Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons^™

Utility Of Body And Otolith Morphometry To Discriminate Cryptic Juveniles Of Two Sympatric Red Snappers (Perciformes: Lutjanidae), Miwa Takahashi, Corey B. Wakefield, Stephen J. Newman, Kyle B. Hillcoat, Benjamin J. Saunders, Euan S. Harvey

Fisheries Research Articles

The sympatric red snappers, Lutjanus erythropterus and Lutjanus malabaricus, are highly valued by commercial and recreational fishers along the tropical northern coasts of Australia and throughout their distribution. Studies on the life history and ecology of these congeners are confounded by difficulties in distinguishing the cryptic juveniles of each species (i.e., < 200 mm total length). This study aimed to validate a robust and cost-effective method to discriminate these juveniles using body and/or otolith morphometric data in a multivariate analysis. Juvenile samples were collected from the northwest (n = 71) and northeast (n = 19) coasts of Australia, and species identification was confirmed using DNA barcoding. The most parsimonious multivariate models achieved accurate species prediction rates of 98.8%, which consisted of just three body variables (dorsal fin length, the distance from the snout to the anterior edge of the eye, and either jaw length or distance from the snout to the preoperculum). The high level of discrimination for these cryptic juveniles highlights the robustness of this morphometric approach. The slightly lower rate of discrimination using otolith morphology (84.9%) was associated with greater regional variation in L. malabaricus between the northwest and northeast coasts. Slight variations in otolith shape are typically used to determine stock structure, which highlights the potential need to collect samples over a broader area of a species geographic range when using an otolith morphometric discrimination model. The method outlined in this study could be applied to distinguish other cryptic congeneric fish species, including from archived otolith collections. Moreover, this method has the potential to be utilized in assessing species compositions using body measurements from in situ stereo-video.

Desperate Larva Or Death Before Dishonor: Can Old Coral Larvae Replenish Degraded Reefs?, Nepsis García Lara

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The recovery of coral populations depends largely on larval recruitment. Coral larvae settle in response to environmental cues that indicate habitat quality. Newly competent larvae typically avoid settling on substrates with high macroalgal cover and sedimentation, and thus might never recruit to degraded reefs, hindering their recovery. What is unknown is if settlement preferences change as larvae age. In the absence of suitable settlement cues, lecithotrophic larvae delay settlement and might do this until either dying (Death Before Dishonor Hypothesis) or becoming less discriminatory and settling regardless of their specific habitat requirements (Desperate Larva Hypothesis). To test these hypotheses in …

The Effect Of Water Flow Rates On The Survival And Growth Rates Of Three Caribbean Bouldering Coral Species Juveniles In An Indoor Versus Outdoor Environment, Ian Michael Johnson

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Coral reefs are vital ecosystems for the world’s oceans and humanity; however, they are threatened by climate change, disease, and local anthropogenic stressors, and need assistance to recover. Traditional reef restoration efforts (fragmentation and outplanting are helping but are limited in effectiveness by not increasing genetic diversity. Ex situ sexual propagation for corals provides new, genetically different coral recruits. However, this process is laborious, expensive and time consuming, especially at the scale required to effectively contribute to the widespread recovery. To lower costs, two key parameters that require optimization to hasten the growth of coral recruits are water flow and …

Commercial Fishing Identification Guide 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Occasional Publications

Throughout this guide you will see all or some of the marine bioregion symbols with each fish illustration, indicating where the species is most likely to occur.

This guide has been developed to help you identify the more common species in Western Australia you may encounter. The purpose of this guide is to enhance consistent and accurate species identification.

If you are unsure about a particular species (or if it is not in this guide), please discuss it with a representative of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia.

Linking The Metabolic And Ecological Fate Of Caribbean Ciguatoxins And Related Neurotoxins In Reef Herbivores, Jessica K. Gwinn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Ciguatera poisoning (CP) is one of the most prominent seafood-borne illnesses worldwide, affecting between 25,000–500,000 people annually. Ciguatera is caused by the ingestion of seafood contaminated with algal-derived ciguatoxins (CTX), the precursors of which are produced by benthic and toxigenic dinoflagellates in the genera Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa. These compounds enter marine food webs through herbivory and are subsequently transferred to higher trophic levels, undergoing complex metabolic biotransformations, which produce structurally related CTX derivatives. Consumption of CTX induces a variety of severe neurological, gastrointestinal, and/or cardiovascular symptoms beginning within hours and lasting for weeks to months following exposure. Despite the impact …

State Of The Fisheries: Status Reports And Aquatic Resources Of Western Australia 2021/22, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia, S J. Newman, B S. Wise, K G. Santaro, D J. Gaughan

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

Aquatic resources within Western Australia (WA) are in good condition, and this has positioned WA as a global leader in sustainable fisheries management. The sustainable fisheries of WA continue to support our strong economy and regional communities. Nonetheless, the lack of a consistent approach to build in the knowledge of Traditional Owners remains a gap in our longer-term fisheries science in Western Australia.

Climate change and climate variability continues to impact fish stocks, challenging our ability to effectively monitor, assess, and manage fish stocks. We are continually working with our stakeholders, and the broader community to be adaptive, responsive, and …

Reproduction, Early Development, And Larval Rearing Of The Climbing Perch Anabas Testudineus (Teleostei: Anabantidae) In Captivity, Frolan A. Aya, Reylan C. Gutierrez, Luis Maria B. Garcia

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Induced spawning, early development, and larval rearing of the climbing perch Anabas testudineus were examined under captive conditions. Five female climbing perch [125.33 ± 3.27 mm SL; 70.67 ± 5.59 g BW] were paired with apparently mature males (108.50 ± 3.97 mm SL; 39.27 ± 4.70 g BW) and induced to spawn with 5,000 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) + 0.5 mL Ovaprim kg BW^-1. All hCG + Ovaprim-injected fish spawned 9 – 11 h after hormone administration but saline-injected fish (control group) failed to spawn. Mean egg production per female, fertilization and hatching rates, and larval production …

Striped Blenny (Chasmodes Bosquianus) Presence And Behavior Between Sunrise And Sunset At Oyster Landing, South Carolina, Madeline Schuetze

Honors Theses

Lunar and diel cycles of fishes can help to interpret their behaviors during their reproductive season. Temperate estuaries are used by many benthic fishes for shelter and reproduction. This study examined the behavior and presence of striped blennies (Chasmodes bosquianus) during diel and lunar cycles. PVC pipe shelters were placed to mimic oyster shell nests, a natural habitat for blennies, and cameras were placed to monitor these shelters in April, May, and June 2022, during the striped blenny reproductive period. Video footage was reviewed and analyzed for the presence and behavior of both male and female blennies. Male presence …

Determination Of Cadmium Uptake In Crassostrea Virginica Shell Under Controlled Conditions, Joseph John Pavelites Ii

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The objective of this thesis was to meet growing demand for the development of environmental biomonitors that protect ecosystems and public health. To do this, I determined the potential of oyster shell as a bioindicator of cadmium (Cd) in the environment by determining the mode of Cd uptake and relationships between Cd concentrations in the environment, shell, and soft tissues of juvenile eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin). I performed a review of the literature on the ability of oyster shell to retain metal contaminants and the factors that could affect this process (Chapter 2). I then reared C. virginica …

Physiological, Temporal, And Environmental Determinants Of Forage Fish Caloric Content In The Gulf Of Mexico, Rebecca R. Walsh

Honors Theses

Within the Gulf of Mexico, forage fish species serve as an important link between lower trophic levels and higher trophic levels, supporting economically valuable predator fish, birds, and mammals. Despite the key ecological role of forage fish, fisheries management efforts are often directed elsewhere; as a result, input data for fisheries models is unavailable for many forage fish species. To fill this knowledge gap, we sought to produce species-specific caloric content values for four forage fish species in the Gulf of Mexico: Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), white trout (Cynoscion arenarius), bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli), …

Assessing The Dynamics Of The Southeast Florida Shark Community From 2013-2019 Via Catch Per Unit Effort And Stable Isotope Analysis, Alexandra Barth

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Sharks, as well as other top predators, are in drastic decline worldwide. As apex and near-apex predators, species such as nurse, lemon, and tiger sharks maintain balanced marine ecosystems by enacting top-down trophic control. However, this cascading effect is diminished with exploitation via commercial and recreational fishing. Sharks are generally long-lived, mature late, have long reproductive cycles, and produce few offspring. Much remains to be learned about the community structure, population trends and conservation statuses of shark populations worldwide. Comprehensive studies on the composition of the shark community in Southeast Florida north of Miami have been limited. This study assessed …

Age And Growth For Three Members Of The Family Gempylidae: Escolar (Lepidocybium Flavobrunnuem), Oilfish (Ruvettus Pretiosus), And Snake Mackerel (Gempylus Serpens), Sydney N. Daniels

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunnuem (Smith, 1849), Oilfish, Ruvettus pretiosus (Cocco, 1829), and Snake Mackerel, Gempylus serpens (Cuvier, 1829) belong to the family Gempylidae and are bycatch of the tuna-targeting pelagic longline fishery. There is limited know life-history information on these mesopelagic fishes, especially regarding growth rates. Age estimates were assigned by counting pairs of increment bands formed on the sagittal otoliths of Escolar (n = 133), Oilfish (n = 49), and Snake Mackerel (n = 46) collected between 2007 and 2022. Marginal increment analyses were used to validate age estimates and periodicity of increment formation, but no significant trends were observed …

Initial Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Australian Fisheries Production, Research Organisations And Assessment: Shocks, Responses And Implications For Decision Support And Resilience, Emily M. Ogier, David C. Smith, Sian Breen, Caleb Gardner, Daniel J. Gaughan, Harry K. Gorfine, Alistair J. Hobday, Natalie Moltschaniwskyj, Ryan Murphy, Thor Saunders, Michael Steer, James Woodhams

Fisheries Research Articles

Australia’s fisheries have experience in responding individually to specific shocks to stock levels (for example, marine heatwaves, floods) and markets (for example, global financial crisis, food safety access barriers). The COVID-19 pandemic was, however, novel in triggering a series of systemic shocks and disruptions to the activities and operating conditions for all Australia’s commercial fisheries sectors including those of the research agencies that provide the information needed for their sustainable management. While these disruptions have a single root cause—the public health impacts and containment responses to the COVID-19 pandemic—their transmission and effects have been varied. We examine both the impacts …

Building Artificial Reefs From Recycled Construction Materials: A Feasibility Study, Nicholas H. Lew

Construction Management

Naturally occurring reefs are some of the world’s most biologically diverse ecosystems formed by jagged rocks tucked slightly below sea level. In recent years global warming began to pose a major threat to many reef habitats. Most relevant is the increase in surface seawater temperatures that cause coral to bleach, taking away major food sources for larger marine species. Researchers have combated this by deploying artificial reefs in substitution for naturally formed limestone rock formations in order to promote the expansion of coastal habitats. This project specifically aims to utilize construction waste towards the production of artificial reefs, effectively upcycling …

Grow-Out Culture Of Oyster Magallana Bilineata (Röding, 1798) Using Pouches: A Comparison Of Growth And Survival In The River And Earthen Pond, Ma. Junemie Hazel L. Lebata-Ramos, Ellen Flor D. Solis, Mark Jude C. Almeida

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Oysters are among the most in-demand aquaculture commodities in the Philippines and worldwide. With the decreasing culture area and the deteriorating water quality of oyster beds, there is a need to explore new culture sites and techniques to address the problems of dwindling stocks and the increasing demand for better quality oysters. This study compared the growth and survival of the oysters Magallana bilineata, the new accepted name of Crassostrea iredalei, cultured in an earthen pond and the river using pouches suspended from rafts. Mean growth rates of oysters in length and weight were significantly higher in those …

What Drives Larval Condition For Northern Anchovy (Engraulis Mordax)? Implications For Coastal Pelagic Species Recruitment Fluctuations And Fishery Management Practices, Michelle Robidas

Theses

Discerning the causes of population boom and bust cycles for coastal pelagic species (CPS) has been a major focus of fisheries management research for over a century. Year-class strength is contingent on larval survival and condition, which can be influenced by larval size at age and growth rate. These two factors, in turn, can be affected by maternal investment and environmental variables such as water temperature, salinity, oxygen, and chlorophyll a. We evaluated each of these factors from 127 two to eight week-old Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax) larvae off the coast of San Diego to San Francisco, …

A Preliminary Assessment Of The Spawning Potential Ratio Of Five Target Species Of The Coastal Gillnet Fishery In Guyana And Suriname, Tomas Willems, Elford Liverpool, Michael Hiwat

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Data—limited stock assessment methods have the potential to positively impact livelihoods of fishermen around the world by providing management recommendations that aim to optimize sustainable yields from fisheries. Some years ago, a novel length— based (LB) method was developed for the assessment of spawning potential ratio (SPR), a measure of the reproductive capacity of fish stocks. We applied the LB—SPR method to 5 important target species of the coastal gillnet fishery in Guyana and Suriname. Nebris microps (Smalleye Croaker; 32% SPR) and Macrodon ancylodon (King Weakfish; 34% SPR) had the highest spawning potential, but remained below the 40% target level …

Marine Heatwaves Modulate The Genotypic And Physiological Responses Of Reef-Building Corals To Subsequent Heat Stress, Kristen T. Brown, Amatzia Genin, Matheus A. Mello-Athayde, Ellie Bergstrom, Adriana Campili, Aaron Chai, Sophie G. Dove, Maureen Ho, Devin Rowell, Eugenia M. Sampayo, Veronica Z. Radice

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Back-to-back marine heatwaves in 2016 and 2017 resulted in severe coral bleaching and mortality across the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Encouragingly, some corals that survived these events exhibit increased bleaching resistance and may represent thermally tolerant populations that can better cope with ocean warming. Using the GBR as a natural laboratory, we investigated whether a history of minimal (Heron Island) or severe (Lizard Island) coral bleaching in 2016 and 2017 equates to stress tolerance in a successive heatwave (2020). We examined the genetic diversity, physiological performance, and trophic plasticity of juvenile (<10 cm) and adult (>25 cm) corals of two common genera ( …

Porifera: Biology And Medicinal Properties, Emma L. Rayfield

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The focus of this thesis is the possibility of oceanic medicine through understanding the general biology of poriferans, their symbionts, medicinal properties, and how we could harvest sponges conservatively. It was necessary to understand the basic biology of poriferans regarding their structures, differences in their classes, and how they obtain nutrition, develop, and reproduce. The ecology of the poriferans was also researched including their larval and sessile stages and how their environment determines where they settle. Additionally, ecology was examined including how poriferans interact with symbionts and other organisms. This then was utilized to seek whether poriferans had useful medical …

River Report. State Of Lower St. Johns River Basin, Florida: Water Quality, Fisheries, Aquatic Life, Contaminants, 2023, Environmental Protection Board, Jacksonville Florida, University Of North Florida, Jacksonville University, Gerry Pinto, Brian P. Zoellner, Christopher Baynard, Gretchen Bielmyer-Fraser, Dale Casamatta, Charles Closmann, Nisse Goldberg, Ashley Johnson, Scott Jones, William Penwell, Radha Pyati, Adam Rosenblatt

State of the River Report

No abstract provided.

Is Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Or Salinity Driving Oyster Mortality On Breakwaters?, Ashten Notz, Aaron Bland, Ronald Baker

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Oyster Aquaculture On Elasmobranch Abundance And Habitat Use In Humboldt Bay, Ca, Rose Harman

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Habitat modification from aquaculture can have large effects on natural communities, with the habitat complexity provided by aquaculture structure positively influencing benthic invertebrates and small fish abundance. However, the effects of aquaculture on larger predatory fish like elasmobranchs (i.e., sharks and rays), which use nearshore habitat to forage and provide top-down control of these ecosystems, is largely unknown. Over two years, I deployed baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) to examine the effects of oyster aquaculture and environmental variables such as habitat (mudflat or eelgrass), salinity (ppt), turbidity (m), temperature (°C), pH (mV), dissolved oxygen (mg · L^-1), …

Inferring Exposure To Harmful Pseudo-Nitzschia Blooms From Ocean-To-Estuary Gradients In Domoic Acid Concentrations In Humboldt Bay Bivalves, Natasha Hope Ficzycz Winnacott

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) result from outbreaks of any of several different species of toxin-producing phytoplankton and that can have major detrimental effects on marine ecosystems and pose severe health and economic threats to human communities. Of particular concern along the United States West Coast are HABs of pennate diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia that produce the potent neurotoxin domoic acid (DA). The coastal ocean between Cape Mendocino, CA, and Cape Blanco, OR is a hotspot for Pseudo-nitzschia spp. HABs. Such blooms impact coastal fisheries and pose a potential threat to aquaculture operations in Humboldt Bay, California’s second largest estuary and largest …

Crustacean Assemblage Structure Over The Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone Of The Mid-Atlantic Ridge Collected During The 2009 Henry B. Bigelow Expedition, Kathryn Medina

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ) consists of two nearly parallel fracture transform faults that intersect the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) axis. This area has high primary productivity and biomass levels due to the topography and water. A predominant hydrographic feature of the MAR is the Sub-Polar Front (SPF) which runs along the southern edge of the CGFZ and is known as a biogeographical boundary for multiple species. As part of The Census of Marine Life project Patterns and Processes of the Ecosystem of the northern Mid-Atlantic (MAR-ECO), this study analyzed the abundance and distribution patterns of the CGFZ crustacean community …

Chelonia Mydas Cranium, Celina Nelson-Jordan, Bryan Weber

Hirons Field Techniques

Chelonia mydas Cranium - Green Sea Turtle skull with jaw positioned agape for detail

Nexus Between Animal Welfare, Environment, And Sustainable Development: Resource Document, Wellbeing International

Nexus – UNEP – Animal Welfare, Environment, Sustainable Development

This Resource Document has been developed to explore the Nexus (links) between Animal Welfare, the Environment, and Sustainable Development. The document includes relevant citations and reports addressing the topics encompassed by the Nexus. It will be maintained as a “living document” (subject to revision) in the WellBeing International Studies Repository. The original document and subsequent revisions will be kept in the Repository to provide a record of the changes.

List Of Fish Species Present In Galápagos, Ecuador, And California, U.S.A., With Notes On Their Commercial Importance And Conservation Status, Erin J. Hanson, Jose R. Marin Jarrin

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

No abstract provided.

Smart Drumlines Ineffective In Catching White Sharks In The High Energy Capes Region Of Western Australia: Acoustic Detections Confirm That Sharks Are Not Always Amenable To Capture, Stephen M. Taylor, Jason How, Michael J. Travers, Stephen J. Newman, Silas Mountford, Daniela Waltrick, Christopher E. Dowling, Ainslie M. Denham, Daniel J. Gaughan

Fisheries Research Articles

The management of human-shark interactions can benefit from the implementation of effective shark hazard mitigation measures. A Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time (SMART) drumline trial in the Capes region of Western Australia was instigated after several serious incidents involving surfers and white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). The project aimed to determine whether white sharks (target species), which were relocated after capture, remained offshore using satellite and acoustic tagging. Over a 27-month period, 352 fish were caught, 55% of which comprised tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier). Ninety-one percent of animals were released alive in good condition. Only two white sharks were caught; both were relocated ≥ 1 …

Are Sharks Attracted To Caged Fish And Associated Infrastructure?, Charlie Huveneers, Yuri Niella, Michael Drew, Joshua Dennis, Thomas M. Clarke, Alison Wright, Simon Bryars, Matias Braccini, Chris Dowling, Stephen J. Newman, Paul Butcher, Scott Dalton

Fisheries Research Articles

Huveneers Charlie, Niella Yuri, Drew Michael, Dennis Joshua, Clarke Thomas M., Wright Alison, Bryars Simon, Braccini Matias, Dowling Chris, Newman Stephen J., Butcher Paul, Dalton Scott (2022) Are sharks attracted to caged fish and associated infrastructure?. Marine and Freshwater Research 73, 1404-1410.

https://doi.org/10.1071/MF22039

Fisheries Genomics Of Snapper (Chrysophrys Auratus) Along The West Australian Coast, Andrea Bertram, David Fairclough, Jonathan Sandoval-Castillo, Chris Brauer, Anthony Fowler, Maren Wellenreuther, Luciano B. Beheregaray

Fisheries Research Articles

The efficacy of fisheries management strategies depends on stock assessment and management actions being carried out at appropriate spatial scales. This requires understanding of spatial and temporal population structure and connectivity, which is challenging in weakly structured and highly connected marine populations. We carried out a population genomics study of the heavily exploited snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) along ~2600 km of the Australian coastline, with a focus on Western Australia (WA). We used 10,903 filtered SNPs in 341 individuals from eight sampling locations to characterize population structure and connectivity in snapper across WA and to assess if current spatial …