Anisah Azhar, Hasniyati Muin, Swee Seong Tang
et al.
ABSTRACT Aquaculture has emerged as a cornerstone of global food security, yet its rapid intensification has precipitated widespread bacterial disease outbreaks and escalating antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This review critically examines the limitations of conventional antibiotic use in aquaculture, highlighting regulatory inconsistencies, environmental risks and the proliferation of resistant pathogens. In response, bacteriophage (phage) therapy is gaining traction as a targeted, sustainable alternative. The article synthesizes recent advances in phage isolation, characterization and delivery methods, emphasizing their specificity, immunomodulatory effects and ability to penetrate biofilms without disrupting host microbiota. Notably, phages demonstrate efficacy against key aquaculture pathogens such as Aeromonas , Vibrio and Streptococcus species across diverse aquatic hosts. The review also explores phage–host dynamics, optimal dosing strategies and the role of encapsulation technologies in enhancing stability and gastrointestinal survivability. Despite promising therapeutic outcomes, several challenges persist, including bacterial resistance via receptor mutation, quorum‐sensing modulation and environmental stressors. Regulatory and commercial barriers further hinder widespread adoption, with gaps in standardized protocols, safety assessments and economic feasibility. Genetically modified phages offer enhanced precision but raise ethical and ecological concerns. To bridge these divides, the article advocates for harmonized regulatory frameworks, region‐specific trials and the establishment of validated phage repositories. Phage therapy marks a transformative advancement in aquaculture health management, offering a targeted, eco‐conscious and economically sustainable alternative to antibiotics. Ultimately, its successful integration hinges on robust scientific validation, ethically sound oversight and cohesive collaboration across disciplines.
Panggang Island has the potential for a coral reef ecosystem covering an area of around 9 ha, but the existence of coral reefs in the waters of Panggang Island and its surroundings has decreased in area. This study aims to identify the condition of coral reefs and analyze the relationship between coral reefs and reef fish biomass in the waters of Panggang Island and its surroundings. Coral reef ecosystem data collection was carried out using the Line Intercept Transect (LIT) method, while fish data collection was carried out using the underwater visual census method. The condition of the coral reefs at the research location was classified as moderate. The highest live coral cover was recorded on Panggang Island with a value of 41% and on Air Island with a value of 31%. The coral reef growth forms (life forms) at both research locations were found to be 10 types, with the highest life forms being Coral foliose and Coral encrusting. The number of coral fish observed was 867 individuals from 106 species belonging to 27 families, dominated by the family Pomacentridae (72.81%). The abundance of fish on Air Island was 386±113 individuals/250 m², and on Panggang Island it was 406±160 individuals/250 m². The highest measurement results of coral fish biomass were at Station 4 of Panggang Island (43.05 g/m²), while the lowest one was at Station 3 of Air Island (4.98 g/m²).
The pmel17 gene plays a crucial role in melanin pigmentation. Our previous studies showed that in Mozambique tilapia, a transposon inserted into the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR) of pmel17 resulted in the silencing of pmel17 and led to the loss of melanin pigments (golden mutant phenotype). Additionally, the transposon insertion caused reduced growth performance and increased locomotion. In this study, to investigate the mechanisms underlying these phenotypic changes, we sequenced transcriptomes of the skin and muscle samples collected from wildtype and mutant tilapias. A total of 51 and 141 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the skin and muscle transcriptomes, respectively. DEGs in the skin were primarily down-regulated in golden genotypes and associated with neural crest development and melanin pigmentation pathways. Besides these DEGs involved in the classic melanin pigmentation pathway of vertebrates, 14 DEGs were also observed to be related to melanogenesis. In muscle transcriptomes, there was an enrichment of GO terms associated with growth factors and cellular lipid catabolic processes. Specifically, DEGs related to growth factor binding exhibited a down-regulation, while those related to lipid metabolism showed an up-regulation in mutant genotypes. These findings agree with observed phenotypic changes. Furthermore, several DEGs associated with muscle function and mobility were up-regulated. Our study sheds light on how a single mutation in a gene can modulate multiple phenotypes by rewiring gene regulation networks. The research also provides valuable insights into the complex genetic mechanisms underlying the regulation of diverse phenotypic traits by a single gene.
ABSTRACT This study evaluates the performance of an integrated aquaponic system combining gravel bed and NFT modules within a recirculating loop, focusing on nutrient dynamics, plant growth and sensory quality. Conducted in a semi‐controlled greenhouse, the system utilized Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) and cultivated lettuce, Swiss chard and pepper. Water quality analysis showed reduced nitrate levels after the NFT module (0.792 mg/L) compared to source RAS water (1.04 mg/L), while the gravel bed demonstrated superior phosphate removal (0.052 mg/L) and the lowest ammonia concentration (0.074 mg/L). Lettuce grown in NFT exhibited significantly greater shoot biomass (187.00 ± 15.53 g) than gravel‐grown plants (105.33 ± 11.79 g), with similar differences observed in root biomass. Plant performance was significantly influenced by the cultivation system, plant variety and their interaction. Pepper plants in NFT produced more fruits (9.00 ± 1.47 vs. 5.50 ± 0.96) and longer fruits, while gravel‐grown fruits had ∼8% greater average mass, although this difference was not statistically significant. Sensory evaluation indicated a general preference for NFT‐grown lettuce in appearance, aroma, texture, flavour and overall acceptability, though these differences were not statistically significant. Economically, the NFT system yielded higher returns and lower media costs, resulting in a net financial benefit of 11,804.52 ETB. Overall, the NFT system outperformed the gravel bed in plant productivity, nutrient efficiency and economic viability, while gravel beds may offer advantages in contexts requiring greater phosphate or ammonia retention.
There is currently a strong drive to expand aquaculture further offshore co-occurring with a rapid change of the conditions under which this activity will be practiced due to climate change. At the dawn of these profound changes a global review of the current status of technologies used commercially to grow extractive species in wave exposed environments can serve as a benchmark for future developments. Part 1 of this paper presents a systematic inventory of commercial farms in temperate exposed waters. The study area includes 5 regions in the northern hemisphere and 3 regions in the southern hemisphere and covers entirely or part of 48 countries and territories. The inventory is based on 80+ high resolution aquaculture lease maps, most of them available as Internet Web-GIS applications, that cover the entire study area with the exception of a few countries. Exposed sites are first identified from these maps using simple wave fetch criteria and this preselection is then validated using climatological data on wave height and power density (energy flux). The number of sites and the leased area are tallied by region, country, species group and production method. The longline is the production method used in more than 99% of the sites inventoried. Longline design and farm layout in 28 of these sites are reviewed. With a few exceptions, semi-submerged or fully submerged designs are used (in some cases they have been for more than 30 years) while the information on farm layout is patchy. A review of structural damage and loss of cultured biomass due to hydrodynamic forces in commercial and experimental farms confirms that surface and semi-submerged longlines are more vulnerable to large storms than fully-submerged designs.
Zuharlida Tuan Harith, Suniza Mohd Sukri, Nor Fatin Syuhada Remlee
et al.
The aim of this research was to examine the effects of dietary inclusion of astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis in commercial fish feed on the colour and growth of red tilapia, Oreochromis sp.. A 6-week feeding trial was conducted at concentration of astaxanthin at 0% (T1), 4% (T2), 8% (T3) and 12% (T4) in feed formulation to examine the growth performance, colour pigmentation on skin, texture analysis and carotenoid contents. Results showed an increment of certain growth parameter in fish fed with astaxanthin enriched diet. Increased in weight gain (WG), protein efficiency ratio (PER) was obtained in fish fed with astaxanthin enriched compared with control. All treatments with astaxanthin-enriched provided higher redness (a*) to skin than negative control that directly influence the colour of the fish. It can be concluded that inclusion of astaxanthin from green algae into commercial fish feed can be used as an alternative natural carotenoid source in Oreochromis sp. diets to ensure good pigmentation, hence improving the skin colour for more appealing and subsequently increase the market value of the fish.
Abstract There is a growing global concern about the negative effects of microplastics (MPs) in aquaculture and their consequences for human health. This is the first study to investigate the contamination status and human health risks of MPs in commercial fish and bivalves collected from fishery markets of two major cities in Fujian province of China and compare them both nationally and internationally. The MP abundances in the bivalves from both cities were found to be lower when compared nationally (Qingdao and Shanghai) as well as internationally to several European countries (Italy, UK, France and Belgium). The MP abundances in the fish from both cities were also lower than reported nationally (Shanghai), but higher when compared internationally (Indonesia, USA and Portugal). In general, a higher percentage of fish than of bivalves tested positive for MPs. Moreover, fish contained higher abundances of total MPs and higher percentages of fibers, polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), blue and longer MPs than bivalves. In contrast, bivalves possessed higher percentages of fragments, films and particles together with polyethylene terephthalate (PET), transparent and shorter MPs than fish. Regarding regional differences, seafood collected at Xiamen had relatively higher abundances of total MPs and higher percentages of PET, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), fragments, films and particles along with black, white and transparent MPs. Whereas seafood from Fuzhou contained higher percentages of other polymers, fibers, and blue MPs. Finally, the polymer risk indexes caused by MPs in seafood were calculated based on the chemical hazards of polymers. The outcome of the risk assessment indicated human health risks posed by MPs via seafood consumption from both cities is likely to be higher than those from Shanghai, UK and South Korea due to greater percentages of PAN contamination.
Sustainable catch-and-release fisheries are based on the assumption that most fish survive an angling event. The adoption of best practices has become important to help mitigate post-release injury, behavioral impairment and mortality. However, in any catch-and-release fishery, a proportion of fish will become inadvertently deeply hooked (e.g., in the gullet) and numerous studies have shown this to be a major driver of mortality. Although available science suggests that cutting the line tends to yield better outcomes than removing hooks in the gullet, there has been interest within the angling community with removing hooks using the “ through-the-gill ” method where the hook shaft is turned outwards into the gill region and then the hook is removed by pulling anteriorly by gripping the outside bend of the hook. Here, we tested the efficacy of removing barbed and barbless hooks though the gill opening from experimentally deep-hooked Smallmouth Bass ( Micropterus dolomieu ) relative to leaving the hooks in place. Using a control group and four experimental treatment groups (barbed and removed through the gills; barbless and removed through gills; barbed and left in; barbless and left in), we evaluated handling time, presence of bleeding, incidence of gill or esophageal injury, reflex impairment, incidence of hook shedding (for the left in treatment groups), and survival across a 24-hour monitoring period. Collectively, our results suggested that when hooks were barbed and removed through the gills, fish condition and survival were lower. In addition, barbed hooks were more likely to cause bleeding, gill damage, esophageal tearing, and impair reflexes. When hook removal was done through the gills, the chances of all sublethal outcomes across all cat-egories were more likely to occur. While short-term mortality was not statistically linked with any treatment group, the greatest percentage of mortality (24%) occurred for fish that had barbed hooks removed using the through-the-gill method. These data suggest that when anglers use barbed hooks and encounter a deeply hooked fish, cutting the line poses the least risk to the fish.
R. Graciano, R. Oliveira, Isllas Miguel dos Santos
et al.
The Neotropical region bears the most diverse freshwater fish fauna on the planet and is the stage for dramatic conservation struggles. Initiatives aiming for conservation of a single emblematic fish, a flagship species, to which different onlookers relate on a cultural/personal level, holds promise towards engagement and conservation actions benefiting whole biological communities and ecosystems. Here, we present the first comprehensive genomic resources for Salminus brasiliensis, a potential flagship Neotropical species. This fish faces pressing conservation issues, as well as taxonomic uncertainty, being a main species relevant to angling and commercial fisheries. We make available 178 million Illumina paired-end reads, 90 bases long, comprising 16 Gb (≈15X coverage) of filtered data, obtained from a primary genomic library of 500-bp fragments. We present the first de novo genomic assembly for S. brasiliensis, with ∼1 Gb (N 50 = 10,889), as well as the coding genome annotation of 12,962 putative genes from assembled genomic fragments over 10 kb, most of which could be identified from the Ostariophysi GenBank database. We also provide a genome-wide panel for more than 80,000 predicted microsatellite loci for low-cost, fast and abundant DNA marker development for this species. A total of 47, among 52 candidates, empirically assayed microsatellites were confirmed as polymorphic in this fish. All genomic data produced for S. brasiliensis is hereby made publicly accessible. With the disclosure of these results, we intend to foster general biology studies and to provide tools to be applied immediately in conservation and aquaculture in this candidate flagship Neotropical species.
1 Department of Fisheries Technology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh 2 Department of Food Production and Environmental Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, 3-18-8 Ueda, Morioka, Japan 3 Department of Aquaculture, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh * Corresponding Author: azad@bsmrau.edu.bd
Brown shrimp, Crangon crangon (L.), is the most valuable target of coastal fisheries in the southern North Sea. Annual landings exceeded 30,000 tons in the last decade, yielding up to 100 Mio Euro. The shrimp are boiled immediately after capture onboard the fishing vessel for preservation and easy peeling. After landing, the shrimp are collected by traders and exported for manual peeling. Only the muscle of the pleon is returned and sold as regional delicacy. The remains, comprising the cephalothorax, the shell of the pleon, and, in case, adhering eggs, account for up to 70% of the total body mass. This potential resource, for example as aquaculture feed, has not yet been considered for exploitation. In this respect, the fatty acid (FA) profile and the share of essential FAs are crucial quality factors. Since boiling alters the quality of shrimp, this study evaluates changes in the FA composition of shrimp muscle and remains by comparing frozen and boiled samples. Major FAs in C. crangon were the saturated palmitic acid (PA, 16:0), accounting for 16.6%–19.1% of total fatty acids (TFAs), and the long-chain polyunsaturated FAs (LC-PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5(n-3), 16.1–21.6% TFA ) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6(n-3), 11.5–13.6% TFA ). Frozen muscle and frozen remains showed similar FA profiles. Boiling changed the FA profile. PA,EPA,andDHAdecreasedbyupto25%,whereaspalmitoleicacid16:1(n-7)andoleic acid 18:1(n-9) increased by 2% to 3% each. Boiled muscle and boiled remains showed similar FA profiles. Despite the loss of FAs, the boiled shrimp remains are suggested to be a suitable PUFA supplement for aquaculture feeds, deserving further investigation.
Morphometric relationships, condition factor (CF) and reproductive biology are significant tools in fish stock management, fish biology, physiology, conservation and ecology. Growth and reproductive strategy of Oreochromis niloticus were studied from 343 fish specimens collected from Lake Shala between January and December 2018. Fish samples ranged from 7.7 cm to 33.0 cm in total length (TL) and from 7.80 g to 708.21 g in total weight (TW) were collected using gillnets of 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 mm mesh sizes. The length-weight relationship of O. niloticus was TW = 0.0104TL3.19, indicating positive allometric growth of the fish. The sex ratio (0.93:1) was insignificant from the ideal fish distribution of 1:1 (χ2 = 0.47, p > 0.05). Mean CF for males, females and combined sexes was 1.04, 1.06 and 1.05, respectively and statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). The spawning peak occurred in July (rainy) and February (dry) periods, as defined by ripe females and the breeding season. Absolute mean fecundity was 806 eggs and correlated positively with TL and TW of the fish (p < 0.05) (F = 0.56TL2.29, R2 = 0.93, p < 0.05; F = 18.83TW0.67, R2 = 0.90, p < 0.05). The study provides the first detailed account of the morphometric relationships and reproductive biology of O. niloticus in Lake Shala, which can be used as baseline information for successive biological-based studies in Soda Lakes of Ethiopia.
Isaac Kofi Osei, Kobina Yankson, Edward Adzesiwor Obodai
Abstract This study compares the efficacy of suspension and bottom culture methods of the West African mangrove oyster, Crassostrea tulipa on recycled oyster shell cultch in the Densu Estuary, Ghana, which is geared towards its mass cultivation. It further assessed the relationship between selected environmental factors and growth performance as well as survival of C. tulipa. Oyster spat grew up to 5.56 ± 0.10 cm shell height (SH) in suspension culture and 4.60 ± 0.14 cm SH in bottom culture on the convex surface of the oyster shell cultch, whereas oysters cultured by suspension and on the bottom measured 5.59 ± 0.14 cm SH and 4.68 ± 0.14 cm SH on the concave surface of the cultch, respectively. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the growth rate of oysters cultured by suspension (1.02 ± 0.24 cm/month for oysters in the convex surface of the cultch, 1.00 ± 0.24 cm/month for those grown on the concave surface) and on the bottom (0.80 ± 0.23 cm/month and 0.81 ± 0.23 cm/month for oysters on convex and concave sides of the cultch, respectively). There was no significant difference in the survival of oysters cultured by suspension and bottom methods on both surfaces of the cultch between January and June 2018 (χ2 = 0.06, p = 0.99; χ2 = 0.19, p = 0.99, respectively). Oysters cultured by the suspension method on the convex surface had a survival of 47.45% and that of the concave surface was 46.73% in July 2018, whereas oysters grown on the bottom showed 100% mortality. Oyster growth and survival showed a significant relationship with dissolved oxygen (p = 0.004; 0.039) and salinity (p = 0.027; 0.012), respectively. Based on the findings, the suspension culture method is recommended over the bottom approach.
E. Fountoulaki, A. Vasilaki, D. Nikolopoulou
et al.
1. E. Fountoulaki, A. Vasilaki, D. Nikolopoulou, J. Schrama, S. J. Kaushik, P. Antony Jesu 3 Prabhu* 4 Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine 5 Research (HCMR), Greece. 6 Aquaculture and Fisheries, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The 7 Netherlands 8 European Research Area (ERA) Chair, EcoAqua, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran 9 Canaria, Taliarte, 35214 Telde, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain. 10 Feed and Nutrition research group, Institute of Marine Research, P.O. Box 1870, 5817 Bergen, 11 Norway. 12
Fish is globally a major source of food and income (Tacon & Metian, 2013). Many countries are currently dependant on capture fisheries as the major source of fish. Despite the worldwide increase in fish production, a decline has been observed in several cases (Noakes et al., 2000; Burkhart-Holm et al., 2002), that has been majorly attributed to over-fishing and climate-related threats. Tilapia aquaculture is one of the most important aquacultures in fish production in Egypt because of its tolerance to poor water quality and potentiality to feed on a wide range of natural food organisms (Shaheen et al., 2013). Tilapia fish farming is challenged by some problems, among which is the presence of bacterial pathogens that ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article History: Received: Feb. 3, 2021 Accepted: Feb. 25, 2021 Online: May 25, 2021 _______________
Fisheries and aquaculture development in India witnessed impressive growth in recent years. The country is rich in aquatic genetic resources distributed from deep sea to the cold Himalayan rivers sharing about 10% of the global aquatic biodiversity. The capture fisheries production in the country has more or less stabilised but the growth in inland aquaculture has been tremendous during the past three decades. Freshwater aquaculture contributes to about 85-90% of the farmed fish. In 2018-19, India was the second largest producer of fish in the world with a total production of 13.4 million t comprising 3.7 million t from marine and 9.7 million t from inland sector. The technological advances enabled the country to significantly enhance production and productivity particularly in the fresh and brackishwater aquaculture sectors. Recent progress in cage culture in reservoirs and mariculture in the sea offer new avenues for aquaculture diversification and development. Major constraints in capture fisheries production are depleted stocks due to habitat degradation, overexploitation, poor governance, climate change, in addition to harvest and post-harvest losses. The key problems in culture fisheries include low average productivity due to low adoption of technology, disease prevalence, non-availability of quality seed and cost effective feed for desired species. Cutting edge translational research and technology upscaling and dissemination along with improved governance, fisher and farmer centric fisheries policy support and large scale capacity building in both aquaculture and marine fisheries sectors are the key strategies for achieving the targets of blue revolution in the country. This comprehensive review of the Indian fisheries and aquaculture provides latest information on resources, sectoral production, technology intervention and policy formulations along with recommendations as well as future perspectives.