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ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT North Central Regional Aquaculture Center TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION Title XIV of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1980 (P.L. 97-98) amended the National Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-113) by authorizing the establishment of aquaculture research, development, and demonstration centers in the United States (Subtitle L, Sec. 1475[d]) in association with colleges and universities, State Departments of Agriculture, Federal facilities, and non-profit private research institutions. These Regional Aquaculture Centers have been reauthorized in the Food Security Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-198) and Food, Agriculture Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-624). Five such centers have been established: one in each of the northeastern, north central, southern, and western regions of the country, and one in Hawaii. 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 Department of Agriculture 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 North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) 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 (NCC) for Aquaculture. The council is composed of directors of regional
aquaculture centers and is chaired by a representative of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. II. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
IV. PROJECT PROGRESS REPORTS A. North Central Regional Aquaculture Center Extension Project for the period September 1, 1992 to August 31, 1993 TOTAL FUNDS COMMITTED: $311,848 WORK GROUP MEMBERS:
PROJECT OBJECTIVES (1) Strengthen linkages between North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) research and extension work groups. (2) Enhance the North Central Region (NCR) aquaculture extension network for aquaculture information transfer. (3) Provide in-service training for Cooperative Extension Service (CES) and Sea Grant personnel and other landowner assistance personnel. (4) Develop aquaculture education programs for the NCR. (5) Coordinate NCRAC publications. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS The NCRAC Extension Work Group will promote and advance commercial aquaculture in a responsible fashion through an organized education/training outreach program. The primary benefits are: increase in 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, such as walleye, hybrid striped bass, yellow perch, salmonids, and sunfish, through hands-on workshops and field demonstration projects; improve lines of communication between interstate aquaculture extension specialists and associated industry contacts; and enhance the legal and socioeconomic atmosphere for aquaculture in the NCR. PROGRESS AND PRINCIPAL ACTIONS (ACCOMPLISHMENTS) Extension Service personnel in aquaculture serve as liaison between research personnel and several clientele groups. The largest group of clientele are individuals interested in starting an aquaculture operation who lack basic knowledge of aquaculture technologies and opportunities. A second group of clientele have some basic knowledge of aquaculture and sites with potential for aquaculture development. These individuals need more specific information to develop plans for establishing a commercial operation. The third clientele group is comprised of established fish culturists who need information to solve specific problems. A fourth clientele group includes industries involved in production of inputs for aquaculture or in the processing and marketing sectors. The demand for aquaculture extension education programs cannot be met by the few specialists in the NCR. Networking of specialists and CES designated contacts will maximize efficiency of education programs and minimize duplication. Printed materials will be an important component of the extension education effort in aquaculture and county agents and Sea Grant agents will be educated to serve as initial information sources. The NCRAC Extension Project is designed to assess and meet the information needs of the various clientele groups through cooperative and coordinated regional educational programming. PRINCIPAL ACTIONS At least one contact person has been designated by CES for each NCR state, an extension contact directory has been developed and is kept current, and a mechanism for sharing materials produced by states in the NCR has been established. Workshops for CES and Sea Grant personnel on how to develop a strong interdisciplinary effort, enhance information sharing, establish priorities for development of educational materials, plan workshops, etc., have been held and will be hosted in additional sites. Liaisons with state and federal agencies, and with state aquaculture organizations have been made to identify industry needs. Specific principal major actions during this reporting period include: Strengthened linkages between NCRAC research and extension work groups through the extension liaisons. Provided in-service training for CES and Sea Grant personnel and other landowner assistance personnel in basic aquaculture in Illinois (Selock and Swann); Minnesota (Gunderson and Morris); Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska (Kayes and Morris); Wisconsin (Binkowski); in seafood handling in Illinois (Selock); and the National Extension Wildlife and Fisheries Workshop (Morris). Delivered workshops on general aquaculture in Minnesota (Gunderson); Nebraska (Kayes); Wisconsin (Binkowski); fish diseases and commercial aquaculture recirculation systems in Ohio (Ebeling); aquaculture business planning in Nebraska (Kayes); crayfish in Minnesota (Gunderson); and pond management in Illinois (Selock). Delivered in-service training programs to vocational agriculture and science teachers on basic aquaculture in Michigan (Garling), Illinois (Selock), and Iowa (Morris). Developed, delivered and evaluated a pilot regional in-service training program entitled "Investing in Freshwater Aquaculture" using television satellite uplink/downlink with leadership from Purdue University (Swann) and participation from Iowa State University (Morris), Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (Selock), University of Nebraska (Kayes), Michigan State University (Garling and Batterson), and Ohio State University (Ebeling). The program consisted of 10 five-to-seven minute video tape segments which addressed production aspects of channel catfish, crayfish, rainbow trout, hybrid striped bass, tilapia, yellow perch, baitfish, and sportfish. A set of course materials was available prior to the program. Three times during the program, a question and answer period was available to the audience through a toll free telephone number. Questions not answered during the program were answered by mail afterwards. Satellite coordinates had to be requested from the host. Completed 13 bulletins and fact sheets and a video that were provided to all members of the extension network. PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, AND VIDEOS NCRAC Extension Fact Sheet Series #101 Making Plans for Commercial Aquaculture in the North Central Region, by D. Garling (Michigan State University) #102 Pond Culture of Walleye Fingerlings, by L. Harding, C. Clouse, R. Summerfelt, and J. Morris (Iowa State University) #103 Choosing an Organizational Structure for Your Aquaculture Business, by S. Kohler and D. Selock (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale) #104 Transport of Fish in Bags, by L. Swann (Purdue University) #105 Use and Application of Salt in Aquaculture, by L. Swann (Purdue University) #106 Pond Culture of Channel Catfish in the North Central Region, by J. Morris (Iowa State University) #107 Pond Culture of Hybrid Striped Bass Fingerlings (in preparation), by J. Morris (Iowa State University) #108 Trout Culture in the North Central Region, by K. Cain and D. Garling (Michigan State University) #109 Fish Health Management (in press), by J. Mittlemark (University of Minnesota) #110 Cage Culture of Fish in the North Central Region (in review), by J. Morris (Iowa State University), J. Reipe (Purdue University), D. Selock (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale), and L. Swann (Purdue University) NCRAC Technical Bulletin Series #101 Aquaculture Law in the North Central States: A Digest of State Statutes Pertaining to the Production and Marketing of Aquacultural Products, by S. Thomas, R. Sullivan, R. Vertrees, and D. Floyd (Ohio State University) #102 A Basic Overview of Aquaculture, by L. Swann (Purdue University) #103 North Central Regional 1990 Salmonid Egg and Fingerling Purchases, Production, and Sales, by R. Kinnunen (Michigan State University) #104 Survey of Wholesale and Retail Buyers in the Six Southern States of the North Central Region (in preparation), by L. Hushak, C. Cole, and D. Gleckler, Research Associate (Ohio State University) #106 Factors to Consider in Establishing a Successful Aquaculture Business in the North Central Region, by F. Lichtkoppler (Ohio State University) #107 Niche Marketing Your Aquaculture Products (in press), by L. Swann and J. Rosscup Reipe (Purdue University) #108 Aquaculture in the North Central Region (in review), by G. Brown and L. Hushak (Ohio State University) #109 Basic Principles of Biofiltration System Design (in review), by B. Tetzalff and R. Heidinger (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale) NCRAC Video Series #101 Something Fishy: Hybrid Striped Bass in Cages, by L. Swann (Purdue University) #102 Whiskers and Cages (in preparation), by D. Selock (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale) #103 Investing in Freshwater Aquaculture, edited by L. Swann (Purdue University) One copy of any of the above that has been completed is available free from (multiple copies at cost): NCRAC Publications Office Department of Animal Ecology 124 Science II Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-3221 Telephone: (515) 294-5280; FAX: (515) 294-7874. WORK PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR At least one Extension Work Group member has been assigned to work with each funded NCRAC research project to provide ongoing needs assessment, to provide input for design and prioritization of future research projects, and to identify results useful in extension programs. Very successful in-service training workshops have been held. Based on the results of these workshops, additional regional aquaculture in-service training workshops will be conducted. A regional in-service training program will be coordinated by Terry Kayes and Joe Morris for South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. The in-service training activities will be conducted at the sites in Nebraska which meet topic and facility requirements. Dan Selock will conduct six workshops for retail seafood handlers (including aquaculture producers) in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri (two in Chicago, two in Indianapolis, and two near St. Louis, respectively). Terry Kayes is developing two 30-minute video tape segments that summarize the 1992 "Investing in Freshwater Aquaculture" teleconference. Those segments will be included in a video entitled "Investing in Freshwater Aquaculture: A Reprise," which can be used by aquaculture extension and outreach professionals as a teaching tool in conducting workshops. At the 1992 NCRAC Program Planning Meeting, the Industry Advisory Council expressed a need for technique-centered educational tools to help farmers and prospective aquaculturists rear high priority fish species. To meet this need, NCRAC Extension Work Group members will focus their program efforts on the following:
Three major regional programs will be developed for individuals with demonstrated potential to develop commercial aquaculture operations are planned in conjunction with development of culture techniques guides: (1) Hybrid Striped Bass Workshop, (2) Walleye Culture Workshop, and (3)Yellow Perch Culture. 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. Examples of these workshops include:
LaDon Swann will develop Aquaculture Handbooks for 20 CES or Sea Grant field staff per state. The Aquaculture Handbooks will be based on handbooks successfully field tested in Illinois and Indiana. Each Handbook will consist of a three-ring notebook divided into 26 sections for fact sheets and bulletins relevant for each selected topic. Where possible NCRAC publications and state specific information will be used. Identification of field staff and their in-service training on the use of the Aquaculture Handbook will be the responsibility of each state Extension Contact. IMPACTS The positive impacts to aquaculture clientele from all NCRAC Extension activities are oftentimes hard to measure. Direct assistance provided to individuals by the Extension network will enhance the development of aquaculture in the region. For example, Jeff Gunderson (Minnesota) conducted a crayfish workshop in Minnesota and developed handout information related to crayfish marketing, soft shell production, business development and species identification. Although not specifically a NCRAC function, knowledge gained from working with the northern Minnesota and Wisconsin crayfish producers during this workshop will facilitate more effective dissemination of Crayfish Work Group results throughout the region. In-service training for CES and Sea Grant personnel has enabled those professionals to respond to initial, routine aquaculture questions from the general public and allows the aquaculture specialists to work on more difficult problems. The development of aquaculture education programs for the NCR provides "hands-on" opportunities for prospective and experienced producers. Approximately 2200 individuals have attended workshops organized and delivered by the NCRAC Extension Work Group. Clientele attending regional workshops learned of aquaculture development strategies in other areas of the country and acquired information which was of direct use to their own enterprises. Education programs also created situations where problems encountered by producers were expressed to extension personnel who later relayed them to researchers at NCRAC work group meetings for possible solutions through the research effort. Fact sheets developed by the Center will serve to better inform clients about suitable aquaculture practices. In addition, the increased cooperation of various state extension personnel allows for an increased amount of education of the public. For instance, "Making Plans for Commercial Aquaculture in the North Central Region" (Garling, Michigan) is often used to provide clients with initial information about aquaculture, while species specific publications on walleye (Harding et al., Iowa), catfish (Morris, Iowa) and trout (Cain and Garling, Michigan) have been used in numerous regional meetings and have been requested by clients from throughout the U.S. Publications on organizational structure for aquaculture businesses (Kohler and Selock, Illinois), transportation of fish in bags (Swann, Indiana), and others are beneficial to both new and established aquaculturists. NCRAC extension efforts have helped increase the number of aquaculture operations within the region. For example, the number of aquaculture licenses in Illinois has increased by an average of 20% annually for the last three years to a total of 96 license holders in 1992. Most NCRAC Extension Work Group members participate on state aquaculture planning committees designed to facilitate aquaculture development. New or improved operations have been facilitated in most NCR states with NCRAC extension assistance. These activities will continue to enhance the development of aquaculture in the region. Approximately 700 participants viewed the teleconference program "Investing in Freshwater Aquaculture." Overall, the program accomplished the stated objectives. Sixty-one percent of the individuals who responded to the evaluations were participating in their first aquaculture program. These individuals overwhelmingly felt the program was good to excellent. However, a majority of the respondents would have preferred a workshop or seminar over the teleconference. B. Aquaculture Economics, Marketing and Policy for the North Central Region for the period September 1, 1992 to August 31, 1993 TOTAL FUNDS COMMITTED: $254,988 WORK GROUP MEMBERS:
PROJECT OBJECTIVES The objectives of this project have been to: (1) Identify existing and needed economic data; develop statistical reporting methods; design an information management system and prototype annual situation/outlook report on the North Central Region (NCR) aquaculture industry; begin collecting and compiling a regional database; and prepare a situation/outlook report. (2) Develop and implement an extension program designed to educate current and potential aquaculture producers on the need to provide accurate economic information on their operations. (3) Investigate economic production and marketing feasibility for selected species currently produced in the NCR and other species which offer commercial potential. (4) Identify existing policy impediments and incentives for expanded aquaculture development in each participating state within the NCR. During this reporting period activities of the Work Group focused on objectives (1) and (3). ANTICIPATED BENEFITS The implications of the economics, marketing and policy project for the future of fish production in NCR have further emerged during 1992-93. The Situation and Outlook Report will provide a widely distributed report of the state of aquaculture in the NCR. The benefits of the cost of production budgets are two. First, for the first time, budgets using North Central trout and catfish producer data are available for use by regional producers and by North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) Extension agents in assisting producers and others to assess the profitability of existing and proposed fish enterprises. These budgets will also be useful in helping producers assess the feasibility of growing other species in the region. Second, these budgets provide an educational tool in the hands of Extension agents to teach fish growers how to improve cost accounting and budgeting procedures on their operations. Improved cost accounting will make producers better managers and assist regional researchers in assessing the feasibility of growing particular species under varying conditions. Incorporation of cost of production budget parameters into budget software will give current or potential fish producers, financial institutions and policy makers regional results about the feasibility of producing trout and catfish in various locations of the NCR. In addition, the data on some costs such as water and facilities will be transferable to other species of interest. PROGRESS AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS This project seeks to understand the economics, marketing and policy issues of aquaculture in the NCR. It is a multidisciplinary effort involving personnel from three institutions in three states, combining the disciplines of agricultural economics and cooperative extension. Trout and catfish cost of production budgets were developed. Based on the 1990 NCRAC survey of producers, these two species are the largest revenue generators for this region's growers. There were 65 trout producers who grew trout and sold in excess of $1,000 during 1990. Twenty-nine of these producers were chosen for the cost of production study to reflect differences in sizes of operations. Nineteen of the facilities were visited in person; the remaining ten were sent a questionnaire and then interviewed by telephone. The initial 19 were also contacted by telephone, as needed, to clarify initial responses when questions arose. Of the ten participants who were not visited, five did not respond to the telephone survey. Three questionnaires were not used because the data provided was too incomplete to develop budgets. The remaining 21 producer surveys provided the data base for the trout study. The level of cooperation received from trout growers in completing a very lengthy and difficult questionnaire was a very pleasant surprise. Data were collected for the calendar year 1991. Producers were asked to provided information about variable and fixed operating costs of raising trout, the prices of variable and fixed inputs for which producers would have price data, type(s) of fish stocked, stocking size, market size, food conversion rate, and physical relationships such as water temperature and flow rates. The 21 producers were divided into three groups. The small group contained nine producers with gross sales of $1,250 to $45,000, with average sales of $20,039. These producers sold an average of 8,845 kg (19,500 lbs) live weight. The medium group contains seven producers with sales ranging from $92,178 to $130,000, and averaging $108,220. Output averaged 278,671 kg (61,005 lbs) live weight. The large group contains five producers who averaged $324,184 in sales and 72,746 kg (160,378 lbs) live weight in output. The smallest of this group sold $225,000 during 1991. Variable plus fixed operating costs were $21,140 for the average small producer resulting in negative operating revenues of $1,101; so there was a negative balance before any allocation to the operator's labor, management and investment. The medium and large groups had variable plus fixed costs of $95,927 and $239,510, respectively, leaving returns of $12,293 and $84,674, respectively, available for operator's labor, management and investment. The cost and revenue data were of questionable validity at best. Most of the trout producers interviewed have very weak cost accounting skills, and, therefore, have limited ability to evaluate whether their trout operations are profitable or not. In addition, trout operations as a group are very complex when compared to other agricultural production enterprises because of the number of growing ranges for the fish (hatching eggs, selling or buying fingerlings, selling or buying stockers, selling food size fish). Also, there are a large variety of production facilities, i.e., ponds, raceways, cages, etc. and all possible combinations of these facilities, plus variations in the costs of obtaining water. Experience suggests that very basic educational programs in management, cost accounting, and budgeting would be highly beneficial to these producers in NCR. PUBLICATIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS Publications in print: Brown, G.J., and L.J. Hushak. 1991. The NCRAC producers survey and what we have learned: an interim report. Pages 69-71 in Proceedings of the North Central Aquaculture Conference, Kalamazoo, Michigan, March 18-21, 1991. Floyd, D.W., and R.M. Sullivan. 1990. Natural resources and aquaculture: the policy environment in the North Central states. Proceedings of the Third Symposium on Social Science and Resource Management. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. Floyd, D.W., R.M. Sullivan, R.L. Vertrees, and C.F. Cole. 1991. Natural resources and aquaculture: Emerging policy issues in the North Central states. Society and Natural Resources 4:123-131. Gleckler, D.P. 1991. Distribution channels for wild-caught and farm-raised fish and seafood: a survey of wholesale and retail buyers in six states of the North Central Region. M.S. thesis. Ohio State University, Columbus. Gleckler, D.P., L.J. Hushak, and M.E. Gerlow. 1991. Distribution channels for wild-caught and farm-raised fish and seafood. Pages 77-81 in Proceedings of the North Central Aquaculture Conference, Kalamazoo, Michigan, March 18-21, 1991. Hushak, L.J. 1993. North Central Regional Aquaculture Industry Situation and Outlook Report. Volume 1. North Central Regional Aquaculture Center Publications Office, Department of Animal Ecology, Iowa State University, Ames. Hushak, L.J., D.W. Floyd, and R.L. Vertrees. 1992. Aquaculture: a competitive industry in North Central states? Ohio's Challenge 5(1):3-5. Hushak, L.J., C.F. Cole, and D.P. Gleckler. 1993. Survey of wholesale and retail buyers in the six southern states of the North Central Region. NCRAC Technical Bulletin Series #104. North Central Regional Aquaculture Center Publications Office, Department of Animal Ecology, Iowa State University, Ames. Robinson, M., D. Zepponi, and B.J. Sherrick. 1991. Assessing market potential for new and existing species in the North Central Region. Pages 72-76 in Proceedings of the North Central Aquaculture Conference, Kalamazoo, Michigan, March 18-21, 1991. Thomas, S.K. 1991. Industry association influence upon state aquaculture policy: a comparative analysis in the North Central Region. M.S. thesis. Ohio State University, Columbus. Thomas, S.K., R.L. Vertrees, and D.W. Floyd. 1991. Association influence upon state aquaculture policy--a comparative analysis in the North Central Region. The Ohio Journal of Science 91(2):54. Thomas, S.K., R.M. Sullivan, R.L. Vertrees, and D.W. Floyd. 1992. Aquaculture law in the North Central states: a digest of state statutes pertaining to the production and marketing of aquacultural products. NCRAC Technical Bulletin Series #101, North Central Regional Aquaculture Center Publications Office, Department of Animal Ecology, Iowa State University, Ames. Manuscripts: Brown, G.J. In press. Cost of production budgets for trout in North Central states. M.S. thesis. Ohio State University, Columbus. WORK PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR The current Work Group members will complete unfinished activities on a no-cost basis. A new Work Group will begin to develop cost of production budgets and expected revenues for the raising of food-sized walleye, yellow perch, and hybrid striped bass on farms in the NCR. IMPACTS 1. The marketing study showed that the primary species cultured by North Central producers are highly marketable. 2. The cost of production budgets provide, for the first time, budgets based on actual production units in the NCR. C. Advancement of Yellow Perch Aquaculture for the period September 1, 1992 to August 31, 1993 TOTAL FUNDS COMMITTED: $504,785 WORK GROUP MEMBERS:
PROJECT OBJECTIVES This is the final annual report of a 4-year project, the funding on which began May 1, 1989 and ended August 31, 1993. The project's objectives were to: (1) Compare the survival, growth, feed conversion, and proximate composition of offspring from selected northern, southern, and Great Plains stocks of yellow perch, at different life history stages and at different temperatures. (2) Evaluate the survival, growth, and feed conversion of yellow perch raised at various loadings or rearing densities in selected flow-through and pond culture systems. (3) Evaluate and improve the efficiency of various methods of inducing triploidy in yellow perch, and compare the survival and growth to market size of the triploids produced with that of normal diploids. (4) Compare pond and intensive culture methods for the production of yellow perch fingerlings. Most of the research findings on these four objectives were generated in the first three years of the project and are summarized in the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) "ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT" dated December 1992. The 1991-92 report fully summarizes all of the research done by the Work Group on Objectives 1 and 2. This report describes the final research completed on Objectives 3 and 4 from September 1, 1992 to August 31, 1993, as well as special accomplishments before that period and plans for future activity. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS The principal goal of this project, as stated in the initial 1989 proposal, has been to "develop practical strategies for commercial yellow perch aquaculture under the diverse environmental conditions that exist in the North Central Region." Much of this goal has been realized. During its 4-year history, the project examined: (1) the suitability of selected wild perch broodstocks obtained from different geographic locales as candidates for potential broodstock development; (2) the applicability of selected conventional production technologies to perch aquaculture; (3) the potential of using chromosomal triploidy induction to enhance growth; and (4) the relative merits of pond versus intensive culture methods for the production of perch fingerlings, and the nutrient composition of live-food organisms versus perch fry raised to different sizes (stages of development) under different culture conditions (different pond sites and laboratories, pond versus intensive culture). The anticipated benefits of the project, in large part, reflect the principal findings and conclusions that can be drawn from the research that was done. With respect to Objective 1, studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UW-Milwaukee) found variations in percentage of survival and swim bladder inflation between perch fry from different stocks, and research at Purdue University (Purdue) identified significant differences in the growth of perch fingerlings from these same stocks at various rearing temperatures. In overview, these variations and differences appeared to be primarily reflective of the geographic locales from which the brood fish and fertilized eggs of the different stocks were selected, which is a factor that should be considered when selecting broodstock for the production of perch. Thus, producers in the northern and southern parts of the North Central Region (NCR) should probably use broodstock from their own respective parts of the region, and not expend undue time and resources seeking "super" perch from stocks with presumed superior performance traits that have not been documented by properly controlled experimental procedures. As part of Objective 2, Michigan State University (MSU) and University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) researchers unequivocally demonstrated that perch can be raised to market size using conventional aquaculture production technologies in a time frame similar to that of such important commercially cultured species as channel catfish. The demonstration of this fact is perhaps one of the project's most important practical benefits, because it underscores the importance of matching species selection for aquaculture development with climatic conditions and available resources. This research effort was also important because it helps refute the notion that, except for salmon and trout, finfish aquaculture in the North, owing to the shorter growing season, cannot be competitive with aquaculture production at southern or tropical latitudes. The temperature requirements of perch for successful reproduction and optimum growth make the commercial culture of this species in the principal catfish producing states of the South highly unlikely. Regarding Objective 2, MSU investigators, working with Bay Port Aquaculture Inc. of Port Sheldon, Michigan, have demonstrated that perch can be raised on a commercial scale at high densities in flow-through tanks, using research-based procedures for estimating carrying capacity based on the dissolved oxygen requirements and ammonia tolerance limits of perch. Such an approach to perch aquaculture, employing intensive procedures similar to those used in commercial trout production, should be particularly applicable to situations where an inexpensive, abundant source of high-quality temperate (i.e., 18-24 oC) water is or can be made available for "grow out" - from natural springs, wells, and/or the utilization of dependable waste heat or clean cooling water from such providers as electric power generating stations. Using a different approach, UW-Madison researchers, working with Coolwater Farms of Dousman, Wisconsin, have demonstrated that the commercial-scale culture of perch in ponds can be feasible, if sufficient quantities of inexpensive groundwater (which ranges between about 8 and 14 oC across the NCR) is available to moderate pond water temperature highs during the summer and ice formation during the winter. Such groundwater addition also helps maintain elevated dissolved oxygen concentrations, and facilitates ice control during the winter to provide access formanagement and feeding and to prevent equipment damage. The benefit of this approach is that it provides a ready means of producing commercial quantities of perch in those parts of the region where pond construction is feasible and groundwater is abundant and available at a reasonable cost. Studies by researchers at the UW-Madison and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIU-C) on Objective 3 have shown that while direct triploidy induction in fertilized eggs produces perch that exhibit retarded gonadal development and somewhat higher fillet yields than is observed in normal diploid fish, direct triploidy induction does not significantly enhance growth. Investigators at the UW-Madison have developed effective procedures to induce triploidy in perch either by heat or hydrostatic pressure shocks, but have shown that such shocks exert a negative influence on growth independent of ploidy change. Accordingly, unless perch can be marketed on the basis of fillet yield or lack of reproductive competence, instead of total body weight, it is difficult to envision how direct triploidy induction can benefit commercial perch aquaculture. Researchers at the UW-Madison have also developed procedures for producing tetraploid brood perch, which presumably can be backcrossed with diploid fish to produce triploid eggs via natural fertilization, rather than by using physical or chemical shock treatments. Triploid perch produced by crossing tetraploid and diploids may grow faster than diploids, but this potential benefit has not yet been tested either experimentally or in practice. Researchers at the UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee, working collaboratively on Objective 4, have clearly demonstrated that with recently developed "best available" techniques, fry and early-fingerlings perch raised in ponds exhibit better survival and growth and far fewer problems with swim bladder inflation and spinal deformities than perch reared intensively in tanks since hatching. Furthermore, after habituation to formulated feed and intensive culture conditions, pond-reared perch often continue to out-grow fish reared entirely by intensive methods. Over the years, UW-Madison investigators have continued to develop improved procedures for incubating and hatching perch eggs, rearing and harvesting ever-increasing numbers of perch fingerlings from ponds (up to 1,000,000 per surface hectare), and habituating early-fingerlings (16-18 mm total length) to formulated feed and intensive culture conditions using internal tank lighting. The development of these procedures represents another one of the project's most important practical benefits, because they provide fish farmers with a ready means of producing large number of perch fingerlings that are habituated to formulated feed and ready for "grow out" to market size. After three years of research on Objective 4, UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee investigators have found that despite significant improvements in procedures and fry survival, problems with swim bladder inflation and cannibalism continue to be serious impediments to the large-scale intensive production of perch fingerlings. UW-Milwaukee researchers demonstrated that problems with early development and habituation of fry to intensive culture conditions were not as serious with perch originating from the Prquimans River in North Carolina, as with perch fry originating from other locales. Ohio State University (OSU) investigators discovered no significant differences in the amino acid compositions of young perch from Wisconsin and Ohio, suggesting similar nutritional needs across perch stocks. Researchers from OSU also found suggestive evidence, but no causal or clear-cut functional linkages, that dietary ascorbic acid deficiencies may be responsible for the high incidence of spinal deformities often observed in perch larvae reared under intensive culture conditions, and that certain long-chain fatty acids may be important in the diets of young perch. The importance of these UW-Milwaukee and OSU investigations on Objective 4 is that they demonstrate that considerable additional research will probably be required to develop the procedures and diets necessary to successfully culture perch larvae intensively in tanks on a large scale. Based on experience with other species with small larvae, a long-term investment in selective breeding or in research on perch larval diet development might make such intensive culture technically feasible. Whether or not it would be commercially competitive with the improved methods developed in recent years for culturing young perch in ponds is unclear, particularly considering that continued improvements in the latter approach are likely. PROGRESS AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS As noted previously, the Work Group's principal accomplishments on Objectives 1 and 2 are fully summarized in the NCRAC "ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT" for 1991-92. Regarding Objective 1, observations before 1991 on the survival and development of young perch from different geographic locales revealed little clear-cut variation between stocks, using a standardized rearing scheme at the UW-Milwaukee and fish from Lake Mendota, Wisconsin as controls. In 1991, perch from the Prquimans River in North Carolina performed far better than previously examined stocks in terms of survival and swim bladder inflation. Perch in 1992 from the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge in Nebraska performed intermediately between the Lake Mendota controls and the Prquimans River fish examined in 1991. Studies done at Purdue demonstrated significant variations in the growth of juvenile perch from stocks from different geographic locales, primarily at the experimental temperature extremes of 16 and 28 oC. In contrast, the Prquimans River fingerlings grew better than the Lake Mendota controls at all experimental temperatures, including the reported optimum growth temperature of 22 oC. Research done by MSU investigators on Objective 2 using small-scale flow-through systems revealed that: (1) the optimum loading rate for intensive culture of perch is between 1.1 and 1.4 kg of fish/L per min of water flow, (2) about 3.5 mg/L of dissolved oxygen is necessary to maintain optimal perch growth, and (3) the mean metabolic rate during feeding periods for perch of 135-155 mm total length (TL) fed about 1.4% of body weight is about 173 mg O2/kg per hour at 20 oC. Although maximum rearing density has not been identified, perch of 110-150 mm TL can be reared at a density of at least 85 kg/m3 without significant reductions in performance. In 1991-92, MSU investigators demonstrated that perch can be reared in large-scale flow-through systems at flow indices of 1.18 kg/L/min/mm fish length (2.5 lbs/gpm/in) without a reduction in growth, if oxygen levels are maintained at or above 3 mg/L. Studies done by UW-Madison researchers on Objective 2 demonstrated that age-0 and age-1 perch can be successfully raised in net-pens in small (0.1-0.4 hectare) ponds. The addition of a small amount of groundwater to ponds (enough to replace total pond volume one to two times monthly) moderated mid-summer maximum temperature extremes and elevated dissolved oxygen levels, resulting in significant increases in fish survival and growth. In winter, groundwater addition greatly reduced ice formation, making fish husbandry easier and preventing damage to equipment located in the ponds. Throughout the project, all groups of perch reared in net-pens grew slower than fish reared in the ponds but not confined to net-pens. The poorer growth of perch in net-pens may have been partly due to their small size (1.2-m × 1.2-m × 1.8-m deep), or may reflect an inherent disadvantage to raising perch in net-pens. Perch overwintered indoors at groundwater temperatures of 9-10C gained about 10% in body weight, while perch overwintered in net-pens in ponds at ambient temperatures lost about 10% of their weight, despite being regularly fed. For three years in succession, the ponds at Coolwater Farms (Wisconsin) that were provided with groundwater addition produced about 11,200 kg/surface hectare (10,000 lbs/surface acre) per year of market-size perch. Research done on Objective 3 by UW-Madison investigators demonstrated that triploid perch can be produced by subjecting perch eggs to heat shocks of 28-30 oC, initiated 5 min after fertilization and lasting 10 or 25 min, or by hydrostatic pressure shocks of 9,000 or 11,000 psi, initiated 5 min after fertilization and lasting 12 min. They also found that tetraploid perch can be produced by subjecting eggs to pressure shocks of 9,000 psi, initiated 192 min after fertilization and lasting 24 min. Experiments by UW-Madison and SIU-C researchers revealed that triploid perch produced by heat or pressure shock techniques do not grow faster than diploid fish. However, SIU-C workers found that adult-size (heat-shocked) triploid females had relatively smaller gonads and higher fillet yields than diploid females. Researchers at the UW-Madison have repeatedly demonstrated that either heat shocking or pressure shocking perch eggs exerts a detrimental influence on growth, independent of any effect on ploidy. Investigators at the UW-Madison recently completed a series of studies that compared the growth and reproductive biology of unshocked diploid perch with that of shocked triploids and shocked diploids, under simulated ambient water temperature and photoperiod conditions for southern Wisconsin, and under near-optimal rearing conditions (21C, 16 h light/8 h dark photoperiod), over a period of 270 d. The principal findings of these studies were as follows (under both environmental conditions): (1) the females in all treatment groups grew faster than the males, (2) the triploids of both sexes were functionally sterile, (3) levels of serum estradiol-17 were lower in triploid than in diploid females, and (4) levels of serum testosterone in triploid and diploid males did not differ. Under the simulated ambient, but not optimal, environmental conditions, (1) triploid males (but not females) gained more weight (but not length) than diploids, (2) the triploids of both sexes exhibited retarded gonadal development and correspondingly higher fillet yields than diploids, and (3) the females in all treatment groups had relatively larger gonads and correspondingly lower fillet yields than males. Because of their potential importance to the future direction of research on perch aquaculture, most of the principal accomplishments on Objective 4 prior to the 1992-93 funding year are described under "ANTICIPATED BENEFITS." In 1992, UW-Madison researchers conducted a study to compare the survival and growth of 40-d old pond-reared and intensively-reared perch fingerlings over an 80-d period in 110-L flow-through tanks equipped with internal tank lighting and automatic feeders, and supplied with tempered water (19 ± 0.5 oC) and airstone aeration. Cumulative survival was not different between the pond-reared and intensively-reared perch. However, the primary cause of mortality among the former was starvation, and among the latter was cannibalism, which suggests that present methods of intensively culturing perch fry may select for cannibalism. At the end of the study, the pond-reared perch were both longer and heavier than the fish that had been intensively reared as fry. Scoliosis was observed in 17.5% of the latter, but in less than 1% of the pond-reared fish. In 1992-93, UW-Madison investigators did research to improve procedures for habituating perch fingerlings to formulated feed while still in ponds. This involved the use of lights to attract the highly photopositive young fish to the vicinity of automatic (vibrating) feeders. Initial observations indicate that more than 625,000 fish/surface hectare (250,000 fish/surface acre) can be produced that are habituated to formulated feed. Researchers from OSU working on Objective 4 found that between ages of 2 and 7 weeks in pond-reared perch, n-3 family fatty acids in the polar lipid fraction of the young fish exhibited a downward trend, while n-6 family fatty acids increased significantly. Changes in the neutral lipid fraction of perch were highly significant during early growth. Such findings suggest that fatty acids play an important role in the early development and growth of perch and might be important in perch nutrition. PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, AND PAPERS PRESENTED Publications in print: Dabrowski, K., and D.A. Culver. 1991. The physiology of larval fish: digestive tract and formulation of starter diets. Aquaculture Magazine 17(2):49-61. Garling, D.L. 1991. NCRAC research programs to enhance the potential of yellow perch culture in the North Central Region. Pages 253-255 in Proceedings of the North Central Regional Aquaculture Conference, Kalamazoo, Michigan, March 18-21, 1991. Glass, R.J. 1991. The optimum loading and density for yellow perch (Perca flavescens) raised in a single pass, flow-through system. M.S. thesis. Michigan State University, East Lansing. Malison, J.A., and J.A. Held. 1992. Effects of fish size at harvest, initial stocking density and tank lighting conditions on the habituation of pond-reared yellow perch (Perca flavescens) to intensive culture conditions. Aquaculture 104:67-78. Malison, J.A., T.B. Kayes, J.A. Held, T.B. Barry, and C.H. Amundson. 1993. Manipulation of ploidy in yellow perch (Perca flavescens) by heat shock, hydrostatic pressure shock, and spermatozoa inactivation. Aquaculture 110:229-242. Malison, J.A., L.S. Procarione, J.A. Held, T.B. Kayes, and C.H. Amundson. 1993. The influence of triploidy and heat and hydrostatic pressure shocks on the growth and reproductive development of juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Aquaculture 116:121-133. Williams, F., and C. Starr. 1991. The path to yellow perch profit through planned development. Pages 49-50 inProceedings of the North Central Regional Aquaculture Conference, Kalamazoo, Michigan, March 18-21, 1991. Manuscripts: Dabrowski, K., D.A. Culver, C.L. Brooks, A.C. Voss, H. Sprecher, F.P. Binkowski, S.E. Yeo, and A.M. Balogun. In press. Biochemical aspects of the early life history of yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Proceedings of the International Fish Nutrition Symposium, Biarritz, France, June 25-27, 1991. Papers presented: Brown, P.B., K. Wilson, J. Wetzel, J. Mays, F. Binkowski, and S. Yeo. 1994. Culture characteristics of juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens) from different geographical locales grown at three temperatures. 25th Annual Meeting of the World Aquaculture Society, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 12-18, 1994. Crane, P., G. Miller, J. Seeb, and R. Sheehan. 1991. Growth performance of diploid and triploid yellow perch at the onset of sexual maturation. 53rd Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, Des Moines, Iowa, November 30 - December 4, 1991. Malison, J.A., J.A. Held, L.S. Procarione, T.B. Kayes, and C.H. Amundson. 1991. The influence on juvenile growth of heat and hydrostatic pressure shocks used to induce triploidy in yellow perch. 1991 Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, San Antonio, Texas, September 8-12, 1991. Malison, J.A., J.A. Held, and C.H. Amundson. 1991. Factors affecting the habituation of pond-reared yellow perch (Perca flavescens), walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), and walleye-sauger hybrids (S. vitreum female x S. canadensemale) to intensive culture conditions. 22nd Annual Meeting of the World Aquaculture Society, San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 16-20, 1991. Malison, J.A., D.L. Northey, J.A. Held, and T.E. Kuczynski. 1994. Habituation of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) fingerlings to formulated feed in ponds using lights and vibrating feeders. 25th Annual Meeting of the World Aquaculture Society, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 12-18, 1994. WORK PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR The findings by the investigators that participated in this completed NCRAC project have or soon will be analyzed, and manuscripts will continue to be prepared and submitted for publication. Researchers at the UW-Madison have indicated that they will continue to work on the potential benefits of triploidy and tetraploidy in perch, irrespective of NCRAC funding. Over the next year, the Work Group chair and extension liaison will encourage the other Work Group members to make appropriate findings and data available for, and if possible help prepare, a much needed series of extension publications on yellow perch aquaculture. Building on the results of the completed project, NCRAC provided funding for a new yellow perch project also entitled "Advancement of Yellow Perch Aquaculture," which began on September 1, 1993, and will run for two years. The objectives of this new project are to: (1) determine the commercial scale feasibility and improve on the best intensive tank and pond culture practices for the production of yellow perch fingerlings, and (2) determine the commercial scale feasibility of raising food-size yellow perch in flow-through raceways or tanks, open ponds, and large net-pens, comparing the best available formulated diets. A number of commercial fish farmers in the NCR have been named as major participants in this new project; many aspects of which will not be possible without their full cooperation and support. IMPACTS The principal impacts of the completed NCRAC yellow perch project have been the development and/or expansion of two of the NCR's leading commercial perch aquaculture operations, the actual or planned start up of several new commercial perch aquaculture ventures, the utilization of the project's newly developed knowledge and production procedures by a number of fish farmers, and the training of numerous graduate and undergraduate students at the participating institutions. Specific Examples: The research done by MSU on the intensive flow-through culture of perch in tanks (Objective 2) played a key role in the development and expansion of Bay Port Aquaculture Inc. of Sheldon, Michigan. Similarly, all of the perch net-pen and pond production research (Objective 2) and many of the perch fingerling production studies (Objective 4) reported by the UW-Madison were done at Coolwater Farms of Dousman, Wisconsin, and directly involved Coolwater Farms' personnel in these investigations. As a consequence, Coolwater Farms has greatly expanded both the scope and efficiency of its operations. Private producers that are actually known to have recently started culturing perch largely as a consequence of the project, or who have made significant investments to soon start, include one in Iowa, three in Indiana, one in Michigan, two in Nebraska, two in Ohio, and two in Wisconsin. Other perch aquaculture ventures in the region may have recently started or may soon become operational, but this cannot be presently documented. The UW-Madison has reported that several "aquaculture endeavors in Iowa, Indiana and Michigan have based their business plans on the pond culture of perch," that one in Iowa "is evaluating the use of net-pens," that "at least three commercial fish farms (one each in Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio) have begun to rear all-female perch," and that "at least three commercial perch aquaculture operations in the upper Midwest" have or are implementing the "egg hatching and fingerling production and training methods developed" during the project. The UW-Milwaukee has reported training fish farmers in its procedures for producing perch fingerlings intensively in tanks. Purdue has indicated the partial training of two graduate students and three undergraduates, as part of the project; MSU reported training two graduate and several undergraduate students. In overview, all of the principal investigators and technical staff of the various laboratories and institutional programs participating in the project gained tremendous insights and new knowledge about the culture and biology of the yellow perch, and a better appreciation of the benefits of regional and inter-institutional collaboration. D. Advancing Hybrid Striped Bass Culture for the period September 1, 1992 to August 31, 1993 TOTAL FUNDS COMMITTED: $501,960 WORK GROUP MEMBERS:
PROJECT OBJECTIVES (1) Obtain and maintain (in captivity) populations of spawning size white bass and striped bass. (2) Define reproductive development in wild and captive white bass by characterizing seasonal changes in hormone titers and gonadal histology. (3) Evaluate the effects of selected photoperiod/temperature and hormonal manipulations on gonadal development and spawning in white bass broodstock. (4) Improve methods for storage and transport of striped bass and white bass gametes. (5) Develop larval diets and economically feasible techniques to convert hybrid striped bass young from zooplankton to artificial diets. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS The overall goal of this collaborative project is to enhance hybrid striped bass aquaculture in the North Central Region (NCR). The development of effective procedures to manipulate sexual maturation and induce out-of-season spawning is an important component of optimal broodstock management. The potential benefits of such procedures include: (1) greater predictability of gamete production; (2) reduced incidence of failed spawnings, gamete resorption and subsequent brood fish losses; and (3) the production of fertilized eggs and fry at predetermined times throughout the year. The availability of fertilized eggs outside the normal spawning season would greatly facilitate research on the intensive culture of Morone species. On a larger scale, the production of fertilized eggs out-of-season could facilitate a fuller, more efficient use of culture facilities and equipment, and might allow such innovative techniques as double- or triple-cropping of fry in rearing ponds. The development of intensive larval culture techniques for this species will allow for its full domestication, and will preclude the initial need for outdoor ponds. Because reciprocal cross hybrid striped bass are the same size as white bass at the swim-up stage, the results of this work will be directly applicable to their culture. Development of efficient and reliable techniques to store, cryopreserve, and transport gametes (eggs and sperm) would improve breeding and production capabilities for culture technology of hybrid striped bass. Specifically, the development of these techniques would allow: (1) a continuous supply of gametes, (2) year-round production, (3) facilitation of selective breeding, and (4) more efficient use of available gametes. Although such methods need to be perfected for both semen and eggs, it is more likely that studies on semen will result in rapid development of technology for use in the aquaculture industry. By working closely with a commercial producer in the region, it is hoped to directly transfer the developed semen storage technologies to the private sector, as well as satisfy future research objectives. This work, coupled with the out-of-season spawning work being conducted in our region and elsewhere, should greatly assist commercial producers to economically produce their own seed stock. Commercial producers would only need to maintain female broodstock of one of the species used in the cross. Sperm from the other species could be obtained elsewhere, stored until needed, and then used. PROGRESS AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (SIU-C) researchers have successfully captured adult white bass, acclimated them to tank culture conditions, and trained them to accept formulated feed. Some fish have been held in captivity for over two years. This level of domestication is not known to have been achieved with white bass in any other laboratory or commercial enterprise. Considerable numbers of white bass spawns have been accomplished using various hormonal/temperature/photo-period manipulations over the course of this project. Fish have been accelerated to spawn as early as January, and have had their spawning delayed to as late as October. Accordingly, techniques have been developed that allow successful spawning of white bass any season of the year. Moreover, female white bass that successfully spawned in October 1992 were successfully induced to spawn again in April 1993. Thus, it was demonstrated that white bass can be successfully spawned twice in a 7-month period. It was also shown that male white bass held at or above spawning temperatures (15 oC) produced viable sperm for at least two months. Hatching rates have also been improved from 25% to 50% on average. These findings represent major steps toward the development of domesticated white bass broodstocks to be used for hatchery production of hybrid striped bass. Injection levels of a synthetic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue (LhRha) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) have been identified that greatly improve upon previous results at SIU-C, and elsewhere, with respect to controlled spawning of white bass. Data indicate that HCG dosages considerably less than that traditionally used to induce final egg maturation are more useful in white bass. In addition to providing guidance for improved spawning performance, these data have positive implications toward eventual regulatory approval of HCG by FDA for spawning Morone species. Past studies at Iowa State University (ISU) and SIU-C have allowed for evaluations of a number of semen extender and cryoprotectant solutions, and freezing and thawing methods. It was found that cryopreserved sperm showed promise for providing a cost-effective method for striped bass culturists to obtain seed stock. Studies at SIU-C with white bass and striped bass males, using best technologies developed jointly by ISU and SIU-C, showed that good fertility can be achieved in white bass eggs using cryopreserved spermatozoa. Average fertility in several tests using white bass eggs fertilized with cryopreserved white bass sperm ranged from 22 to 48% of fertility with fresh, control semen. However, fertility was highly variable, and considerable motility was lost upon thawing in frozen spermatozoa. Results with frozen striped bass spermatozoa and white bass eggs were better, but were also variable; average fertility for frozen striped bass spermatozoa ranged from 45 to 100% of control values. Although no new funding was available over the past year, studies were conducted at SIU-C to determine whether increasing the ratio of cryopreserved sperm to eggs would increase fertility and/or decrease variability. Replicate batches of eggs from four white bass out-of-season spawns were fertilized at SIU-C with either: (1) fresh white bass spermatozoa, (2) a roughly equivalent number of frozen spermatozoa, (3) twice as many frozen spermatozoa, or (4) three times as many spermatozoa. No benefits were derived from increasing the ratio of frozen sperm to eggs, and the results indicated that fertility remains highly variable with frozen white bass sperm. Studies were also conducted at ISU using white bass semen collected and cryopreserved at SIU-C to determine the effects of the freeze-thaw process on sperm motility and morphology. This work suggests that improvements in freezing and thawing techniques, rather than developing methods for freeze-storage of larger volumes of semen need to be emphasized. Studies of sperm morphology at ISU indicated that some cryopreserved seminal samples (about 20% of those evaluated) showed clumping. Samples which exhibited clumping and adhesion showed no motility upon thawing, whereas samples where sperm morphology was normal and no clumping occurred became motile upon thawing. These results could explain much of the variability that has been observed in fertility tests, but it cannot be explained at this time why some samples undergo these adverse changes while others do not. Studies at ISU also showed that best motility was routinely obtained when samples were activated with water prior to being completely thawed. This agrees with the results of fertility tests conducted at SIU-C; better fertility has routinely been obtained when cryopreserved semen is only partially thawed when combined with eggs. Researchers at SIU-C found that both hybrid striped bass crosses at a 2-5 g size range readily convert from zooplankton to formulated feed. Over 90% of the fish converted to formulated feed within two days as compared to 70-85% after seven days for largemouth bass which were trained in a "side-by-side" study. A master's thesis is currently being conducted by a SIU-C graduate student to determine the relative age and size in which both hybrid crosses switch from zooplankton to prepared feed. Preliminary results indicate that white bass and reciprocal-cross hybrids are equivalent in this regard and can make the switch between day 21 and 28 after hatch. Original cross hybrids can generally be switched at day 7 after hatch. PUBLICATIONS, MANUSCRIPTS, AND PAPERS PRESENTED Publications in print: Kohler, C.C., and R.J. Sheehan. 1991. Hybrid striped bass culture in the North Central Region. Pages 207-209 inProceedings of North Central Aquaculture Conference, Kalamazoo, Michigan, March 18-21, 1991. Manuscripts: Kohler, C.C., R.J. Sheehan, C. Habicht, J.A. Malison, and T.B. Kayes. In review. Habituation to captivity and controlled spawning of white bass. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society Woods, L.C., C.C. Kohler, R.J. Sheehan, and C.V. Sullivan. Submitted. Volitional tank spawning of female striped bass with male white bass produces hybrid offspring. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. A manuscript describing striped bass semen cryopreservation has been completed for submission to the Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. Another manuscript describing work with white bass cryopreservation is currently in preparation for submission to the same journal. Papers presented: Habicht, C., R.J. Sheehan, C.C. Kohler, G.G. Brown, and L. Koutnik. 1991. Routine collection, storage, and shipping of white bass sperm. 29th Annual Meeting Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Champaign, Illinois. Kohler C.C. 1993. The farm fish of the future: hybrid stripers. AQUA '93: 7th Annual Minnesota Aquaculture Conference. Alexandria, Minnesota, March 5-6, 1993 (Invited paper) Kohler, C.C., R.J. Sheehan, C. Habicht, J.A. Malison, and T. B. Kayes. 1992. Acclimization to captivity and out-of-season s pawning of white bass. Aquaculture '92, 23nd Annual Meeting of the World Aquaculture Society, Orlando, Florida, May 21-25, 1992. Kohler. C.C., R.J. Sheehan, C. Habicht, V. Sanchez, J.A. Malison, and T.B. Kayes. 1993. Development of white bass broodstock and spawning protocol. U.S. Chapter World Aquaculture Society Annual Meeting. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, January 1993 (Invited paper) Koutnik, L.A., R.J. Sheehan, C.C. Kohler, C. Habicht, and G.G. Brown. 1992. Motility and fertility of extended and cryopreserved Morone sperm: when is cryopreservation the best option? Annual Meeting, Illinois/Wisconsin Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Waukegan, Illinois. (Awarded "Best Student Paper") WORK PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR Many of the original objectives in this project have been completed with manuscripts developed for or submitted to appropriate journals. Additional adult white bass will be collected and trained to formulated feeds to meet other objectives. Researchers at SIU-C will continue to send blood samples to UW-Madison to determine spawning condition of fish based on hormone levels. Also, researchers at SIU-C will be continuing spawning trials to meet objectives for the next phase of the research which is directed at larval rearing of white bass. Refinements in hormonal regimes will be undertaken. Based on fertility tests with freeze-stored semen, cryopreservation procedures developed by ISU and SIU-C have been fairly successful. Methodologies which have potential under practical fish-culture conditions will be attempted. The goals of future work will be to (1) optimize the use of available gametes by improving fertility, (2) reduce the variability in fertilization rates, and (3) adapt current laboratory procedures to commercial-scale aquaculture. Changes in sperm morphology and sperm adhesion, as well as motility, can now be used to evaluate the effectiveness of changes in cryopreservation procedures. Findings to date suggest directions for improving techniques and addressing the needs of commercial-scale aquaculture. It has been noted that frozen sperm become motile during thawing, prior to activation. This suggests that thawing rate may be critical, and that achieving uniform thawing rates throughout large cryopreservation containers will be important. Also, duration and intensity of swimming upon activation of the sperm are decreased after thawing, as compared to that of activated fresh semen, and some samples show no motility, sperm adhesion, and changes in semen morphology. This suggests that improvements in semen collection, freezing medium, freeze-temperature regime, or all three are also needed. To improve laboratory-scale cryopreservation techniques, the following is proposed. Several concentrations of the cryoprotectant with the best cumulative success will be evaluated. In an attempt to reduce premature activation, the use of ice water for thawing will be evaluated. Finally, the use of cryoprotectants for long term storage will be evaluated for long-term storage of semen. To adapt these procedures to commercial-scale aquaculture, the following will be evaluated: (1) use of larger, 4.5 mL straws to freeze semen; (2) reducing the amount of cryogenic medium used to dilute the semen; and (3) the potential for storing samples on dry ice rather than liquid nitrogen. Storage on dry ice would be much more practical in an industry site. In the second year of funding for this project, a protocol(s) that appear(s) to be most suitable for practical applications, based on results of work in the first year, will be chosen and refined. These protocol(s) will then be tested under practical fish culture conditions by enlisting the cooperation of at least one commercial producer in the region. The goal of this second year of work will be to produce an entire crop of hybrid striped bass using cryopreserved sperm. IMPACTS Since one of the first steps in establishing a commercial aquaculture enterprise is the domestication of broodstock, it is important to note that wild adult white bass have been acclimated to tank culture conditions and trained to consume formulated feed (some have been held in captivity for over two years). This level of domestication is not known to have been achieved with white bass in any other laboratory or commercial enterprise. Related to this domestication of broodstock, is the availability of suitable gametes for successful fish reproduction. Since striped bass are typically difficult to obtain, it would be highly advantageous for the aquaculturist to have access to gametes without the difficulty of collecting or transporting the parent fish. The successful induction of white bass spawns and subsequent storage and transportation of Morone species gametes should go far in advancing the hybrid striped bass industry in the NCR. These technological advancements, combined with the cooperation of a regional commercial producer, will be transferred to the private sector in the form of fact sheets, videos, and workshops. E. Culture Technology of Walleye for the period September 1, 1992 to August 31, 1993 TOTAL FUNDS COMMITTED: $623,397 WORK GROUP MEMBERS:
PROJECT OBJECTIVES The objectives of this project have been to: (1) Control and manipulate the reproductive cycle. (2) Manage fingerling production ponds. (3) Determine the etiology of non-inflation of the gas bladder in indoor intensive culture systems. (4) Develop captive, domesticated broodstock. During this reporting period activities of the Work Group focused on objectives (1) and (4). ANTICIPATED BENEFITS The overall goal of this project is to overcome the biological and technological constraints on the development and expansion of a commercial walleye food fish aquaculture industry. Primary constraints in this regard include (1) the lack of procedures for manipulating reproduction and controlling spawning in walleye, (2) the unreliability of pond management and harvesting strategies for fingerling production, (3) non-inflation of the gas bladder in intensively cultured walleye fry, and (4) the lack of captive, domesticated broodstock. Many aspects of the production process need further study to facilitate the development of a commercial aquaculture industry based on sound scientific principles. Work on the reproductive cycle should greatly improve the predictability of walleye egg production, and functionally extend the annual walleye spawning season by several weeks or months. Increased availability of walleye eggs will, in turn, lead to more efficient use of culture facilities, especially fingerling production ponds, and facilitate research and development of intensive walleye fry culture techniques. The ability to predictably produce walleye fingerlings in large quantities in ponds is one of the most important problems in the culture of coolwater fishes. Development of effective and predictable pond culture practices would greatly enhance walleye production. Overcoming the problem of non-inflation of the gas bladder (NGB) will allow for increased production of intensively cultured larval walleye. Implementation of rationally designed and long-term selective breeding programs into aquaculture operations is an essential means of improving the performance of cultured organisms. The major benefits of selective breeding to commercial aquaculture operations are improvements in product quality and cost-effectiveness, and increases in harvestable yields and profits. PROGRESS AND PRINCIPAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS This report describes the activities of a cooperative regional research project on the culture technology of walleye. The project has been conducted by the investigators and at the institutions listed above, with the assistance of the following public fisheries management agencies: the Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources, the Kansas Department of Fish and Game, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This report describes the progress of the Work Group from September 1, 1992 to August 31, 1993. Information regarding data collected prior to this time period is noted when such information was not available in previous North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) reports. Studies on the endocrine and gonadal changes during the annual reproductive cycle of walleye were conducted collaboratively by investigators from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (SIU-C), the University of Minnesota (UM) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison). SIU-C and the UM researchers were responsible for collecting blood and tissue samples from pond-held and wild adult walleye, respectively. The UW-Madison researchers were responsible for the analysis of blood and tissue samples and interpretation of endocrinological and histological data. After three years of collection, a large set of samples was obtained that can be used to describe for the first time the natural reproductive cycle of walleye. No evidence was obtained that indicated holding wild walleye in ponds exerted any negative effects on their reproductive development. Cumulatively, findings suggest that wild male and female walleye are nearing reproductive maturity as early as January, and that successful induction of spawning in walleye from January through April may be accomplished using relatively simple spawning induction techniques. Studies on the development of methods to manipulate the annual reproductive cycle of walleye and induce out-of-season spawning were conducted collaboratively by investigators from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UN-L) and the UW-Madison. Investigators from the UN-L were responsible for collecting wild adult walleye, maintaining captive walleye in culture ponds, and egg fertilization and sampling. Personnel from the UW-Madison were responsible for the injection of steroid hormones, analysis of blood samples and interpretation of endocrinological data. Over 100 adult walleye were captured in autumn from Nebraska reservoirs and the Mississippi River, and over-wintered under ambient environmental conditions in ponds at the Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery, Yankton, South Dakota. In late January, February, and March (approximately 10, 6, and 3 weeks prior to natural spawning), 16-20 female and 4-8 male walleye were removed from the ponds and transferred to indoor tanks, where they were warmed over 5 days to 10 oC and illuminated using a 12-h light/12-h dark photoperiod. Females were individually tagged and randomly subjected to one of four injection regimes. The results from these investigations show that appropriate hormone and environmental treatments can be successfully used to induce spawning in walleye from late January through March, the most effective hormone treatment being human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Recent findings at Iowa State University (ISU) and the Iowa DNR's Rathbun Fish Hatchery demonstrate that gas bladder inflation can be substantially increased by use of a tank design with a circular flow that prevents resuspension of decomposed feed, and equipping tanks with an inexpensive surface spray that clears the surface of oil, bacteria and other debris with each pass of the water under the spray. Gas bladder inflation of fish reared in circular flow tanks with a surface spray is now typically 80 to 100% of the fish harvested. Neil Billington of SIU-C directed the genetic analyses that were conducted on four walleye populations (Genoa, Kansas, Ohio, and Spirit Lake). These populations were potential candidates for providing broodstock from which fish could be taken for future selective breeding experiments. A study involving comparisons of offspring from selected walleye broodstock was carried out by SIU-C and ISU. SIU-C used a tandem pond-tank rearing system and ISU reared walleye from hatch through 21 days exclusively in indoor intensive (tank) culture conditions on formulated feed. In 1992, as in 1991, the Mississippi River stock performe |