Intro/history of Aquaculture Aquaculture

The art and science of rearing aquatic organisms (finfish, shellfish, aquatic reptiles, amphibians, and plants) under controlled conditions.

History of Aquaculture • First practiced by the Chinese 3,500 to 4,000

years ago • • • Oysters were farmed in Japan about 3,000 years

ago and by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago

United States/North America 1850s - first attempt at artificial propagation (Dr. Theodatus Garlick)

- Brook trout- Spring fed ponds (Cleveland, Ohio)

1864 – 1866 - First public hatchery was built in New York

- - Atlantic Salmon fry produced for enhancement efforts on the Merrimac River- High profits -

Intro/history of Aquaculture

1870 - Formation of the “American Fish Cultural Society”

- Began to apply the scientific method to aquaculture production

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- 19th century –

Intro/history of Aquaculture

Commercial (foodfish) production

• Followed AFS development and used techniques and methods established through government and academic research

• Foodfish production worldwide

1. 2.

Purpose of Aquaculture

Important culture species (3 phyla represented)

1. Mollusca

2. Arthropoda (crustaceans)

3. Chordata

Purpose of Aquaculture

Aquaculture

Mollusca

• • • • Scallops• Abalone

Aquaculture

Important culture species

Arthropoda (crustaceans)

•

•

• Lobster

Aquaculture

Important culture species

Chordata

• Channel catfish• Atlantic salmon • • • • Tilapia• Carp

Aquaculture

Aquaculture (fish and shellfish)• Global production has doubled in past 15

years• > 220 species of finfish and shellfish are

farmedUS (commercial finfish):

• Production estimates (1991): 543,770 tons valued at approximately $750,250,000

•

Aquaculture

Catfish - Dominant species cultured in United States

• • In late 1950s the methodology for catfish culture

in the US was developed

• At that time, it was demonstrated that a profit could be made if producers received $1.10/kg

• Today:

•

•

Aquaculture Rainbow trout

• Important species in the US, Northern Europe, Chile, etc.

 • Freshwater•

• Also raised in other regions for food and sport. 

• Australia (Tasmania)• New Zealand

Aquaculture

Rainbow trout

Idaho is one of the major trout producing region in US/world.

 • Constant temperature (15oC) spring water year-

round

• 1980-3,400 tons/yr. 1990s > 10,000 tons/yr.

Aquaculture

Atlantic Salmon

• Industry has rapidly expanded in last decade• High tech

• Net pen culture (primarily foodfish)

•

Aquaculture

Other commercial species

Ornamental species

• Florida – raise > 100 species• >$100 million/yr (1998)

• Value –

Aquaculture

Carp and Tilapia

• Important species in Middle East, China, Japan, etc.

• Grass Carp (in US)• Aquatic vegetation control•

• Tilapia• Often used as protein supplement for third world

regions•

Commercial Fisheries• Goal – increase or sustain commercially important

species (other than salmon)

Concept• Being re-considered

• • Offspring – increased survivalSpecies• Flounder• Cod• Haddock• Rockfish

Purpose of Aquaculture

Recreational Fisheries• Goal – Stocking for angling public

Put and take• Stock catchable size fish that are available

immediately • Chase hatchery trucks• Recreation for the “non” purists

• Provides some states alternative experience• Seasons that provide proper environmental

conditions• Spring – trout in some states (trout stamp)

Purpose of Aquaculture

Recreational Fisheries

Put-Grow-and take• Stock at small size (fingerlings) allow to grow to

large size • Close harvest of small fish (size restrictions)Ex:• Stock fingerling Northern pike in Midwest• Coho Salmon and SH in Great Lakes (1980s) •

Both approaches provide angling opportunities in waters that may not support sustainable populations

Purpose of Aquaculture

Augmentation

• Used in waters that can support sustainable populations but where fishing pressure results in unbalanced populationsEx:• Largemouth bass

• Fishing lowers bass pop. even though forage base is good

Purpose of Aquaculture

Mitigation/supplementation

• Human activities – destruction or alteration of fish habitat

Ex:•

• Loss of upstream access by anadromous fishes• Decreased access to spawning habitat• Change from riverine to reservoir habitat• Increased turbidity (Ag and industry runoff)

Purpose of Aquaculture

Mitigation/supplementation

• 1938 – Congress passed legislation that mandated for losses of renewable aquatic resources due to reduction of upstream access for migratory salmonids• Results –

“In-kind” mitigation • Impacted species – re-stocked

May also occur if human activities take water body out of production – filling lake for construction

Purpose of Aquaculture

Pacific Salmon (Coho, Chinook, Chum, Pink, Sockeye)

• Primarily reared and released for mitigation purposes

• Pacific Northwest, Canada (BC), Alaska• Great Lakes (1967) – recreational

fisheries

Purpose of Aquaculture

Species Recovery (ESA)

• Habitat• Hydro• Hatcheries

• One action taken to enhance recoveryGenetic diversity – important

• Ex:

• Sockeye Salmon – 1990s to present (Redfish Lake)• Lonely Larry

• Cryopreserved semen for next season• Offspring survival important

Purpose of Aquaculture

Population assessment

• Cultured fish can be marked and used to assess populations in wild• • Recapture of tagged/untagged fish used to estimate

populationsExamples of marking methods:

• • External tags• Fin clips• • • Branding

Purpose of Aquaculture

Research

• Many Scientists are increasingly using fish as laboratory animals• • Fish may be good models• Fast regeneration times

Ex:• Japanese medaka• Zebrafish• KIllifish,• Goldfish

Purpose of Aquaculture