hybrid striped bass (96 g; 0.21 lb) were fingerlings. A mass balance approach was used to calculate the increase in the dry weight of biomass from growth of the fish with nutrient nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content of the dry weight of feed to each tank of fish. Nutrient retention was measured in two intervals of 27 days and 29 days. Over both intervals N retention in the cultured fish ranged from 10.6B48.5%, and P retention ranged from 11.9B56.5%. For walleye, nutrient retention was related to size, the smaller walleye had nearly twice the retention rates of the larger walleye. Market-size rainbow trout and walleye exhibited relatively slower growth and corresponding low levels of nutrient retention. Nitrogen and phosphorus retention was inversely related to food conversion ratio; thus, the higher, therefore, poorer food conversion resulted in lower nutrient retention. Total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) production (g/kg feed fed) was inversely related to nitrogen retention. Empirical values for TAN production ranged from 3.8B6.6% of daily feeding rate, higher than the 2B3% often used as a general guide. The findings demonstrate the importance of factors affecting feed conversion (i.e., feeding efficiency), as well as the interaction between fish age or size, growth rates, temperature, feeding rates, nutrient content, and protein retention. The findings provide strong evidence for caution in acceptance of any single generalized value for estimating TAN production from feeding rates alone.
OBJECTIVE 2
Objective 2 was carried out at both ISU and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison).
ISU researchers compared solids removal by the drum filter and a solids trap in a recirculating aquaculture system that uses 39.2 m3 (10,357 gal) >Cornell type' dual-drain culture tanks with sidewall and center drains. The water volume of the five culture tanks was 78.5% of total system volume (249.9 m3; 66,024 gal) and the piping and treatment components 21.5%. The daily freshwater inflow (added makeup water per day) was only 1.9% of total system volume. Recirculating flow to each culture tank (784 Lpm; 207 gpm) was about 1.2 exchanges per hour; i.e., a hydraulic retention time was 50 min through each tank. The diameter (i.e., 5.43 m; 17.8 ft) to depth (i.e., 1.69 m; 5.5 ft) ratio was 3.2:1. The sidewall drain carried 78.7% of flow and the center drain 21.3% of flow. Flow from the sidewall drain by-passed the drum filter and went directly to the sump where two 7.5 hp electric centrifugal pumps lifted the water through the fluidized-sand biofilter. The design and operation of the particular commercial facility differs in two unique ways from most other recirculating aquaculture systems: (1) the high flow from the side-wall drain of the culture tanks by-passed the drum filter; and (2) the center drain of each tank discharged into an external standpipe that contained three lengths of pipe (i.e., the triple standpipe [TSP]) that had a quiescent zone below the shortest standpipe that functioned as a simple sedimentation basin.
Ehler's RAS configuration had savings in capital and operating costs because the microscreen filter did not filter the total flow from the culture tank (most of the flow bypassed the drum filter) and the solids capture by the TSP reduces solids load on the filter from the center drain. The waste effluent from the culture building discharged to a septic tank (primary settler) with a perforated tile line that terminated in a pond (polishing pond). By volume, the two major effluents to the septic tank were from the drum filter (DF) backwash (40.5%) and the discharge from draining the TSP (59.4%). The DF operated 35% of the time but the TSP was drained manually only once per day for 10 seconds by pulling the shortest of the three standpipes, which emptied the TSP (0.34 m3; 89.8 gal) and discharged solids that accumulated in the quiescent zone below the shortest of standpipe. TSP accounted for 83.2% biochemical oxygen demand, 71.4% total nitrogen, 82.1% total phosphorus, 66.1% suspended solids, 64.1% total dissolved solids, and 86.5% total suspended solids of the total volume of effluent discharging to the septic tank. The efficient function of the TSP allowed the system to operate with only a 21.5% of recirculating flow going to the drum filter and it reduced water loss from backflushing the drum filter. The TSP was a cost-effective, simple modification of an external standpipe for rapid removal of suspended solids derived from waste feed and fish feces from culture tank effluents of a recirculating aquaculture system.
The goal of UW-Madison studies was to evaluate the feasibility of using wood fiber filters to capture solids from raceway and pond effluents. Prior to designing the fiber filters, information on the particle size of solids in raceway and pond effluents was needed. The particle size of three types of effluents were characterized: (1) effluent from fingerling production ponds at the Lake Mills State Fish Hatchery (LMSFH). The effluent from the final 5% of the water was sampled during pond draining, because previous studies have shown that this portion of the effluent contains the highest concentration of solids. (2) Effluent from coho salmon production raceways at the LMSFH collected during "pump" cleaning (one commonly used method to clean raceways). (3) Effluent from coho salmon production raceways at the LMSFH collected during "pump" cleaning (another commonly used method to clean raceways).
A small-scale filter box (designed for a flow rate of 4B6 Lpm; 0.9B1.3 gpm) was designed and built by UW-Madison researchers and engineers from the USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL). The box was designed to accept 4B6 filters in a series flow design. Initial studies focused on flow dynamics, i.e., to minimize problems related to overflow and filter bypass. Once these problems were resolved, a set of graded "Nytex" screens were installed to measure particle size and distribution. The results indicate that pond effluent contained a higher percentage of small particles than raceway effluent. Approximately 60% of solids from pond effluent, and 75% of solids from "swept" or "pumped" raceway effluent were retained by a 75 μm screen. According to FPL engineers, these data suggested that it should be possible to design wood fiber filters to retain a high percentage of solids and at the same time permit high flow rates through the filters.
Three types of fiber filters were then manufactured: "random," made from 28% kenaf, 28% jute, 28% flax, 10% aspen, and 6% binder; "DW I," made from 90% juniper and 10% binder; and "DW II," made from 65% juniper, 15% aspen, 10% alfalfa, and 10% binder. Preliminary studies showed that all three-filter types were effective at retaining solids from aquaculture effluents. In repeated tests using pond effluent (which contains smaller particles, in general, than raceway effluent), three random and DW I filters in series retained more than 70% of the solids.
Flow rates through the filters have shown that fiber filters can be practically designed to accommodate flow rates typically associated with pump cleaning of large scale raceways (60B200 Lpm; 15.9B52.8 gpm). Fiber filters capable of effectively removing solids from pond effluent can be designed, but the large surface area required to permit the extremely high flow rates associated with pond draining (>1,500 Lpm; 376 gpm) may make the application of fiber filters for pond effluent less feasible than for raceway effluent. Therefore, final studies in 2004 (described below) were focused on the retention of solids from raceways.
UW-Madison researchers first constructed a large-scale filter box capable of handling flows of 60B200 Lpm (15.9B52.8 gpm). The size of the box was approximately 2.0 m L H 0.5 m W H 0.6 m H (6.6 ft L H 1.6 ft W H 2.0 ft H). This box was fitted with a set of six identical filters (0.5 m H H 0.5 m W; 1.6 ft H 1.6 ft W). The box was designed to allow the water to flow through all six filters, and then exit the box. The filters would eventually plug, and water would overflow each filter sequentially. The box reached its filtration capacity when all six filters were plugged.
A series of tests were conducted in conjunction with routine pump cleanings of coho salmon raceways at the LMSFH. For these cleanings, a gasoline-powered centrifugal pump is used to "vacuum" the settled solid waste from the bottom of the raceway. Under normal conditions, the pumping rate is 200 Lpm (52.8 gpm), and it takes an operator approximately 30 min of pumping to clean the ~ 425 linear meters (~1,394 ft) of raceway. The pump effluent was discharged through the box filter, and the concentration and total weight of the solids pumped from the raceway, the percentage of solids trapped by the filter box, the total weight of solids trapped by the filter box, and the percentage of phosphorus in the trapped solids were determined.
The random filters removed about 79% of the total solids in the pumped effluent until the box reached capacity. One set of filters reached capacity in about 10 min. The entire raceway cleaning operation could be conducted using 3 sets of 6 filters each. The filtration capacity of one set of filters was almost 400 g (.89 lb) (dry weight) of solids. The average concentration of phosphorus in the dry solid material was 0.66%.
OBJECTIVE 3
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UW-Milwaukee) scientists investigated processing methods for beneficial use of aquaculture waste. Their work is categorized into two sub-objectives as follows.
Sub-objective A: Develop methods to recover and partially dewater biosolids from intensive yellow perch aquaculture for use as a feedstock for vermicomposting using red worms and warmer-temperature tolerant "cultured" nightcrawlers.
Using a combination of the settling of suspended solids and the use of the worm bed soil itself for dewatering, UW-Milwaukee investigators demonstrated that recirculating aquaculture system bead filter sludge could be successfully recovered and used as worm feedstock. Back-flushed waste solids from the bead filter/clarifier of UW-Milwaukee 25-m3 (6,604-gal) recirculating aquaculture system, and to a lesser extent, some solids from a 3.3-m3 (872-gal) circular flow-through tank of yellow perch fingerlings were obtained for use as worm food. A graduated conical-bottomed 560-L (148-gal) tank was used to separate the solids by settling from the remaining wastewater. Over the three year period of this study, three cohorts of perch fingerlings were produced in the UW-Milwaukee recirculating aquaculture system, the daily amount of settled sludge recovered from the bead filter varied widely with a mean volume of 41 L (10.8 gal) and a range of 254 L (67 gal) and a median value of 30 L (8 gal). The total settled sludge recovered was 31.4 m3 (8,306 gal). The sludge was approximately 3.5% solid for an approximate dried weight of 1,099 kg (2,423 lb) of recovered solids consisting principally of fecal material, waste food, and some microbial floc and possibly small amounts of sand from the biofilter.
From January through October 8, 2002 during the first cycle of perch grow-out, approximately 973 kg (2,145 lb) dried weight of commercial fish feed was used to feed the perch in the recirculating aquaculture system. During that 280-day period, an accumulated total of 9.6 m3 (2,536 gal) of settled sludge material (336 kg [741 lb] dried weight) was recovered from the bead filter back washings. This recovered sludge is approximately equivalent to 35% of the dried weight of the fish food (973 kg [2,145 lb] dried) used to grow out the approximately 10,000 perch fingerlings in the recirculating aquaculture system during this period of operation.
During a second cycle of perch grow out, from mid-December 2002 through October 10, 2003, biosolids from the bead clarifier were again recovered from the UW-Milwaukee recirculating aquaculture system. In this 302-day period, a total of 15.3 m3 (4,036 gal) of settled sludge was collected from the recirculating aquaculture system and was potentially available for use as worm food. This recovered amount was equivalent to 28.3% of the dry weight of the fish food (1,651 kg [3,640 lb] dried) used during that period.
During a third perch grow-out cycle from October 30, 2003 to July 25, 2004, bead filter sludge (total 6.4 m3; 1,691 gal) equivalent to 224 kg (494 lb) dry weight was recovered from the UW-Milwaukee recirculating aquaculture system. This recovery is approximately 19% of the dry weight of fish food used (1,174 kg; 2,580 lb) in the recirculating aquaculture system over that 268-day period.
In each succeeding perch grow-out cycle, there appears to have been a trend toward decreasing solids recovery. We believe that this may be due to the installation and operation of an ozone treatment system during the second and third perch grow-out trials, and/or to variations in feeding efficiency and food conversion between the trials.
Sub-objective B: Propagating worm stocks in continuous composting bins utilizing bead filter sludge as food.
Seed stocks were obtained of two species of earthworms with recognized potential for
vermicomposting of organic materials: "cultured" nightcrawlers, Eudrilus eugeniae, (approximately 400 totaling 0.384 kg [0.847 lb]), and red worms, Eisenia foetida, (approximately 500 totaling 0.081 kg [0.179 lb]).
In January 2002, these worm stocks were introduced into separate commercial continuous-vermicomposting bins. The surface area of each bin was 0.66 m2 (7.10 ft2). Draining the sludge through the worm bedding dewatered the bead filter sludge. The majority of the solids from the bead-filter sludge were retained in the upper layer of worm bedding and excess water dripped by gravity through the bed and collected in a drip pan. Feedings of settled sludge were measured volumetrically and poured from a 3.0-L (0.8-gal) graduated pitcher. Sludge feedings were applied in thin layers to cover only a portion of the bedding surface to insure that the worms could find a refuge from extreme conditions. Additional food was added when the previously added material had been worked over by the worm stocks. Accumulation of unused food was avoided to prevent anaerobic conditions, odor problems, and adversely high temperature conditions in the beds.
During 2002, worm populations in the bins were sampled at 2, 9, 14, and 23 weeks after stocking. Both species of worms prospered when fed the yellow perch RAS bead-filter sludge. Reproduction and cocoon deposition were observed in the first few weeks. The estimated worm initial stocking density (% by weight) in the bedding was 0.1% for the red worms and 0.5% for the nightcrawlers. The red worm bin population tended to increase steadily over the 23-week period both in terms of percent worms by weight (0.1B2.6%) and estimated number of worms (500 to ~13,000) in the bin. The nightcrawlers fluctuated in percent worm density by weight (range 0.5B6.4%). Nightcrawler density increased to 4.6% due to rapid initial growth, but then decreased as the larger older individuals died off gradually through the first nine weeks and were replaced by an abundant cohort of young worms after 42B48 days. In the nine-week sample worm density by weight (1.9%) was less than half of what it was at two weeks, while the estimated number of worms in the bin had gone from an original 400 to approximately 12,000. By 14 weeks the nightcrawler bin had regained high worm density by weight (6.4%) and estimated numbers appeared to remain around 13,000. However, by 23 weeks the worm sizes were mixed and not as clearly dominated by a single cohort in both numbers (~4,000) and density by weight (1.8%). Variation between samples on a given sampling date was high and handpicking sub-samples was laborious. It is difficult to obtain accurate inventory of worm stocks in continuous batch culture in order to predict the numbers of harvestable bait-size worms.
From January through September 2002, the worms were fed a total of 837 L (221 gal) of sludge. Individual feedings were generally in 3.0 L (0.8 gal) increments and varied from 0B18 L (0B4.8 gal) per bin on a given date. Following the harvest of the perch at the end of September 2002, through mid-December 2002 commercial worm feed was used because sludge was unavailable from the recirculating aquaculture system until restocking with a new batch of fingerlings occurred.
Once the 2003 perch production cycle of the UW-Milwaukee recirculating aquaculture system was restarted in late December 2002 through October 2003, the worm bins were again maintained by feeding bead filter sludge. In that period, a total of 495 L (130 gal) of sludge was fed to the worms in the continuous compost bins.
The amount of recovered sludge from the recirculating aquaculture system proved to be far greater than the capacity of these composters to accept the waste without creating undesirable bedding conditions and odor problems. Observation of the worms feeding on a thin layer of sludge (3.0B6.0 L; 0.8B1.6 gal) applied to each bin (0.66 m2 or 7.10 ft2) and covered with a light covering of soil, indicated that when sufficient worm stocks are present the food layer could be worked over in 3B4 days at which time more sludge could be applied. Applying sludge at a rate similar to that used for these composting bins (approximately 4.5B9.0 L/m2 [0.11B0.22 gal/ft2] at 4 day intervals), a worm bed of 25B50 m2 (269B538 ft2) could be readily supported at the modal level of sludge production.
From June 1, 2003 through July 29, 2004 the red worm and African night crawler bins were each periodically harvested by handpicking the worms, separating them from the compost, then they were washed, drained and the total wet weight of the harvest from each bin was recorded. During this13 month period, six harvests were collected from each bin. A total of 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) of red worms and 3.6 kg (7.9 lb) of African nightcrawlers were harvested. During this period a total of 177 L (47 gal) of settled sludge (at 3.5% solid approximately 6.2 kg [13.7 lb] dry weight of sludge) and 0.44 kg (0.97 lb) of commercial worm feed was feed to each bin, or a feeding conversion efficiency ratio of approximately 2:1 on a dry weight of feed and wet weight of worms basis. (The commercial worm feed was used in late October and early November during the period when sludge was unavailable from the recirculating aquaculture system during the period following the harvest of one crop of perch and restocking with a new batch of fingerlings). On this basis, had the worm bins been scaled up to accept the total amount of sludge recovered (1,099 kg [2,423 lb] dried) the recirculating aquaculture system should have been able to support a potential production of 550 kg (1,213 lb) of worms. The sludge was approximately 96.5% moisture so 177 L (47 gal) of sludge represents 171 kg (377 lb) of water and only an additional 37 L (10 gal) of water was used to keep the beds moist during this period. During the harvest period there was little detectable water dripping through the worm bed and the majority of the water was lost through evaporation.
In the summer of 2002 UW-Milwaukee researchers compared bead filter sludge as a foodstuff for vermicomposting/vermiculture to a commercial worm diet. The influence of the addition of hardwood sawdust and shredded paper as worm bedding additives were also examined. This research was done with the assistance of an undergraduate participant in the National Science Foundation "Research Experience for Undergraduates" program from July through August 2002; an experiment was conducted using ventilated commercial production pails. Three worm feeding treatments (no supplemental feeding, commercial worm food, and bead filter sludge) were combined with three types of bedding ("black peat" soil alone [9.0 L; 2.4 gal]; black peat [6.0 L; 1.6 gal] plus sawdust [3.0 L; 0.8 gal]; and black peat [6.0 L; 1.6 gal] plus shredded paper [3.0 L; 0.8 gal]). Each treatment combination was assigned to a commercial production worm pail and 20.0 g (0.7 oz) (about 50 African nightcrawlers, or 70 red worms) batches of each worm species were randomly assigned to each of the nine pails. The treatment array was replicated three times on successive dates resulting in triplicate pails for each of the nine treatment combinations for each worm species (27 pails total for each species). Food treatments consisted of either 3.0 L (0.8 gal) of sludge, 29 g (1.0 oz) of commercial worm food followed by 3.0 L (0.8 gal) of recycle aquaculture system water, or no food followed by 3.0 L (0.8 gal) of recirculating aquaculture system water. The amount of commercial food fed to the worms (29 g; 1.0 oz) approximated the equivalent dried solids in 3.0 L (0.8 gal) of biosolids sludge. Growth and survival in each pail was evaluated at two and four weeks. Yellow perch recirculating aquaculture system bead filter sludge was found to be a suitable feedstock for both "cultured" nightcrawlers and red worms. Buckets of nightcrawlers fed bead-filter sludge increased 489% in overall mass with a 96% survival after four weeks. After four weeks, the weight of red worms fed bead filter sludge increased 224% percent with 73% survival. Between the second and fourth week several buckets of both sludge-fed and commercial food-fed red worms experienced some mortality. In this experiment, recirculating aquaculture system sludge as a worm feedstock was as successful as, or outperformed the commercial worm food. After four weeks, the weight of nightcrawlers fed commercial worm food increased 415% with a 99.8% survival. Red worms fed commercial worm food had a 63% survival rate and a worm biomass increase of 187% after four weeks. The fed worms grew much better than the worms without supplemental feeding; at four weeks unfed nightcrawlers increased only 154% with 100% survival and red worms increased 127% with 97% survival. All substrate types tested were successful in maintaining worm cultures. No differences in worm growth and survival could be attributed to the various substrates. However, preliminary results suggest that the addition of sawdust allows better drainage and drying of the bedding. Addition of sawdust would probably reduce the labor costs required for separation and picking of the worms from the substrate at harvest.
Samples of worms, bedding substances, and composts from both the continuous compost bins and the sludge feeding experiment were freeze-dried and prepared for isotope analysis and carbon:nitrogen ratio to characterize the alteration in the biosolids during the vermicomposting process. Although maintenance problems with the mass spectrometer have delayed completion of the carbon:nitrogen ratio (C:N) and isotope analysis, limited final results indicate that the freeze-dried sludge has a nitrogen content 5.0B5.7 % nitrogen and a C:N of 5:1 and the freeze dried compost has a nitrogen content of 2B3% and a C:N ratio of 14B15:1.
OBJECTIVE 4
On September 12, 2002, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released proposed rules for under authority of the Clean Water Act. The final EPA effluent limitations guidelines and standards for the CAAP Category rules are to be released by June 2004. To help producers understand the proposed EPA rules and Best Management Practices (BMPs), ISU proposed to offer a workshop to provide an overview of EPA guidelines and standards and BMPs for ponds, raceways, and recycle systems. In addition, ISU has been conducting a literature search of computerized databases to prepare an updated bibliography of aquaculture effluent related issues. When completed, findings of objectives 1, 2, and 3 of the current NCRAC project can provide guidance for development of BMPs. Information may be distributed in fact sheets and technical bulletins, and presented at conferences and workshops.
IMPACTS
OBJECTIVE 1
ISU researchers described nutrient (N and P) inputs in water and feed, and nutrient and solids outputs in the effluent of a commercial recycle aquaculture facility that has employs a septic tank to capture solids and nutrients from the effluent of the culture system. The findings demonstrate the importance of factors affecting feed conversion (i.e., feeding efficiency), as well as the interaction between fish age or size, growth rates, temperature, feeding rates, nutrient content, and protein retention. Values for TAN production ranged from 3.8B6.6% of daily feeding rate, higher than the 2B3% often used as a general guide. The findings provide strong evidence for caution in acceptance of any single generalized value for estimating TAN production from feeding rates alone. ISU's findings on nutrient retention address EPA's requirement that a concentrated aquatic animal production (CAAP) facility "employ efficient feed management and feeding strategies that limit feed input to the minimum amount ... in order to minimize potential discharges of uneaten feed and waste products to waters of the U.S."
OBJECTIVE 2
ISU research demonstrated design features of a RA system that facilitated rapid removal of solids as well as reduced costs for the microscreen (drum) filter, one of the most expensive components of a RA system. The culture system used dual-drain tanks that allow the operator to set the proportion of flow from the culture tank to sidewall and center drains. As operated, 79% of the flow from the culture tanks, which had the lowest concentration of suspended solids discharged through the sidewall drain, reduced the size and cost of the drum filter, a major capital cost. In addition, the findings demonstrate that the triple standpipe reduced the load of solids to the drum filter as well as facilitating rapid solids removal. Efficient solids capture and disposal is important to operating efficiency of the recirculating aquaculture system, water quality for the cultured fish, and waste management.
The findings of UW-Madison researchers demonstrated that wood fiber filters can be used as an innovative, cost effective method to remove a high percentage of solid wastes from the effluent from many typical flow-through aquaculture systems.
OBJECTIVE 3
UW-Milwaukee investigators demonstrated that fish waste sludge equivalent to approximately 18B35% of the weight of the food used to produce perch in recirculating systems is potentially a viable feedstock for worm culture. On pre-established worm beds the settled sludge can be directly applied in thin layers, without prior dewatering, and rapidly processed. This can be beneficial to aquaculture, especially recycle aquaculture systems, because vermicomposting can potentially decrease the amount of waste released by converting it to salable worms and organic compost to defray some of the high operating expense of recycle aquaculture system rearing.
Recently investigators at Virginia Tech have been investigating the use of vermicomposting in connection with waste recycling at Blue Ridge Aquaculture, a large tilapia recirculating aquaculture system production system in Martinsville, Virginia. However, investigators are unaware of any applications of this technique for aquaculture waste recovery in the NCR. In discussions with several Wisconsin recirculating system operators at the state aquaculture conference, they expressed interest in vermicomposting on a trial basis. Depending on the markets that may be developed for worms and vermicompost, these techniques will find application for aquaculture applications like recirculating aquaculture system that produce concentrated sludge.
OBJECTIVE 4
The proceedings of the NCRAC sponsored 2003 workshop, entitled "Aquaculture Effluents: Overview of EPA Guidelines and Standards and BMPs for Ponds, Raceways, and Recycle Culture Systems," integrated the scientific and experience-based knowledge on best management practices to reduce the impact of effluents of pond, raceway, and recycle aquaculture systems. It is an important source of information needed by commercial operators for understanding the scope and content of EPA's final regulation (i.e., rule) for the concentrated aquatic animal production industry as published in the "Final Effluent Limitations Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards for the Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production Point Source Category, August 2004." The EPA rules apply to the coldwater species category, which includes but is not limited to trout and salmon, and the warmwater category that includes but is not limited to catfish, sunfish, and minnow families of fishes. The coldwater category "includes ponds, raceways, or other similar structures which discharge at least 30 days/year but does not include facilities which produce less than 9,090 harvest weight kilograms (about 20,000 pounds) per year; and facilities which feed less than 2,272 kilograms (approximately 5,000 pounds) during the calendar month of maximum feeding." The warmwater category "includes ponds, raceways, or other similar structures which discharge at least 30 days/year but does not included: closed ponds which discharge only during periods of excess runoff; or facilities which produce less than 45,454 harvest weight kilograms (approximately 100,000 pounds) per year."
RECOMMENDED FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
For recirculating (i.e., recycle) systems producing at least 100,000 pounds of aquatic animals per year, to meet EPA's "nationally applicable effluent limitation guidelines and standards" plans for new or renovation of recycle systems should consider a design similar to that of Ehler's recycle system as described by ISU. The components and flow configuration of that system can reduce capital and operating costs, and reduce water consumption and address solids control. Interested parties are advised to contact ISU investigators for further information. They are available for presentations for state or regional fish farming workshops. Research designed to evaluate feeding strategies (e.g., feeding frequency) to achieve enhanced feeding efficiency would be valuable also.
UW-Madison investigators recommend that aquaculturists that are interested in using fiber filters to remove solids from aquaculture effluents should be advised to contact UW-Madison or FPL investigators for consultation and advice.
There is a need for application of vermicomposting techniques by regional aquaculturists demonstrating its use on a commercial scale either to produce organic vermicompost or for vermiculture. Continuous vermicompost bins with mixed generations of worms would be suitable for sludge recycling by compost production. Approximately 4.75 kg/m2/yr (.97 lb/ft2/yr) of worms were harvested by continuous vermiculture without any separation of cohorts or special fattening to grow them to bait size. Vermiculture, of appropriately sized baitworms, could potentially be increased by an approach that separates cohorts of worms by age and size, insuring better inventory control, avoiding problems with decreased growth rate at high worm density and separating harvestable-sized worms from the numerous smaller sized worms. At a commercial vermiculture operation in Racine, Wisconsin cultured nightcrawlers are grown in plastic pails (approximately10.0 L [2.6 gal] capacity). At about two-week intervals new cohorts of worms are established by separating cocoons from harvested adult worms. Use of modular bins and a cohort separation management strategy is advantageous for inventory control in an operation intending to produce predictable numbers of harvestable bait-sized worms. However, the smaller sized bed of the modular pails tended to dry more easily than and required closer monitoring than the larger continuous composting beds. Because worm growth appears to be slowed in the high density continuous composters, perhaps a hybrid rearing scheme using the continuous composting bed as the principle waste processing method and as a source for periodically harvesting several-week-old intermediate-sized worms that could be rapidly fattened and grown to bait size at lowered density using the modular bins, might be most advantageous for recirculating aquaculture system waste recycling.
PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, OR PAPERS PRESENTED
See the Appendix for a cumulative output for all NCRAC-funded Wastes/Effluents activities.
SUPPORT
|
YEARS |
NCRAC-USDA FUNDING |
OTHER SUPPORT |
TOTAL SUPPORT |
||||
|
UNIVER-SITY |
INDUSTRY |
OTHER FEDERAL |
OTHER |
TOTAL |
|||
|
2001-02 |
$80,766 |
$58,752 |
$299,980 |
$21,060 |
|
$379,792 |
$460,558 |
|
2002-03 |
$68,514 |
$59,059 |
$123,434 |
$21,918 |
|
$204,411 |
$272,925 |
|
2003-05 |
$45,720 |
$60,740 |
$128,173 |
$22,375 |
|
$211,288 |
$257,008 |
|
TOTAL |
$195,000 |
$178,551 |
$551,587 |
$65,353 |
|
$795,491 |
$990,491 |
Termination Report for the Period
September 1, 2001 to August 31, 2005
NCRAC FUNDING: $451,746 (September 1, 2001 to December 31, 2005)
PARTICIPANTS:
|
Fred P. Binkowski |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee |
Wisconsin |
|
Paul B. Brown |
Purdue University |
Indiana |
|
Jeffrey A. Malison |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Wisconsin |
|
Donald J. McFeeters |
Ohio State University |
Ohio |
|
David A. Smith |
Freshwater Farms of Ohio, Inc. |
Ohio |
|
Laura G. Tiu |
Ohio State University |
Ohio |
|
Geoffrey K. Wallat |
Ohio State University |
Ohio |
|
Industry Advisory Council Liaison: |
|
|
|
Rex Ostrum |
Ostrum Acres Fish Farm, McCook |
Nebraska |
|
Extension Liaison: |
|
|
|
Donald L. Garling |
Michigan State University |
Michigan |
|
Non-Funded Collaborators: [10] |
||
|
Pat Brown |
Red Lake Hatchery, Redby |
Minnesota |
|
Harvey Hoven |
University of Wisconsin-Superior |
Wisconsin |
|
David L. Northey |
Coolwater Farms, LLC, Deerfield |
Wisconsin |
|
Todd Powless |
Zeigler Brothers, Inc., Gardners |
Pennsylvania |
|
Lloyd Wright |
Hocking Technical College, Nelsonville |
Ohio |
|
Tom Zeigler |
Zeigler Brothers, Inc., Gardners |
Pennsylvania |
REASON FOR TERMINATION
The project objectives were completed.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
(1) Develop or investigate reliable, profitable, and sustainable production systems to rear feed-trained yellow perch to market size.
(2) Continued development of grow-out diets and feeding strategies for feed-trained yellow perch in ponds and recirculating systems.
(3) Extension
a. Conduct additional yellow perch forums and publish proceedings.
b. Develop fact sheets that not only review the literature but also indicate successes and failures of commercial yellow perch aquaculture.
c. Identify a yellow perch information specialist who can visit state associations.
PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OBJECTIVE 1
The work conducted under Objective 1 was designed to document the production parameters (including expected growth and survival rates, food conversion, and density and loading limitations) that can be expected using open pond, net pen, flow through, and recirculation systems. In addition, information was generated on the relative costs of raising market-size yellow perch using different types of systems.
Details on the various studies can be found below. To summarize, the break-even costs for raising yellow perch to market size in various systems were: recirculating systems averaged $15.12/kg ($6.86/lb); flow-through systems averaged $12.13/kg ($5.50/lb); net pens averaged $10.58/kg ($4.80/lb); one year pond grow out averaged $6.50/kg ($2.59/lb); and two-year pond grow out averaged $5.71/kg ($2.59/lb). Fingerling costs were shown to be an extremely expensive component of raising food-size yellow perch. Expressed as a percentage of total production costs, these ranged: recirculating systems 30%; flow-through systems 25%; net pens 40%; one year pond grow out 76%; and two year pond grow out 45%.
Research was conducted by University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW‑Madison) investigators to document key production parameters for raising feed‑trained fingerlings to market size in ponds in southern Wisconsin, using best current practices at three densities. In 2002 through 2004, a total of 17 ponds were stocked with feed-trained fingerlings in the spring, and harvested in October at the end of the growing season. Ponds were located at Coolwater Farms, LLC, Deerfield, Wisconsin and at the Lake Mills State Fish Hatchery, Lake Mills, Wisconsin. The fish were fed daily using a standard floating trout grower diet. In general, a strong feeding response was observed in all of the ponds. Water quality measurements taken throughout the summer indicated that ammonia and nitrite concentrations were always negligible, and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were always at or above the level needed to allow for good perch growth (3 mg/L; ppm). Except for brief (4B14-day) periods during mid‑summer heat spells, water temperatures remained below 27EC (80.6EF). During the heat spells, however, temperatures increased to 27B28EC (80.6B82.4EF), and the feeding activity of the fish occasionally diminished. Fish growth was very uniform both between and within ponds. The overall averages for key production variables were: individual fish weight gain was 57.2 g (2.02 oz) per season, 0.34 g (0.012 oz) per day; fish survival was 83.5%, and feed/gain was 1.5.
The researchers also evaluated three different variables: fingerling size at stocking, stocking density, and pond size. Fingerlings were stocked into ponds at small (3.6B6.3 g; 0.13B0.22 oz), medium (14.8B23.6 g; 0.52B0.83 oz), or large (38.7B71.3 g; 1.37B2.52 oz) initial sizes. The weight gain of fish was proportional to stocking size, and small fish gained 52.8 g (1.86 oz) per season and 0.31 g (0.011 oz) per day, medium fish gained 55.9 g (1.97 oz) per season and 0.33 g (0.012 oz) per day, and large fish gained 68.5 g (2.41 oz) per season and 0.40 g (0.014 oz) per day. Survival of fish was inversely proportional to stocking size (small = 88.6%, medium = 82.1%, and large = 79.4%). Part of the latter difference may have been due to post-spawning mortalities of some of the medium and large fish.
Little difference was found in water quality, fish growth rate, survival, or feed conversion between ponds stocked at different fish densities. Total fish production averages (weight gain per season) were: 37,064 fish stocked/ha (15,000/acre) = 1,455 kg/ha (1,298 lb/acre); 49,419 fish stocked/ha (20,000/acre) = 2,270 kg/ha (2,025 lb/acre); and 61,774 fish stocked/ha (25,000/acre) = 3,470 kg/ha (3,096 lb/acre). These findings demonstrate the feasibility of stocking yellow perch fingerlings for grow out at densities as high as 61,779 fish/ha (25,000 fish/acre), and suggest that stocking densities higher than that level may be possible. No differences were found in any production variable in ponds of 0.04, 0.12, or 0.57 ha (0.1, 0.3, or 1.4 acres) in size.
Ohio State University (OSU) researchers concurrently used three types of production systems supplied by the same water source (lake water) to rear feed-trained yellow perch fingerlings to market size. The rearing systems used were six 2,044-L (540-gal) flow-through tanks, six 3,785-L (1,000-gal) flow-through raceway tanks, and six 3,028-L (800-gal) cages placed in ponds. Production stocking rates of 60 g/L (0.5 lb/gal) for flow-through tanks were used to calculate the density of feed-trained fingerlings placed in each system. Two feeding strategies were also employed (percentage body weight and satiation feeding), with three replications in each system. Both growth performance data (feed conversion ratios, weight gain, and survival) and economic data (e.g., labor hours, purchase price of systems, construction costs, system operating costs, feed costs) were collected for all three systems and both feeding strategies.
Due to excessive mortalities experienced during the first year of culture, the remaining surviving fish were held in a pond over the winter. These fish were randomly mixed with a new group of similar age and size yellow perch in mid-April 2003, and restocked to the raceways, round tanks, and cages. At the beginning of the second year of culture, fish had a mean weight of 23 g (0.81 oz), and mean total length of 13.2 cm (5.2 in). Initial stocking densities in all three systems was approximately 10 g/L (0.08 lb/gal). The low stocking density was necessary due to the lower numbers of fish available than anticipated, and the need to have equal stocking densities in all three systems.
DO and temperature were recorded daily in all systems. Water quality parameters (total ammonia, nitrite, pH, alkalinity, hardness, and carbon dioxide) were monitored weekly. Fish were fed twice daily, according to feeding regime (percent body weight or satiation). The initial percent body weight amount was set at 3% per day. Satiation feeding treatments had total feed distributed weighed and recorded daily. Mortalities were counted and removed daily.
Fish were sampled once a month for weight and length gain, and feed rations were adjusted accordingly. Approximately 10% of the population was sampled at this time. Due to the length of time in sampling, one replicate from each treatment was chosen at random for sampling each month. Feed amounts of all feed replicates were adjusted to the new rates based on this sampling technique.
All systems were harvested in October 2003 for final data collection. Water quality and production data was analyzed by General Linear Model (SPSS Statistical Software package) to determine the effect of rearing system (raceways, round tanks, and cages), feeding regime (percent body weight or satiation), and the cross-product interaction of rearing system H feeding regime on water quality and production parameters. In both data sets, the rearing system was determined to have a significant effect on both water quality and production parameters, while feeding regime and the cross interaction did not. ANOVA and Fisher's LSD test were then used to determine significant differences between rearing systems for mean water quality and production data.
Water quality parameters for all systems were maintained in safe ranges for yellow perch culture throughout the culture cycle. Several water quality parameters (mean values) were significantly (P < 0.05) different among rearing systems. These parameters were DO (ppm), total ammonia (ppm), and pH. DO mean values for culture cages (8.1 ppm) were significantly different from the round tanks (7.1 ppm), and raceways (6.6 ppm). Total ammonia and pH levels for the cages (0.1 ppm; 8.0, respectively) were also significantly different from the round tanks (0.3 ppm; 7.4), and raceways (0.4 ppm; 7.4).
For production data means, significant (P < 0.05) differences were noted in many production parameters. These were total bulk weight, bulk weight for fish reaching food market size (>20.3 cm; 8.0 in), survival (%), food conversion rate (FCR), individual weight and length, and final biomass. The raceway systems produced a significant difference in final mean bulk weight (135.6 kg; 298.9 lb), when compared to round tanks (92.0 kg; 202.8 lb) and pond cages (90.9 kg; 200.4 lb), though it should be noted that the raceways had a higher number of fish and volume capacity than round tanks or raceways. The raceways also had a significant difference in mean bulk weight for fish reaching food market (>20.3 cm; 8.0 in) size (86.7 kg; 191.1 lb), versus round tanks (64.1 kg; 141.3 lb) and cages (66.5 kg; 146.6 lb), though both round tanks (69.7%) and cages (73.3%) produced higher percentages of fish at market size (by weight) than raceways (63.8%), and were significantly different than the raceways. The raceways had a significantly different mean survival than round tanks and cages (90.7%, 73%, and 72.8%, respectively), and in the food conversion ratio (1.5, 1.9, and 2.3, respectively). Both round tanks and cages produced fish that were larger in both mean individual weight and length, and significantly different from raceways. Mean individual weight and length for round tanks were 111.2 g/20.2 cm (3.9 oz/7.95 in), cages were 113.8 g/20.5 cm (4.0 oz/8.07 in), with raceways at 95.9 g/19.6 cm (3.4 oz/7.72 in). This may be explained in part by the final higher density found in raceways (54.3 kg/m3; 3.4 lb/ft3), when compared to round tanks (47.7 kg/m3; 3.0 lb/ft3) and cages (30.0 kg/m3; 1.9 lb/ft3) and the higher survival in the raceways.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UW-Milwaukee) researchers have completed
production/cost cases studies of three commercial scale (18B35 m3; 4,755B9,246 gal) recirculating aquaculture systems representative of those currently used by regional operators have been completed, comparing performance and costs of growing out fingerling perch to market size. In addition to three seasons of grow out using the in-house UW-Milwaukee recirculating aquaculture system, the operators of two alternative recirculating aquaculutre systems in Wisconsin have each contributed two years information toward production case histories of their operations rearing fingerling yellow perch to a marketable size as non-funded cooperators.
Case 1 used the UW-Milwaukee recirculating aquaculture system consisting of a 15B18 m3 (3,960B4,752 gal) oval rearing tank, a floating bead clarifier, and a fluidized bed biofilter (approximately 5 m3; 1,321 gal) powered by two 1.0 hp circulating pumps. This rearing system used 111.5B113.2 KWH/day for operation.
This research recirculating aquaculture system was installed in 1999. At that time purchased components totaled approximately $28,000. In 2002 an ozone system was added at a cost of $7,000 for a total system purchase cost of approximately $35,000. This purchase cost does not include significant pre-existing assets at UW-Milwaukee, including pre-existing building space (climate controlled), dechlorinated water supply, water heaters, compressed air, electrical hookup and emergency generators, water quality analytical labs, etc., that contribute to its operation.
During the thirty-month study period from February 2002BJuly 2004, three cohorts (each approximately 10,000B15,000) of fingerling yellow perch, a cumulative total of 35,454 fingerlings, were sequentially reared in the UW-Milwaukee recirculating aquaculture system. Overall survival was 88%. Total accumulative biomass at harvest for the study period was 1,876 kg (4,136 lb). Fish density in the system averaged 22 kg/m3 (0.18 lb/gal) and ranged from 0B45 kg/m3 (0.0B0.38 lb/gal).
1st cohortC(February19, 2002BOctober 8, 2002): starting biomass 10,403 fish (128 kg; 282 lb), final biomass 9,176 fish (619 kg; 1,365 lb). Mean fish size at the start was 108 mm, range 73B153 mm (4.3 in, range 2.8B6.0 in), and 13.25 g, range 3.81B38.46 g (0.47 oz, range 0.13B1.36 oz). Mean size at the finish was 181 mm total length, range 106B236 mm (7.1 in, range 4.2B9.3 in) and 71.95 g, range 9.78B241.76 g (2.54 oz, range 0.34B8.53 oz). Overall mean growth in length averaged 0.33 mm/day (0.01 in/day) and the overall daily growth in weight coefficient was 0.008. Monthly growth samples (N = 400 fish) showed considerable variation over the course of the cohort grow out, ranging from 0.24B0.46 mm/day (0.009B0.018 in/day) and daily growth in weight coefficients ranged from 0.005B0.012.
2nd cohortC(January 7, 2003BOctober 10, 2003): starting biomass 10,603 fish (149.7 kg; 330 lb), final biomass 9,541 fish (649.9 kg; 1,433 lb). Mean size at start was 117 mm (4.61 in) total length (range 93B165 mm; 3.66B6.50 in) and 17.5 g, range 6.95B53.8 g (0.62 oz, range 0.25B1.90 oz). Mean size at finish was182 mm, range 120B246 mm (7.17 in, range 4.72B9.69 in) and 73.38 g, range 17.82B189.3 g (2.59 oz, range 0.63B6.68 oz). Overall mean growth during 2nd cohort grow out in length averaged 0.27 mm/day (0.011 in/day) and the overall daily growth in weight coefficient was 0.006. Monthly growth samples (N = 400 fish) showed considerable variation over the course of the cohort grow out, ranging from 0.13B0.64 mm/day (0.005B0.025 in/day) and daily growth in weight coefficients ranged from 0.001B0.018.
3rd cohortC(November 7, 2003BJuly 14, 2004): starting biomass 14,428 fish (154 kg; 339 lb), final biomass 9,755 fish (607 kg; 1,338 lb). Mean fish size at start 99 mm; range 71B126 mm (3.89 in, range 2.80B4.96 in), and 10.70 g, range 3.69B21.58 (0.38 oz, range 0.13B0.76 oz ). Mean size of fish in the July 13, 2004 sample was 168 mm; range 133B215 mm (6.61 in, range 5.24B8.46 in) and 60.87 g, range 22.6B154.2 g (2.15 oz, range 0.80B5.44 oz). Overall mean growth in length averaged 0.27 mm/day (0.011 in/day) and the overall daily growth in weight coefficient was 0.007. Monthly growth samples (N = 400 fish) showed considerable variation over the course of the cohort grow out, ranging from 0.03B0.62 mm/day (0.001B0.024 in) and daily growth in weight coefficients ranged from 0.002B0.22.
As indicated by the wide range in final sizes at harvest, after eight or nine months of growth in a recirculating aquaculture system, for the first two cohorts, approximately 51B55% of the perch grew to a size suitable for use as filleted product (>170 mm; 6.69 in). The remainder of the smaller live fish would be valuable for sale as live fish for stocking (45B49%) and a small percentage (<1 %) of very slow growing fish were culled.
Daily ration averaged 5 kg (11 lb) and ranged from 0B10 kg (0B22 lb). An accumulative total of 4,062 kg (8,955 lb) of food (donated by Zeigler Brothers, Inc.) was used during the study period. Overall food conversion for the study period was 2.2 kg food:1 kg fish (2.2 lb:1 lb fish).
Water usage during the study period totaled 681 m3 (179,901 gal). Daily replacement water usage for the recirculating aquaculture system over the study period averaged 4% of the rearing system volume. Rearing water temperature averaged 21.6EC, range 13.8 B24.9EC (70.9EF, range 56.8B76.8EF), and was controlled principally by building room temperature (mean 20.6EC, range 18.0B23.0EC [69.1EF, range 64.4B73.4EF) and replacement water temperature. Rearing water quality during perch grow out ranged: pH (mean 7.1, range 6.7B7.9), total ammonia nitrogen (mean 0.57 mg/L, range 0.00B6.0 ppm), nitrite nitrogen (mean 0.07 ppm, range 0.00B2.50 ppm), dissolved oxygen (mean 6.4 ppm, range 4.6B7.8 ppm), salinity (mean 1.21%, range 0B2.5 %), and conductivity (mean 5,200 μS, range 300B10,000 μS) of the rearing water. The solids sludge from the UW-Milwaukee recirculating aquaculture system bead filter has also been used to support UW-Milwaukee vermicomposting investigations in connection with the current North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) aquaculture wastes and effluents project.
Monthly operating expenses averaged $553 and ranged from $250B$690 (excluding initial cost of fingerlings). When the initial fingerling cost is added to the total operating costs for the 30 month study period the total was estimated at $27,640, which breaks down: fingerlings (34%), electricity (29%), labor (21%), feed (12%), water quality testing (2%), salt and bicarbonate (2%), and water cost and miscellaneous (>1%).
Case 2: Alpine Farms, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. This privately owned and operated system has a 29 m3 (7,656 gal) rectangular poly-lined rearing tank (with "Unistrut" supported plywood side walls), a rotating-drum filter with a suction cleaner as a clarifier, and three trickling filter style biofiltration towers each with a recirculating pump operated by a 12 hp 3-phase motor. This rearing system uses 70.5B98.3 KWH/day for operation. This system was installed in 1995 at a purchase cost of $18,000. This price did not include the value of pre-existing hatchery facilities associated with their well drilling business, including the climate controlled building with electric utility hookup, well water supply, and heat pumps. From 1995B2002 this system was used to rear yellow perch fingerlings to marketable size. In 2002 the operator ceased using the system on a regular basis for perch grow out. The owners have provided copies of their handwritten daily logs of operations of their recirculating aquaculture system from February 1995 through August 2001. Their records contain daily temperature and water quality information, numbers and dates of fish stocked into and removed, either for processing, for direct sale, or as mortalities from the system. The focus was on the 3-year period of operation from August 1996 through July 1999. Because prior to this time, from July 1995 through July 1996, perch were reared at less than the full capacity of the system on a trial basis and in the period following July 1999 through 2002 mixed species batches of fish were reared in the system simultaneously with the crops of perch.
During this 3 year period from August 1996 through July 1999, the system was operated at nearly full capacity perch production. In this period a total of 39,507 perch fingerlings were stocked into the system and 18,135 were harvested at marketable size (46% of the stocked fish). Estimated fish density in the system ranged from 16B45 kg/m3 (0.13B0.38 lb/gal). Of the fish stocked during this period, 28% (11,083) were recorded as mortalities, and approximately 9,800 perch (~25% of the stocked fish) remained in the system at the end of the study period in July 1999. At a harvest size of 4 fish/lb this represents an accumulative harvest of food size perch of approximately 2,057 kg (4,534 lb) during the study period. During this same period a total of 5,756 kg (12,689 lb) of commercial food was used in the system or 2.8 kg of food used per kg of harvested fish (2.8 lb food/lb of fish harvested). This value does not, however, take into account the gain due to the portion consumed by the fish remaining in the system. Daily feeding in this system averaged 5.4 kg/day (11.8 lb/day) and ranged from 0B14 kg/day (0B31 lb/day).
Water usage during the study period totaled 6,373 m3 (1,682,583 gal). Daily replacement water usage for the recirculating aquaculture system over the study period averaged 22% (range 0B78%) of the rearing system volume. Rearing water temperature averaged 19.0EC, range 13.0B24.2EC (66.2EF, range 55.4B75.6EF), and was controlled principally by room temperature (mean 19.1EC, range 12.2B23.9 EC [66.4EF, range 54.0B75.0EF]) and the addition of well water. During rearing, water quality ranged: pH (mean 7.4, range 5.8B8.5), total ammonia nitrogen (mean 1.28 ppm, range 0.0B16.7 ppm), nitrite nitrogen (mean 0.09 ppm, range 0.00B0.52 ppm), dissolved oxygen (mean 6.3 ppm, range 2.5B9.2 ppm), and alkalinity (mean 201 ppm, range 0.2B308 ppm).
Monthly operating expenses during the study period averaged $550 (range $405B$668), excluding the initial cost of fingerlings. When the initial fingerling cost is added to the total operating costs for the 36 month study period costs were estimated at $27,674, which breaks down: fingerlings (35%), electricity (20%), labor (20%), feed (16%), make up water (4%), supplemental water heating (3%), water quality testing (2%), salt and bicarbonate and miscellaneous (>1%).
Case 3: Soda Farms, Princeton, Wisconsin. This privately owned and operated system was designed to have two 6.1 m (20.01 ft) diameter circular fiberglass rearing tanks (each approximately 36 m3 [9,504 gal]) equipped with a dual drain system combined with a rotating drum filter clarifier. The biofiltration system consisted of three 1.1 m3 (300 gal) poly tanks and a 6.4 m3 (1,700 gal) poly tank as a biofilter reserve. One of the 1.1 m3 tanks with koch rings serves as a biofilter and O2 contact chamber, the other two 1.1 m3 biofilter tanks contained Bee-Cell 2000 filter media. The 6.4 m3 (1,700 gal) tank had bio-strata media and an airstone grid. The system was circulated with a 3 hp pump. This rearing system used 65.5B82.2 KWH/day for operation. The owners have operated this system for several years using only one rearing tank and completed their system by installing the second rearing tank that was previously planned for in the sizing of the biofiltration system.
In December 2001, this system was stocked with 17,080 fingerling perch (50B115 mm [1.97B4.53 in] total length). In September 2002 an additional 6,000 fish were added to the system and another 3,875 in June 2003 (total 26,955 fish stocked).
From December 2001 through October 2003, a total of 26,955 fish were stocked in the system that was operated with the single rearing tank during that time. Estimated fish density during the study period ranged from 1.7-26 kg/m3 (0.01-0.22 lb/gal). Sixty-eight percent of the stocked fish (18,311 fish totaling 2,301 kg [5,075 lb]) were harvested for marketing and 2,377 mortalities (8.8% of the stocked fish) were discarded. The total food added to the system during this period was 3,478 kg (7,667 lb) or 1.5 kg of food was used per kg of fish harvested (1.5 lb food/lb of fish harvested). However, this conversion does not include the food that had been given to the additional fish stocked into the system prior to their stocking into this recirculating aquaculture system.
Estimated water usage during the study period totaled 1,262 m3 (333,500 gal). Daily replacement water usage for the recirculating aquaculture system over the study period was approximately 5% of the rearing system volume. Rearing water temperature averaged 19.8EC, range 12.0-23.9EC (67.6EF, range 53.6-75.0EF). Rearing water quality for perch grow out ranged: pH (mean 7.4, range7.0-8.0), total ammonia nitrogen (mean 0.40 ppm, range 0-1.8 ppm), nitrite nitrogen (mean 0.24 ppm, range 0.00-2.50 ppm), dissolved oxygen (mean 7.8 ppm, range 2.1-2.7 ppm), salinity (mean 1.26%, range 0.2-3.0%), and alkalinity (mean 150 ppm, range 75-235 ppm).
Monthly operating expenses during the 22-month study period averaged $435 (range $146-$578), excluding initial cost of fingerlings. When the initial fingerling cost was added to the operating costs for the study period, the total costs were estimated at $15,853, which breaks down: fingerlings (45%), electricity (18%), feed (18%), labor (8%), supplemental water heating (4%), salt and bicarbonate (3%), make up water (2%), water quality testing (1%), and miscellaneous (>1%).
Although it is technically feasible to grow out fingerling perch to marketable food size in recirculating aquaculture system units, the high operating expenses including high fingerling costs, electrical costs, labor and feed, combine to make the r