Expanding aquaculture production in the United States affords opportunities to complement fisheries in meeting domestic demand for seafood. This access to safe, affordable, and healthy food choices is provided with minimal impacts on the environment and in concert with the many uses required of our water resources. The United States has a strong history of well-managed fisheries; however, with harvests near their maximum sustainable capacity, meeting current and future demands for seafood may best be accomplished through development of aquaculture. In fact, this is already happening, but mostly outside of the United States. Over 85% of the seafood Americans eat is imported, half is produced through foreign aquaculture; therefore, expanding aquaculture in the United States is a logical approach for reducing our $16.8 billion seafood trade deficit along with other benefits of local production. This series of articles on the development of marine finfish species for commercial aquaculture production is a part of the effort to spur domestic growth in marine finfish aquaculture. The articles in this volume provide up-to-date scientific and technical knowledge needed to sustainably produce safe and nutritious fish that will lead to the creation of new economic opportunities through aquaculture in rural, urban, coastal, and inland communities.

Taurine is an important amino acid derivative for marine and freshwater fish, especially during early development. We investigated the range of taurine concentrations that influence the growth and survival rates of California yellowtail (CYT; Seriola dorsalis) during transition from live feeds to microparticulate diets, as well as the extent to which nutrient leaching from the microparticulate diets affects these ranges. We tested particle-assisted rotationally agglomerated (PARA) particles with four levels of taurine: 4 (low taurine; LT), 45 (medium taurine; MT), 93 (high taurine; HT) and 122 g/kg (veryhigh taurine; VHT). Our results showed that CYT postlarvae had no significant differences in growth, survival and feed consumption rates between the MT, HT and VHT treatments. However, it should be noted that the PARA particles containing 122g/kg (VHT) taurine were especially prone to leaching and may have had taurine concentrations as low as 34.9g/kg before they settled on the bottom of the tank. Therefore, the actual dietary taurine concentrations experienced by the larvae were likely lower than the initial dietary concentrations. More research is needed to evaluate the potential nutrient toxicity of elevated dietary taurine concentrations for marine fish larvae and juveniles.

Aquaculture is developing rapidly at a global scale and sustainable practices are an essential part of meeting the protein requirements of the ballooning human population. Locating aquaculture offshore is one strategy that may help address some issues related to nearshore development. However, offshore production is nascent and distinctions between the types of aquatic farming may not be fully understood by the public-important for collaboration, research, and development. Here we evaluate and report, to our knowledge, the first multinational quantification of the relative sentiments and opinions of the public around distinct forms of aquaculture. Using thousands of newspaper headlines (Ntotal = 1,596) from developed (no. countries = 26) and developing (42) nations, ranging over periods of 1984 to 2015, we found an expanding positive trend of general 'aquaculture' coverage, while 'marine' and 'offshore' appeared more negative. Overall, developing regions published proportionally more positive than negative headlines than developed countries. As case studies, government collected public comments (Ntotal = 1,585) from the United States of America (USA) and New Zealand mirrored the media sentiments; offshore perception being particularly negative in the USA. We also found public sentiment may be influenced by local environmental disasters not directly related to aquaculture (e.g., oil spills). Both countries voiced concern over environmental impacts, but the concerns tended to be more generalized, rather than targeted issues. Two factors that could be inhibiting informed discussion and decisions about offshore aquaculture are lack of applicable knowledge and actual local development issues. Better communication and investigation of the real versus perceived impacts of aquaculture could aid in clarifying the debate about aquaculture, and help support future sustainable growth.

Marine aquaculture presents an opportunity for increasing seafood production in the face of growing demand for marine protein and limited scope for expanding wild fishery harvests. However, the global capacity for increased aquaculture production from the ocean and the relative productivity potential across countries are unknown. Here, we map the biological production potential for marine aquaculture across the globe using an innovative approach that draws from physiology, allometry and growth theory. Even after applying substantial constraints based on existing ocean uses and limitations, we find vast areas in nearly every coastal country that are suitable for aquaculture. The development potential far exceeds the space required to meet foreseeable seafood demand; indeed, the current total landings of all wild-capture fisheries could be produced using less than 0.015% of the global ocean area. This analysis demonstrates that suitable space is unlikely to limit marine aquaculture development and highlights the role that other factors, such as economics and governance, play in shaping growth trajectories. We suggest that the vast amount of space suitable for marine aquaculture presents an opportunity for countries to develop aquaculture in a way that aligns with their economic, environmental and social objectives.

Female coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, were fed one of two experimental feeds containing lipids with markedly different stable 13C isotope signatures during the late cortical alveolus, lipid droplet, and vitellogenesis stages of secondary oocyte growth. Ovarian and muscle lipids fatty acid concentrations were significantly affected by treatment during all three stages of development. Stable 13C isotope analyses confirmed that dietary lipids were incorporated into both ovarian and muscle lipids during all three stages and revealed that ovarian lipids were more affected than muscle lipids during vitellogenesis. Arachidonic acid (ARA) was incorporated into ovarian lipids at the highest rate of all fatty acids examined with the greatest uptake observed during the cortical alveolus and lipid droplet stages of development. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was incorporated into ovarian lipids at the next highest rate with the greatest uptake observed during the lipid droplet stage of development. The presence of an ovary specific, fatty acid transfer mechanism is proposed. Results from this study demonstrate the ability to greatly alter the fatty acid composition of ovarian lipids through a dietary change during secondary oocyte growth and may be of great interest to producers of farmed salmon and salmon broodstock programs.

Changes to our climate and oceans are already affecting living marine resources (LMRs) and the people, businesses, and economies that depend on them. As a result, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has developed a Climate Science Strategy (CSS) to increase the production and use of the climate-related information necessary to fulfill its LMR stewardship mission for fisheries management and protected species conservation. The CSS establishes seven objectives: (1) determine appropriate, climate-informed reference points; (2) identify robust strategies for managing LMRs under changing climate conditions; (3) design decision processes that are robust to climate-change scenarios; (4) predict future states of ecosystems, LMRs, and LMR-dependent human communities; (5) determine the mechanisms of climate-change related effects on ecosystems, LMRs, and LMR-dependent human communities; (6) track trends in ecosystems, LMRs, and LMR-dependent human communities and provide early warning of change; and (7) build and maintain the science infrastructure required to fulfill NMFS mandates under changing climate conditions. These objectives provide a nationally consistent approach to addressing climate-LMR science needs that supports informed decision-making and effective implementation of the NMFS legislative mandates in each region. Near term actions that will address all objectives include: (1) conducting climate vulnerability analyses in each region for all LMRs; (2) establishing and strengthening ecosystem indicators and status reports in all regions; and (3) developing a capacity to conduct management strategy evaluations of climate-related impacts on management targets, priorities, and goals. Implementation of the Strategy over the next few years and beyond is critical for effective fulfillment of the NMFS mission and mandates in a changing climate.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different taurine levels on the conjugated bile acid composition and growth of juvenile rockfish. Five taurine level diets were made by the supplementation of taurine (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0%) to a basal diet. Fish meal washed with 70% ethanol to exclude taurine was used for the sole protein source. Feeding experiments were accomplished at 15°C using juvenile fish (initial BW: 13.5 g). Fish were fed the experimental diets for 4 months. At the end of experiments, fish were weighed and stored at −80°C for analysis of free amino acids and conjugated bile acids contents. The growth performance and feed efficiency of Korean rockfish were improved by taurine supplementation in the experimental diets. The taurine contents of the whole body increased with the increase in the taurine supplementation. The primary conjugated bile acids in gall bladder were taurocholic acid (83.5–165.6 mg mL−1) and taurochenodeoxycholic acid (6.3–20.0 mg mL−1). Total bile acids increased with increases in dietary taurine. Taurocholic acid content was more than 95% of the total conjugated bile acids. This indicates that taurine is the sole amino acid to make conjugated bile acid in Korean rockfish. Dietary taurine levels improved the conjugated bile acid composition in juvenile Korean rockfish.

The United States has a small net-pen salmon industry dating back over 40 years and a nascent net-pen industry for other marine fish. The United States net-pen aquaculture sector has improved its resource efficiency in terms of the amount of fish meal and fish oil used in feeds and reduced its environmental impacts in terms of the mass loading and impact of nutrient discharge on the receiving ecosystem, the incidence and treatment of fish diseases, the use of antibiotics, and the number and impact of fish escapes, while increasing production. These changes can be attributed to a combination of advances in science and technology, rising cost of fish meal/oil, improved management, and informed regulatory practices. Net-pen aquaculture has become an efficient food production system. Existing laws and regulations in the United States effectively address most of the potential adverse environmental effects of net-pen aquaculture. RESUMENLos Estados Unidos de Norteamerica (EE. UU.) poseen una pequena industria de acuacultura de salmones mediante jaulas de red que data desde hace cuatro decadas y una incipiente industria de cultivo con jaulas de otras especies de peces marinos. El sector de la acuacultura con jaulas de red en los EE.UU. ha mejorado la eficiencia de sus recursos en terminos de cantidad de carne y aceite de pescado utilizados para la engorda y en cuanto a la reduccion de sus impactos negativos: el aumento de la produccion versus la carga de masa y el impacto de la descarga de nutrientes en los ecosistemas receptores, la incidencia y tratamiento de enfermedades de peces, uso de antibioticos y el impacto del escape de peces. Estos cambios son atribuibles a la combinacion de avances cientificos y tecnologicos, el incremento en el costo de la carne y aceite de pescado, un mejor manejo y practicas regulatorias informadas. La acuacultura con jaulas de red se ha convertido en un sistema eficiente de produccion de alimentos. Las leyes y regulaciones existentes en los EE.UU. abordan de forma efectiva los efectos adversos potenciales de la acuacultura con jaulas de red.

Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch are semelparous spawners with highly synchronized oocyte growth. Plasma was collected from maturing female fish and plasma lipids were quantified by lipoprotein class. Stable C-13 isotopes were employed to investigate the origins of plasma lipids. Plasma lipoproteins were partitioned into the very low density (VLDL), low density (LDL), high density (HDL) and very high density (VHDL) lipoprotein classes. Lipids from all lipoprotein classes increased between the lipid droplet and early vitellogenesis stages of oocyte growth and VHDL lipids continued to increase through mid vitellogenesis (P < 0.05). During vitellogenesis, total plasma lipid concentrations were similar to the sum of lipoprotein lipids (P = 0.51). Plasma vitellogenin determined by an ELISA method was very well correlated with VHDL lipid during vitellogenesis (R-2 = 0.91, n = 15). In general, the delta C-13 values of plasma lipids reflected that of feed (exogenous) and muscle (endogenous) lipids when feed and muscle delta C-13 values were similar, and were intermediate when differences existed between the two lipid sources. With one exception, the delta C-13 values of lipids from all lipoprotein classes within a plasma sample were similar. Results indicate that during sexual maturity, lipids from all plasma lipoprotein classes originate from a common pool of exogenous and endogenous lipids.

The United States is an ocean nation-our past, present, and future are inextricably connected to and dependent on oceans and marine resources. Marine ecosystems provide many important services, including jobs, food, transportation routes, recreational opportunities, health benefits, climate regulation, and cultural heritage that affect people, communities, and economies across the United States and internationally every day. There is a wealth of information documenting the strong linkages between the planet's climate and ocean systems, as well as how changes in the climate system can produce changes in the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of ocean ecosystems on a variety of spatial and temporal scales. There is relatively little information on how these climate-driven changes in ocean ecosystems may have an impact on ocean services and uses, although it is predicted that ocean-dependent users, communities, and economies will likely become increasingly vulnerable in a changing climate. Based on our current understanding and future projections of the planet's ocean systems, it is likely that Marine ecosystems will continue to be affected by anthropogenic-driven climate change into the future. This review describes how these impacts are set in motion through a suite of changes in ocean physical, chemical, and biological components and processes in US waters and the significant implications of these changes for ocean users and the communities and economies that depend on healthy oceans. US international partnerships, management challenges, opportunities, and knowledge gaps are also discussed. Effectively preparing for and responding to climate-driven changes in the ocean will require both limiting future change through reductions of greenhouse gases and adapting to the changes that we can no longer avoid.

Fourteen sub-adult hatchery-reared lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) were released onto reefs in South Puget Sound, Washington, USA to evaluate their movement behavior. Acoustic telemetry revealed variation in movement among individuals that was related to body size. Larger lingcod tended to leave the release reef sooner than smaller lingcod. Four lingcod left the reefs less than 10 days after release, while three lingcod left between one and 4 months after release. Seven lingcod remained at the release reefs for the entire 5-month study, though they did make apparent short-term (< 24 h duration) excursions away from the reefs. Data suggest that the frequency and duration of excursions increase with age and size in both wild and hatchery lingcod. Movement data from these hatchery lingcod and previously published studies on wild lingcod are compared.

Female coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch were fed one of two broodstock diets during vitellogenesis to evaluate the contribution of dietary lipids to egg lipids and to assess any embryo or fry quality differences that were attributable to treatment. The diets contained lipids with different fatty acid profiles and carbon stable isotope signatures (delta C-13). Diets were formulated by top-dressing a low-fat salmon broodstock feed with either sardine oil (fish oil feed) or an algal oil-corn oil blend (algal oil feed). The added oils were balanced for total n-3 fatty acid content but contained markedly different levels of linoleic acid (LA), eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Analysis of delta C-13 revealed that dietary lipids were significantly incorporated into egg lipids during vitellogenesis and that polar and neutral lipid fractions were equally affected. Eggs of fish in the algal oil treatment group had significantly higher levels of DHA and significantly lower protein content than the eggs of fish in the fish oil treatment group. Embryo survival and fry survival and growth were similar between the two treatment groups. Eggs from the algal oil treatment additionally had higher levels of LA, and there was evidence of direct elongation of LA to eicosadienoic acid (20:2[n-6]) and bioconversion of LA to arachidonic acid by the fish. Results from this experiment demonstrate the feasibility of increasing the DHA content of egg lipids in cultured salmonids without a concomitant decrease in egg or fry quality. The proposed enrichment would allow for the production of a value-added, high-DHA product for the cured roe market without reducing the value of eggs that are destined for the hatchery market.

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction The need for microparticulate diets Live versus microparticulate feeds Quantifying larval responses to live and microparticulate diets Future needs Literature cited

The oxygen flow rate was studied for carbon stone and ceramic plate diffusers, two types of diffusers that are commonly used in hauling applications. New diffusers were used in all experiments. It was found that oxygen flow was largest for dry diffusers operated in air and reduced for diffusers started in air and then placed in water and further reduced for diffusers soaked in water prior to use. The coefficient of variation for the two types of diffusers ranged from 7 to 18% for new units. If individual flow adjustment is not provided for each diffuser in a manifold distribution system (one oxygen source, several diffusers), small differences in pressure losses between diffusers can result in significant differences in oxygen flows. The initial oxygen flow during the loading of fish may be depressed until accumulated water in the hose and diffuser is expelled. Under some conditions, the oxygen flow rate can increase by 2–4 times over a 6–8h period. Decreases in oxygen flow due to prior history may make it difficult to achieve the needed operating flows in a timely manner without exceeding the diffuser's pressure rating. This problem is likely to become more important due to aging and clogging of the diffusers.

A technique was developed to determine apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of protein in microparticulate and live feeds for marine fish larvae. The technique is analogous to methods used for larger fish and allows for an in vivo measurement of protein digestibility by employing a spectrophotometric protein assay for protein determination and rare earth oxides as inert digestibility markers. Either a microbound microparticulate diet developed in our laboratory or Artemia nauplii were fed to 8-week-old Atlantic cod as a single 30-min feeding and fecal solids collected 6 h later. Protein ADCs for the two diets were significantly different (P=0.016) with determined ranges of 47 to 58% and 76 to 86%, (Artemia and microparticulate diets, respectively). Measured ADCs are presented as a range to account for the possibility of leaching of protein from the microparticulate diet, and the evacuation (loss) of marker from the live prey during the 30-min feeding. It is suggested that this new technique will assist researchers in selecting experimental larval feeds with the most nutritive potential for extended feeding studies. Detection limits for this technique were determined to be 8.6 mu g for protein and 0.020 and 0.038 mu g for yttrium (Y2O3) and dysprosium (Dy2O3) markers, respectively, in collected fecal solids. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Post mortem proteolysis of Artemia franciscana in terms of free amino acid (FAA) concentrations was determined at several temperatures to indicate potential nutritive value. The experiment was conducted for 400 min at 12,16, 20, 24 and 28 degrees C to correspond to gut passage times and temperatures expected in the gut of cold-water fish larvae through tropical fish larvae. After death, FAA concentration in A. franciscana nauplii reached a maximum about 2-2.5-fold higher than the initial concentration after 120 min at 16, 20, 24 and 28 degrees C. At 12 degrees C the maximum concentration of FAAs was achieved after 240 min. A significant effect of temperature on total FAAs (df = 4. F-value = 17.17, P<0.0001, ANOVA), indicated that the most pronounced proteolysis took place at 20 degrees C. Only small, albeit significant (P<0.05) differences were observed in FAA composition as influenced by temperature and duration of the proteolysis. The FAA composition of the freshly killed initial sample also differed from all treated samples. Our interpretation of these results is that there is considerable autolytic proteolysis during residence times that are possible in fish larvae, and that this may represent a significant contribution to FAAs for energy supply and protein synthesis. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In serial reuse systems, excretion of metabolic carbon dioxide has a significant impact on ambient pH, carbon dioxide, and un-ionized ammonia concentrations. This impact depends strongly on alkalinity, water flow rate, feeding rate, and loss of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. A reduction in pH from metabolic carbon dioxide can significantly reduce the un-ionized ammonia concentration and increase the carbon dioxide concentrations compared to those parameters computed from influent pH. The ability to accurately predict pH in serial reuse systems is critical to their design and effective operation.A trial and error solution to the alkalinity-pH system was used to estimate important water quality parameters in serial reuse systems. Transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide across the air-water interface, at overflow weirs, and impacts of substrate-attached algae and suspended bacteria were modeled. Gas transfer at the weirs was much greater than transfer across the air-water boundary.This simulation model can rapidly estimate influent and effluent concentrations of dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, and un-ionized ammonia as a function of water temperature, elevation, water flow, and weir type. The accuracy of the estimates strongly depends on assumed pollutional loading rates and gas transfer at the weirs. The current simulation model is based on mean daily loading rates; the impacts of daily variation loading rates are discussed. Copies of the source code and executable program are available free of charge. Published by Elsevier B.V.