Background
Aquatic animals are grown in a wide variety of environments using many different management systems to provide consumers with consistently uniform, safe, and nutritious products. Aquatic animal producers continually are challenged to produce fish, shellfish, and crustaceans efficiently and economically. Production technologies must be developed to culture new aquatic species and to optimally culture existing species in existing and new environments. Performance of aquatic animal production systems can be improved through the development and application of innovative biological and engineering approaches. Producers must be provided with the necessary information and technology to meet consumer’s needs with desired fish and shellfish products.
Vision Statement
Improved production efficiency, economic competitiveness and environmental compatibility of aquatic animal production systems.
Mission Statement
Optimize aquatic animal production systems in terms of productivity, economic performance and environmental compatibility through application of biological and engineering approaches.
Impact
Reduced cost of production for all aquaculture species resulting in greater profitability for US aquaculture producers, globally competitive products, and lower food costs for consumers.
Linkages
USDA-ARS National Programs: 101 Food Animal Production; 105 Animal Well-Being and Stress Control Systems; 108 Food Safety; 201 Water Quality and Management
Other Agencies and Departments: U. S. Agricultural Colleges and Agricultural Experiment Stations, Other Universities, USDA-CSREES, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA-APHIS, USDC-NMFS.
Private sector: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Mote Marine Laboratory, Freshwater Institute, U. S. Aquaculture Associations.
Problems to be addressed
a. Biosecurity
Intensification of aquatic animal production systems results in concentration of pathogenic microorganisms associated with losses from infectious disease outbreaks or toxin occurrence. Inter- and intra-facility transmission of pathogenic microorganisms can occur by many routes. Breeding programs result in locally developed and enhanced stocks of aquatic animals. Unauthorized export of improved stocks detracts from the U.S. industry’s competitiveness, while escape of improved stocks may have a negative environmental impact. Defining risk, development of quarantine systems, pathogen detection and monitoring, increased understanding of the relationship between pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms, and control mechanisms of improved stock are critical areas of investigation.
1. Define engineering and biological components of bio-secure production systems.
2. Develop systems to prevent loss of improved stocks of aquatic animals.
Approaches
1. Characterize and evaluate the relationship between disease incidence and pathogen loading.
2. Determine the relationship between levels of stress and incidence of epizootic pathogens.
3. Develop and evaluate quarantine systems and facilities.
4. Develop and evaluate methods and strategies for pathogen detection and monitoring.
5. Develop secure rearing conditions and engineer physiological safeguards to prevent loss of improved stocks.
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Effective quarantine systems and facilities will be developed.
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Methods and strategies for pathogen detection and monitoring will be produced.
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Mechanisms to prevent loss of improved stocks of aquatic animals will be identified.
ARS Locations
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Auburn, AL
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Stoneville, MS
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Leetown, WV
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Aberdeen, ID
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Stuttgart, AR
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Orono/Franklin, ME
b. Production Intensity
Aquatic animal production systems range from low energy/trophic production to super-intensive systems. Although production efficiency varies widely among systems, optimal production efficiency is required for profitability. Optimal utilization of production inputs, including water, requires knowledge of the interactions among inputs, culture species, production environment, and economics; yet these interactions are not understood fully.
Goals
1. To optimize production, increase economic competitiveness, and reduce environmental impact of aquatic animal production systems.
2. To increase reliability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of production through the use of new and improved technologies.
3. To develop models of fish farming systems that assist producers in decision-making.
Approaches
1. Develop new or improve existing biological and engineering designs for aquatic animal production systems using innovative, non-traditional approaches that result in optimized production, increased economic competitiveness, and reduced environmental impact.
2. Improve aeration, continuous water quality monitoring systems, dynamic process control systems, and automation technologies to increase aquaculture production system reliability, efficiency, and cost effectiveness.
3. Determine combinations of production inputs that optimize product quality within economic, engineering, and biological constraints to identify bottlenecks and opportunities for improved efficiencies through critical path analysis
4. Develop culture unit designs and management strategies that address animal welfare issues.
5. Identify water quality limits for pheromones, enzymes, fine solids, pathogens, toxins and other virulence factors, or excretory products that can accumulate within aquacultural systems and affect the health of the organisms and limit their performance.
6. Develop new, and evaluate existing partial or complete reuse system technologies that increase production for a given water resource and maximize waste capture.
Outcomes
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Economically viable, globally competitive, and environmentally responsible aquaculture production systems will be developed.
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Increased application of technology to aquatic animal production.
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New tools to analyze aquatic animal production systems.
ARS Locations
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Auburn, AL
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Pine Bluff, AR
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Stoneville, MS
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Leetown, WV
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Aberdeen, ID
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Stuttgart, AR
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Hilo, HI
c. Integrated Production Systems
Aquacultural production systems can incorporate synergistic, multi-enterprise production systems to recover valuable inputs (e.g., nutrients) that would otherwise accumulate within the production system or be discharged into the environment. Integration of components of fish culture, shellfish culture, hydroponics, or micro/macro algae culture can enhance input utilization efficiency and farm profit potential. However, matching the requirements of the different component species is difficult, and interactions among components are not understood fully.
Goals
1. To develop new and improve existing integrated production systems for aquaculture.
Approaches
1. Partition the nutrient contribution by components of the system on the target species.
2. Elucidate behavioral and logistical interactions and interferences on target species.
3. Determine combinations of components and target species on system integration that maximize nutrient utilization, system performance, and profit.
ARS Locations
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Stoneville, MS
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Leetown, WV
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Stuttgart, AR
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Pine Bluff, AR
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Hilo, HI
d. Predator and Fowl Control
Predators (notably mammals, turtles, and snakes) and fowl (fish-eating birds, such as cormorants, pelicans, egrets, herons, anhingas, storks, and diving ducks) can cause significant direct and indirect losses to the aquaculture industry. The economic impact of predators and fowl on aquaculture facilities in terms of revenue loss and expenditures on control efforts sums to tens of millions of dollars annually. Damage by predators and fowl is caused not only by the consumption and wounding of aquaticspecies, but also when the aquatic animals are forced to seek shelter and stop feeding, they become more susceptible to disease because of stress, crowding, or decreased environmental quality. Also, birds carry and transmit disease agents to aquatic animals and humans. An increased understanding of predator and fowl behavior will foster development of improved control strategies at aquaculture facilities.
Goals
1. Develop new, improve existing, or adapt alternative techniques to minimize depredation at aquaculture facilities.
2. Assess regional populations of fish-eating birds and evaluate other potential predators and fowl.
1. Assess fish-eating bird population trends and flock behavior by aerial survey.
2. Apply innovative engineering design approaches to develop new or modify existing methods and technologies to control depredation.
Outcomes
ARS Locations
e. Live Aquatic Animal Handling, Transport, and Inventory
Handling and transport of live aquatic animals between the hatchery and the farm, within production units on the farm, or between the farm and the processing plant or live market is in efficient, and survival, condition, and performance of the aquatic animals following transport is variable. Inventory management of aquaculture stocks is essential for optimal production management. Current methods and technology for handling and transporting live aquatic animals are labor intensive, constrained by deterioration of water quality, or utilize intrusive handling methods. Suitable methods do not exist currently for monitoring the population number or average size of most aquacultured species. Moreover, biological and engineering technologies are needed to decrease size variation of animals within culture units to increase efficiency and provide consistent quality products to enhance U.S. competitiveness and profitability. Increased understanding of aquatic animal behavior and physiological responses, and application of innovative engineering design approaches are needed to optimize handling, transport and inventory management of live aquatic animals.
1. Develop new and improve existing methods or technologies of handling and transporting live aquatic animals.
2. Develop methods or technologies to track population number and average size of cultured aquatic animals within the culture unit.
3. Develop methods or technologies to reduce size variation of cultured species within culture units.
Approaches
1. Identify behavioral and physiological responses of aquatic animals to handling and transport.
2. Determine relationships between water quality, transport duration and biomass for transporting live aquatic animals.
3. Apply innovative engineering design approaches to design new or modify existing live aquatic animal handling and transport equipment.
4. Apply innovative engineering design approaches to design new or modify existing equipment to inventory live aquatic animals.
5. Develop innovative engineering solutions and technologies to reduce size variation within culture units.
Outcomes
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Live aquatic animal handling and transport equipment and procedures that are efficient and minimize stress.
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Enhanced technologies to measure aquatic animal size and numbers in the culture unit.
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Technologies to provide more consistent quality products to improve competitiveness and profitability of US aquaculture products will be developed.
ARS Locations
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Stoneville, MS
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Stuttgart, AR
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Pine Bluff, AR
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Leetown, WV
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Auburn, AL
f. Culture of Marine Species in Low-Salinity Water
A number marine species are able to adapt and thrive in low-salinity water normally encountered in estuarine environments. Availability of low-salinity water from inland aquifers expands the range of environments where marine species can be cultured, providing opportunities to diversify farm production strategies and to develop new markets. However, because the ionic composition of low-salinity ground water may differ substantially from dilute seawater, survival and growth of marine species may be sub-optimal. Understanding physiological and biological responses to low-salinity water and developing strategies to enhance ionic composition of ground water may lead to increased culture of marine species in low-salinity water. Moreover, little is known about the waste production, and its handling, and elimination from production units used for rearing marine species in low-salinity environments.
Goals
1. Increased culture of marine species in low-salinity water at inland sites.
2. Systems of production for disease-free stock.
1. Determine physiological and biological responses of marine species to low-salinity water.
2. Assess strategies to enhance ionic composition of low-salinity ground water.
ARS Locations
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Hilo, HI
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Pine Bluff, AR
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Stuttgart. AR
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Orono, MEC
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Leetown, WV
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