Seafood CRC: Performance of two barramundi strains in two diverse grow out environments
SCRC: Seafood CRC Research Travel Grant: Attendance at the Marine and Freshwater Toxins, Third Joint Symposium and the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC) Task Force Meeting andparticipation in the International training workshop on chemical based methods (LCMS/ MSMethods) for detecting diarrheic and other lipophillic toxins, Tacoma, Washington USA
Final report
By Ian Stewart
Harmful algal toxins are a recognised hazard to seafood safety. Several toxin families are subject to regulatory oversight, so the topic of reliable and reproducible detection and quantification of this structurally and functionally diverse group of compounds is of paramount importance for export and domestic seafood industries and seafood consumers. State-of-the-art analytical competencies for harmful algal biotoxins are needed in order to fully support the Australian seafood industry's ability to comply with export requirements.
AOAC International's Pacific Northwest meeting in Tacoma represented an opportunity for the Seafood CRC to participate at an important gathering of global experts in the field of algal toxin analysis and research. This is a rapidly developing field, both in terms of a growing understanding of the public health and trade implications attributable to known and novel algal biotoxins, as well as advances in analytical capability through instrumentation and skills. AOAC International, the Association of Analytical Communities, is the focal agency for analytical method development, method validation and related knowledge dissemination.
The objectives of this visit to the US were to:
1. Update knowledge on algal and cyanobacterial biotoxins
2. Communicate with experts in the field from around the world
3. Contribute to the proceedings by presenting a paper.
4. Participate in training for advanced analytical techniques for lipophilic shellfish toxin measurement.
SCRC: Seafood CRC Research Travel Grant: Learning the practical aspects of using of clay particles to improve bacterial management during larval culture, University of Miami, Experimental Marine Hatchery
Final report
High incidences of malformation and low level survival are common during Yellowtail Kingfish larviculture and it has been hypothesised that this is a result of excessive harmful bacterial loads within the culture tanks. The current rate of malformation and survival continues to impact heavily on the price of juvenile kingfish. There is a need therefore, to reduce the incidence of such malformations and increase the overall survival rate to reduce the cost of juvenile production and improve the quality and quantity of fish being put to sea.
The researcher Dr Michael, travelled to the University of Miami’s Experimental Marine Hatchery (UMEH) to work and train under the supervision of Professor Daniel Benetti and alongside his Masters student, Mr Zack Daugherty, the subject of whose thesis is the use of clay particles in larval rearing of Cobia. Over the past 12 months Mr Daugherty has been conducting preliminary trials on the best methods of handling and delivering clay particles to larval rearing tanks.
During the 30 day visit, Dr Michael was able to further develop these techniques with Mr Daugherty prior to conducting a 13 day replicated research trial that assessed the potential bacterial reducing properties of using clay during Cobia larval rearing compared with the standard green water method that uses concentrated nannochloropsis paste. Using clay particles to replace nannochloropsis paste during the green water phase of Cobia larval culture was recently investigated. The results clearly showed that using this media has the potential to greatly reduce bacterial loads within larval tanks and reduce costs associated with purchasing algal paste concentrates.
SCRC: RTG: Hands-on operational experience and training at the Port Stephens Research Institute (PSRI) marine finfish hatchery, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Taylors Beach, NSW (Fisheries Technician: Trevor Borchert, DEEDI)
Final report
This grant provided the opportunity to broaden both knowledge and practical skills through gaining experience with new species and hatchery techniques in a premiere aquaculture research facility. The grant recipient travelled to Port Stephens Fisheries Institute (PSFI) for one week from 19-24 August 2012, to gain hands-on operational experience and training under the guidance of NSW fisheries staff in hatchery procedures for Australian Bass, Snapper, Mulloway and Yellowtail Kingfish, and in the live feed production procedures developed by PSFI. During this period he assisted PSFI staff in undertaking an induced spawning of Australian Bass, larval-rearing of Australian bass for stock enhancement, live feed production of rotifers and Artemia, as well as assisting with broodstock management.
Both PSFI and Bribie Island Research Centre (BIRC) play a leading role in research, development and extension to the aquaculture industry in New South Wales and Queensland respectively, improving methods for hatchery production for sustainable aquaculture and business profitability and success. Broodstock management, live feed production and larval rearing are similar at both research facilities, with only minor differences in system design and hatchery protocols.
SCRC: Seafood CRC Research Travel Grant: Targeted meetings with key research providers and industry personnel in the UK relevant to CRC projects 2011/703 and 2011/735
Final report
This trip involved targeted meetings with key research and industry personnel to consolidate the existing relationship and secure ongoing research support for two Seafood CRC student projects as well as to advance the research agendas developed as part of those projects and establish ongoing international research partnerships.
These projects included “An evaluation of the options for expansion of salmonid aquaculture in Tasmanian waters”, and “Tracking methyl mercury contamination pathways in key commercially and recreationally fished species”. The travel grant supported meetings with researchers and industry in the UK, including representatives from the University of Plymouth, Marine Institute at the University of Plymouth, Marine Harvest International and the University of St Andrews.
SCRC: Seafood CRC Research Travel Grant: Attendance at the Economics of Aquaculture course, with a focus on salmonid aquaculture, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Final report
Andrew King, a Seafood CRC PhD student was awarded a research travel grant to attend an intensive course on the economics of aquaculture held at the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom in April 2012.
The course was given by two of the world's leading experts, and was of direct relevance to the student's PhD - the assessment of the options for expansion of salmonid aquaculture within Tasmania.
SCRC: PhD Extension : RNA interference (RNAi) as a means to control Neoparamoeba perurans, the causative agent of amoebic gill disease (AGD). (Student: Paula Lima)
Paula Lima began her PhD within project 2007/750 ‘AGD Vaccine Phase III: Sea-based trials, refinement and commercialisation’. Paula began in 2009 and her full stipend, travel and operating funds were paid out of this project. Paula was adopted into the Seafood CRC in late 2009, with no further financial support for her stipend or operating expenses. In 2010 at a meeting of the project’s Management Advisory Committee (MAC), a decision was made to redirect research as it was apparent that the vaccine was not a commercial reality. This occurred one full year into her PhD. This had an effect on Paula’s PhD which was subsequently changed to investigating the use of RNAi as either a research tool and/or a control strategy for AGD. This meant that the entire 1st year’s work was made redundant and Paula had to effectively ‘start over’. Paula has effectively been working in her new area for almost two years. However, the project which funded her stipend is no longer operating. Therefore, Paula still has effectively one year of her PhD left to run. For this reason we sought support from the Seafood CRC to enable Paula to complete her research. This application has the full support of Adam Main, the CEO of the Tasmanian Salmonid Growers' Association (TSGA).
Final report
RNA interference has emerged as a powerful tool for rapid analysis of gene function in non-model organisms and has the potential to identify candidate targets for interventions against diseases of economic importance to aquaculture. The main purpose of the study was to use functional and comparative genomics approaches to investigate whether the RNAi mechanism has been retained or lost in species from the Neoparamoeba genus.
The results provide strong evidence that both infective and non-infective species from Neoparamoeba spp. have evolutionarily retained key genes involved not only in the canonical RNAi mechanism, but also in the mirNA and PiRNA pathways. Despite being promising, these findings are still preliminary and the reality of applying RNAi technology to develop new treatment strategies against AGD still needs further effort.
Seafood CRC: preliminary investigation into alternative markets in Asia for Southern Rocklobster
The Australian Southern Rock Lobster Industry is highly dependent on the Hong Kong / Chinese market with in excess of 86% of exports from the fishery going to Hong Kong /China. In the past Taiwan and Japan have been a viable alternatives to China, however their weakening economies and the high prices in the Chinese market has resulted in the dependence on a single market.
The traditional trading channel into the China market has experienced some significant disruptions and the consequent increased risks have had a significant negative impact on the fishery.
Southern Rock Lobster Limited's strategic plan identified that the industry needs to investigate and develop alternative markets. The objective is to make the industry more resilient to disruptions and the regular fluctuations in demand and price in the China market.
Food and Hotel Asia 2012 is a serendipitous opportunity for the industry to meet with key decision makers (purchasers, agents and distributors) from the Asian region to conduct interviews and obtain robust information about the potential for establishing new markets in Singapore and other Asian countries. Simply relying on passing traffic will not ensure success therefore it is proposed that Grey Group Singapore be engaged to target at least 40 key people and ensure that substantive interviews can be held. Information about competitors, pricing, logistics, product format, quantity and quality expectations/parameters will be collected and analysed. This will then be used to inform the development of a larger market resilience project for SRL.
SCRC: PDRS: Use of next generation DNA technologies for revealing the genetic impact of fisheries restocking and ranching
Several initiatives by the Australian Seafood CRC's Future Harvest theme involve some form of stocking or enhancement of fisheries. In WA, populations of Roe's Abalone are currently being restocked after a catastrophic mortality event, while stock enhancement of Greenlip Abalone is also occurring. The CRC is also supporting translocation of Southern Rocklobster and ranching of Sea Cucumbers. In all such cases there is a need to understand the population genetic dynamics of stocked populations and the extent of genetic interactions of stocked with wild populations (Flinders has been conducting his research for sea cucumbers using the traditional microsatellite marker approach in 2008/733). Important considerations are the genetic health of individuals used as breeders, genetic structuring of source populations, effective population size, effects on inbreeding or loss of genetic diversity, recruitment and geographic spread. Molecular markers can be used to investigate these effects and guide the stocking. Genomic technologies such as GBS are rapidly developing and becoming less expensive and more useful to apply than traditional genetic approaches. These new genomic techniques that directly genotype individuals using sequence information are extremely promising as they eliminate the need for species specific marker development and could provide an efficient and comprehensive means of studying genomes at an individual and population level. Importantly, contrary to traditional genetic methods such as microsatellite surveys, new genomic techniques such as GBS might provide ways of disclosing functional genetic variation (variation that is ecologically relevant and related to the fitness of the individual) or facilitating genomic selection. Once GBS data is mapped to areas of the genome with known function, marker assisted selection for traits of importance to aquaculture becomes possible.
Here we propose engaging a post-doc that will specialise in this area and assist projects with Flinders involvement on Roe's and Greenlip Abalone in Western Australia.
Final report
Several initiatives by the Australian Seafood CRC’s Future Harvest theme involve some form of stocking or enhancement of fisheries. In Western Australia, populations of Roe’s Abalone (Haliotis roei) are currently being restocked after the occurrence of a catastrophic mortality event, while stock enhancement of Greenlip Abalone (Haliotis laevigata) is also occurring. Translocation of undersized Southern Rocklobster from deep to shallow water locations and ranching of Sea Cucumbers is also occurring. In all such cases there is a need to understand the population genetic dynamics of stocked populations and the extent of genetic interactions of stocked with wild populations. Important considerations are the genetic health of individuals used as breeders, genetic structuring of source populations for restocking, effective population size (i.e. effective number of breeders), effects on inbreeding or loss of genetic diversity, recruitment and geographic spread. Molecular markers can be used to investigate these effects and guide the stocking. Genomic technologies such as Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS) are rapidly developing and becoming less expensive and more useful to apply than traditional genetic approaches. Therefore, this project employed a post-doctoral researcher with the following objectives:
- Develop new expertise and transfer genomic approaches, currently used for commercially important species of the Northern hemisphere, to benefit the fisheries or aquaculture of key commercial species in Australia
- Generate and use genomic data to analyse changes and patterns in functionally relevant genetic diversity (i.e. variation related to fitness) with restocking and ranching and advise on management strategies for the species concerned
- Develop expertise in genetic management associated with enhancement and related interventions
The overall benefit of this project was to create genetically healthy/sustainable restocked populations, improve returns from ranching while having minimal impact on natural populations and maintain healthy fisheries.
Genomic sequencing techniques were developed and found to be effective for both Roe’s Abalone and Greenlip Abalone. Three genetically distinct groups of Roe’s Abalone and five genetically distinct groups of Greenlip Abalone were defined and each of these groups showed high connectivity. This information will inform management approaches to the restocking of Roe’s abalone and contribute to the stock enhancement of Greenlip Abalone in Western Australia.