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Full-Text Articles in Aquaculture and Fisheries

Distribution Of Shell-Boring Polychaetes At Shellfish Aquaculture Sites Along The Northeast Coast Of The Us, Samantha Silverbrand Apr 2024

Distribution Of Shell-Boring Polychaetes At Shellfish Aquaculture Sites Along The Northeast Coast Of The Us, Samantha Silverbrand

Honors College

Coastal shellfish aquaculture has expanded substantially in recent years in Maine and New England as traditional wild fishery stocks have declined. As shellfish aquaculture has expanded, producers have become more concerned about marine worm pests (i.e., polychaetes) that infest cultured bivalves. In particular, worms from the genus Polydora (also known as “polydorids”) burrow into oyster and scallop shells where they feed and deposit mud. Bivalves cover over the muddy burrows creating blisters that can decrease their market value and hinder growth. Farmers and researchers have identified methods to control infestations of P. websteri, one common species of shell-boring worm. However, …


The Sociocultural Significance Of Maine's Oyster Based On Media Coverage Analysis, Syeira Clark Dec 2023

The Sociocultural Significance Of Maine's Oyster Based On Media Coverage Analysis, Syeira Clark

Honors College

Throughout the last decade, the oyster aquaculture industry in Maine has boomed, with 6 million pounds of oysters being harvested in 2021, about the amount that was harvested in 2016 (Cough, 2022). According to the founders of the Maine Oyster Trail, there are over 150 oyster farms currently operating on Maine’s coast, which is about twice as many as there were in 2016 (Maine Sea Grant). With this boom in the industry has come a wave of opportunity, as well as news coverage about the shellfish. This study examines the socio-cultural significance to the state of Maine. While the oyster …


Expression Of The Rag-1 Gene In Larval Yellowtail Kingfish, Gabriella Peluso Apr 2023

Expression Of The Rag-1 Gene In Larval Yellowtail Kingfish, Gabriella Peluso

Honors College

Aquaculture has taken over from capture fisheries as a primary global provider of seafood products. Seriola lalandi, or Yellowtail kingfish, has become a species of interest, as it is a fish notable for its marketability and culinary desirability. With the expansion of aquaculture and the increased amount of high-level operating facilities comes an increased risk of disease outbreaks. There are methods commonly used within these facilities for disease control, including incorporating nutritional feeds into the fishes’ diets, safe husbandry practices, and vaccinations. While these methods can be effective, they have caveats that must be considered. Adequate diets and improved …


Ecosystem Metabolism Modeling Of Estuaries In Maine: Using Dissolved Oxygen As A Tool For Aquaculture Site Assessment, Katherine Miller May 2017

Ecosystem Metabolism Modeling Of Estuaries In Maine: Using Dissolved Oxygen As A Tool For Aquaculture Site Assessment, Katherine Miller

Honors College

The net primary productivity (NPP), also known as the net ecosystem metabolism, of an estuary is a value indicative of the growth and activity of an estuary’s primary producers, relative to the metabolic activity of its consumers. When NPP is high, estuaries exhibit autotrophic conditions that have the capacity to support fruitful bivalve aquaculture. For oyster farmers, the ability to monitor an estuary’s NPP would allow them to predict and prepare for seasonal changes to oyster growth that result from changes to their phytoplankton food source and access to dissolved oxygen (DO). Not only would this aid farmers on site …


Investigation Of Early Development And Importance Of Sediment Choice In The Hatchery Production Of Razor Clams, Ensis Directus, Molly P. Flanagan May 2013

Investigation Of Early Development And Importance Of Sediment Choice In The Hatchery Production Of Razor Clams, Ensis Directus, Molly P. Flanagan

Honors College

Ensis directus, commonly known as the razor clam, is a bivalve species that lives in temperate sub-polar regions of the Atlantic Ocean. It is an infaunal species found in shallow, subtidal, sedimentary habitats. A recent increase in the market value for razor clams has resulted in heightened interest in the culture of this species. The experimental hatchery at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center began work in 2012 to develop improved hatchery and grow-out techniques for this species. For my thesis, razor clam embryos from both spontaneous and controlled spawns were observed via video and still imagery to document …


Diet And Prey Availability Of Sturgeons In The Penobscot River, Maine, Matthew Dzaugis May 2013

Diet And Prey Availability Of Sturgeons In The Penobscot River, Maine, Matthew Dzaugis

Honors College

Although vital to the protection and conservation of species listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, critical habitat of shortnose sturgeon and Atlantic sturgeon in the Penobscot River, Maine have not yet been described. Critical habitat includes food availability as well as the physical characteristics of foraging habitat. To characterize seasonal availability of benthic prey, a ponar grab was used to collect over 125 benthic samples between 21 May and 8 October 2012. Samples were stratified throughout the river and broadly categorized by sediment type. All organisms within samples were identified to the family level. To characterize diet, stomach contents …


Assessment Of Sea Lice Infestations On Wild Fishes Of Cobscook Bay, Alexander Jensen May 2013

Assessment Of Sea Lice Infestations On Wild Fishes Of Cobscook Bay, Alexander Jensen

Honors College

Sea lice are ectoparasitic copepods on fishes and can negatively impact aquaculture operations. Little work on sea lice, specifically Lepeophtheirus salmonis and Caligus elongatus, has occurred in the northwest Atlantic. This project characterized sea lice infestations on wild fishes in Cobscook Bay during 2012. Trawling, seine netting, and fyke netting occurred from March to November. Netting sites were selected to sample the bay’s three regions: Outer, Central, and Inner Bay. Visual examinations of fish were used to identify wild hosts and characterize sea lice life stage abundances, attachment locations, and infection prevalence and intensity. DNA sequencing was used to …