Biography:

Carole Blay has graduated as biology engineer in 2009 (France). She has worked on the domestication of cultivated crops such as Pennisetum glaucum and Digittaria sp. of the research institute for the development. Then, she has worked for IFREMER on the “pearl oyster” Pinctada Margaritifera on the genetic improvement of the donor oyster. In 2014, she has started a phD on genetic determinism of pearl quality trait on pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera. This work will improve the knowledge on the effects of genotype and research genes responsible for the expression of the quality traits (color and pearl size)

Abstract:

The pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, produces valuable cultured pearls as a result of the biomineralization process of a selected mantle graft from a donor oyster inserted together with a nucleus into the gonad of a recipient oyster. Production and annual exportation of cultured pearls increased from 86 kg in 1980 to 16 tons in 2012 valuing 65 million Euros of incomes. The commercial value of cultured pearls depends on different parameters, including pearl size, shape, colour, darkness level, classification grade, lustre and surface quality. Overall feature, pearl size is the most valuable one, with the largest pearls being the most valuable. To explore the respective roles of donor and recipient in pearl formation, a uniform experimental graft was designed with large and small donor oyster shell phenotypes, used to graft recipient oysters monitored for their growth-related traits every 3 months over one year period. At the same time, phenotypic parameters corresponding to pearl size and quality traits were recorded. Phenotypic interaction analysis demonstrated 1) a positive correlation between recipient shell biometric parameters and pearl size, 2) donor effect on cultured pearl quality traits. Furthermore, the expressions of biomineralization biomarkers encoding proteins in the aragonite or prismatic layer showed: 1) overexpression of an aragonite-related gene in the large-shelled donor phenotype in the graft tissue, and 2) correlation of gene expression in the pearl sac tissue with pearl quality traits and recipient biometric parameters. These results emphasize that the recipient mainly drives pearl size and the donor mainly drives pearl quality traits.

Biography:

Kay Lubke has completed his studies on marine and fish biology at Rostock University (Diploma) in 2013. He is now a scientist at the Institute for Fisheries of the Bavarian States Research Center

Abstract:

            Today the issue of animal welfare is of increasing importance, especially in farmed fish. Both, consumers and producers, are highly interested in a good welfare status of the fish for ethical, as well as product quality reasons. In this context some management actions applied in aquaculture, e. g. high stocking densities or raising fish in artificial habitats, came under criticism. To evaluate common husbandry actions in aquaculture a non-invasive method for measuring cortisol, the most important stress parameter, in fish holding water was used. A set of investigations was done manly with rainbow trout. In the beginning tests were made to gain information about cortisol release under normal husbandry conditions (reference/basic values). First results indicated a basic release rate of approximately 0.1 ng/(g*h) for smaller trout and even lower values for larger fish sizes. Furthermore, the short term influences of management actions were studied as well as the long term influence of different stocking densities. To determine the welfare in the long term study, further parameters as the general performance of the fish, e. g. growth, food conversion, survival, and the fin condition index was used next to the cortisol release. Here we found that actions like netting and transferring fish to another pond provoked a sharp increase in cortisol release rate, but only for one to two hours. Furthermore, high density does not lead to increased cortisol release or impaired welfare in other parameters, if environmental conditions are managed correctly

Biography:

Fabio Cervellione graduated as DVM at Milan University, and completed his MSc in Aquatic Veterinary Studies at Stirling University. He worked for 9 years as a diagnostic veterinarian for fresh water farmed species for Skretting, which is a leading shrimp and fish feed company in the aquaculture sector. He works now for Skretting Aquaculture Research Centre in Norway, in the Health Department, directed by Dr. Charles McGurk. He is a PhD candidate at Ghent University, focusing on semi-quantitative histology of the gastro intestinal tract of whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) with Prof. Wim Van den Broeck, Professor of Cell Biology and Histology

Abstract:

The hepatopancreas is the main organ of the gastro-intestinal tract in crustaceans and it is  routinely assessed by pathologists for signs of disease and health monitoring because it is the site of digestion, nutrient absorption, reserve storage, detoxification, synthesis and secretion of digestive enzymes. The hepatopancreas is mainly composed of 4 different cell types: E-cells, B-cells, F-cells and R-cells. R-cells resemble the absorptive cells of the vertebrate intestine and store mainly lipids and glycogen. Many decapods can survive weeks or even months of total starvation. In the past, a few studies focused on the influence of feeding on hepatopancreas structure but none of them using computed-assisted image analysis. Image analysis is a fast, objective and applicable method for routine screening of high number of samples, both for diagnostic perspectives and research applications. In the present study, whiteleg shrimp (2±1g, C inter-moult stage)  were housed individually in glass tanks (27±1°C, pH at 7.8-8.1, and salinity at 20±1gL-1). Three feeding regimes were compared over a 15 days period: fed (5% of body weight/day); starved; and re-fed after 10 days of starvation. Morphological changes caused by starvation were analysed in paraffin sections and frozen sections with computer-assisted image analysis software (Visiopharm®). Hepatopancreatic parameters measured were: total tissue area, lumen area, lipid droplets, F-cells, and infiltration of haemocytes. Effect of starvation on the ultrastructure of the hepatopancreas was also studied by TEM. Application of image analysis on a routine basis will permit health monitoring of the nutritional status in farmed decapods

Biography:

Yishuai Du has completed his PhD at the age of 28 years from Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences(IOCAS). He is the assitant professor of IOCAS. He has published 3 papers in the field of the disease control of marine animals

Abstract:

A rapid, economical, specific and sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay coupled with SYBR Green I chemistry was developed for the quantitative detection of Aeromonas salmonicida (A. salmonicida) isolated from farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) with the symptoms of furunculosis. The set of primers designed from the virulence array protein (vapA) gene was specific to the A. salmonicida and didn’t cross-react with other bacteria. Compared with the conventional PCR, RT-PCR had a lower detection limit of 5.6 copies of the positive plasmids. The standard curve, which showed the relationship between the copies of A. salmonicida and its cycle threshold (C_T) value, could be described as: log (copies of A. salmonicida) = -0.3213 C_T + 10.721. The quantitative detection of copies of A. salmonicida in different tissues of the moribund Atlantic salmon showed that A. salmonicida could be detected in all tissues detected; the spleen contained the largest number of A. salmonicida, and then the kidney. These results suggest that the RT-PCR assay reported here is a specific, sensitive and quantitative method for detecting A. salmonicida in different tissues of Atlantic salmon. It can be used for the routine tests of A. salmonicida in the local aquaculture enterprise and for the research of infection routes of A. salmonicida to Atlantic salmon

Biography:

Arpita Dalal is pursuing her PhD under the supervision of Dr.Susmita Gupta (Associate Professor) of the department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Assam University, Silchar, India and is a senior research fellow (SRF) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi, India. She has cleared National Eligibility Test (NET), December 2014 for Environmental Sciences and recently she has been awarded and designated as JSPS HOPE Fellow at the 8^th HOPE Meeting with Nobel Laureate, JSPS, Japan. Currently she has been selected in a PhD exchange programme jointly sponsored by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), New Delhi, India and British Council, UK under the programme ‘Newton Bhabha PhD placement programme’, and isnow working as a visiting research associate at Queen’s University, Belfast, UK under the guidance of Prof. Jaimie Dick for a period of six months. At present she has three papers in peer reviewed journals (SCI indexed)

Abstract:

Aquatic insects are commonly known as good fish diet, bioindicators of freshwater pollution and can be utilised asbiocontrol agents. Understanding the drivers of insect distribution, abundance and species richness is thus vital for healthy fish stocks and aquaculture practices. The present study examined spatial and temporal variation in aquatic insect assemblages in several different lentic (standing freshwater) ecosystems- oxbow lake, Floodplain Lake, rural and urban ponds, and two agricultural fields of Cachar district, Assam. With kick sampling, aquatic insects were collected along with water samples in four seasons (post monsoon, winter, premonsoon and monsoon) during 2013-14. We collected2260 individuals belonging to 119 taxa,36 familiesand8 orders. The highest number oftaxa was recorded from the floodplain lake,with thelowest from the oxbow lake. Post monsoon and winter recorded highest taxa, whereas monsoon had the lowest. Engelmann’s scale of dominance showed Anisops breddini (Water boatman), Cloeon sp. (Mayfly), Micronectas cultellaris (Lesser water boatman), M. Haliploides (Lesser water boatman), and Ochthebius sp. (Minute moss beetle) as the eudominant taxa from the different lentic systems. There was a significant positive correlation ofbothtaxa richness and taxa density with dissolved oxygen and potassium, whereas there were negative correlations with water temperature, rainfall, water depth and size of water bodies. In addition, we discuss here the factors regulating the distribution of aquatic insects in different seasons.

Biography:

Mahammed Moniruzzaman is a post-doctoral research fellow in Fish Endocrinology Laboratory, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India. He has completed his PhD from Environment Endocrinology Laboratory, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, India and currently working on to investigate whether phytosterols can protect ovarian and liver tissue against lipid peroxidation, bacterial infection at the same time can alter gender specific immunostimulation

Abstract:

Present communication is an attempt to demonstrate the influence of phytochemicals on the action of maturation inducing hormone (MIH) on the maturation of oocytes. The oocytes from gravid female catfish Mystus dibrugarensis were isolated and incubated separately in Medium (a) MIH (1 µg/ml), (b) ethanolic extract of Tribulus, (c) Aqueous extract of Tribulus (d) MIH administered with (i) ethanolic extract of Tribulus, (ii) Aqueous extract of Tribulus and the effects of treatment on oocyte maturation were evaluated by considering the rate (%) of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Incubation of oocytes in medium containing only Tribulus extract (both aqueous and ethanolic) did not result in any significant change in GVBD percentage. Nearly all the oocytes underwent GVBD when incubated with MIH for around 20h. However, it was quite interesting to observe that incubation of oocytes with Tribulus extract co-administered with MIH in the medium, led to an accelerated rate of GVBD in the oocytes. Further study revealed that incubation with Tribulus extract accelerates the action of MIH on the formation of a complex of two proteins (MPF), a regulatory component called cyclin B and the catalytic component protein kinase known as cyclin-dependent kinase, Cdk1. Notably, administration of Tribulus extract, led to a sharp reduction in the follicular level of MDA (malondialdehyde) - an intra-cellular stress marker, and significant increase in the activity/level of both enzymatic [SOD (superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), GST (glutathione transferase), GPx (glutathione peroxidase) and GRd (glutathione reductase)] and non-enzymatic [GSH (reduced glutathione)] antioxidants. Collectively, current study presents the evidence of phytochemical administration in the incubation medium alleviates oxidative stress of pre-ovulatory follicles by stimulating different antioxidants and ameliorates MIH actions on the process of final oocyte maturation through formation of MPF

Biography:

Abstract:

Argulosis is known to cause large scale mortality of fish in various parts of the world. Although different control measures have been adopted against this disease, but none of those are found to be full proof and parasitaemic recurrence is an obvious because of non incorporation of the parameters of life cycle and development into the management protocol. While investigating embryonic development of the parasite of Argulus bengalensis an interesting phenomenon came to our notice that the egg stage of the parasite is intimately associated with an another organism. Under both laboratory & field conditions it has been observed that a day after egg laying, the rotifer Philodina roseola colonize and exhibit active feeding on the egg jelly. Mechanical removal of the rotifers from the egg strips resulted in complete (100%) failure in hatching inspite of full term embryonic development, while the eggs in rotifer infested condition hatched successfully. The present study thus approves a service-resource mutualistic relationship between A. bengalensis and P. roseola. In this relationship the rotifer renders service to the parasite through removing solidified jellly coat and getting nutritional benefit from it. It is proved that this mutualism is obligatory to Argulus but facultative to the rotifer. In corroboration with the relationship of Philodina spp. with other species the evolution of mutualism between these two organism is apprehended as a transformation of a parasitic relationship into mutualism. An intervention in this relationship may offer a definite clue for management of this parasitic infestation

Biography:

Ryan S. Mohammed is currently completing his PhD in aquatic parasite and host dynamic at  elevated temperature at The University of the West Indies. He is also the President of the Aquaculture Association of Trinidad and Tobago and the chairman of the Tilapia Task Force under the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. His main research interest lies in aquatic ecology and aquaculture and has published in both fields

Abstract:

One of the major predicted effects of climate change within fifty years is a 4 - 6°C projected increase of ambient temperature. Many of the effect of these increases to tropical freshwater ecosystems are still unknown. One particular importance is the interaction of ecto-parasites and their ichthyofaunal host during this increase in temperature. This project proposes a series of experiments at elevated temperatures investigating fish behavior on a model species, the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata), parasite tolerance, parasite interactions and parasite transmissions (Gyrodactylus turnbulli). A choice chamber experiment was used to investigate the thermal preferences of P. reticulata, when infected with a common helminth ectoparasite G. turnbulli, in female-only and mixed-sex shoals. The temperature tolerance of G. turnbulli was also investigated by monitoring parasite population trajectories on guppies maintained at a continuous 18, 24 or 32^oC. Regardless of shoal composition, infected fish frequented the 32^oC choice chamber more often than when uninfected, significantly increasing their mean temperature preference. Parasites maintained continuously at 32^oC decreased to extinction within three days, whereas mean parasite abundance increased on hosts incubated at 18 and 24^oC. We show for the first time that gyrodactylid-infected fish have a preference for warmer waters and speculate that sick fish exploit the upper thermal tolerances of their parasites to self medicate. The implications of this on tank based aquaculture will be discussed as a potential mechanism for extoparasite control on fish

Biography:

Ana Mansourkiaei completed her PhD at the age of 34 years from Islamic Azad University Scientific and Research Branch. She is a diving instructor. Also she had taken her diving certificate from CMAS. She had published more than 5 papers in reputed journals.

Abstract:

Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) and Long tail tuna (Thunnus tonggol) are epipelagic and migratory species of family Scombridea which have a significant role in terms of ecology and fishery. Phylogenetic relationships of S. commerson from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea and Arabian Sea, and T. tonggol from Oman Sea were investigated through sequence data of mitochondrial DNA D-loop region using High Resolution Melting-Real Time PCR. S. commerson were classified into 20 groups and T. tonggol were banded into 8 groups. Finally 40 samples of S. commerson and 16 samples of T. tonggol were chosen to sequence for phylogenetic and genetic analyses.  None clustered NJ tree indicated the proximity amid S. commerson in four stations and T. tonggol into stations. As figures demonstrated in sequence analyses of mitochondrial DNA D-Loop region a sublimely high degree of genetic similarity among S. commerson from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea and Arabian Sea and also among T. tonggol from the Oman Sea were perceived, thereafter, having one stock structure of S. commerson in four regions and one stock structure of T. tonggol in two regions were proved.  And this approximation can be merely justified by their emigration process along the coasts of Oman Sea and Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea Accordingly, The assessment of distribution patterns of 40 samples of S. commerson and 16 samples of T. tonggol in the constructed Phylogenetic tree and using mtDNA D-Loop sequences ascertained that no significant clustering according to the sampling sites were concluded. And Fst values shows this similarity as well. 

Biography:

Mohammad Gorgij Jaski has completed his MSc. at the age of 30 from Azad University of Bandar Abbass, Iran and now is PhD student in Aquaculture. He is the head of Sontderaf Shrimp Production Company, Bandar Abbass, Iran. He has published more than 2 papers in reputed journals

Abstract:

The major nutritional interest in Spirulina is due to its high protein content, ease of digestion and a significant content of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and pigments. Nitrogen is known to have a strong influence on the metabolism of lipids and protein in various microalgae. In the present study, the production of S. platensis was optimized in terms of biomass and metabolites by using different nitrogen regimes. S. platensis was grown in Zarrouk’s medium in a 3000ml Erlenmeyer flask, in which the NaNO₃ was replaced by NH₄Cl, NH₄NO₃ and KNO₃ with concentrations of 0.010, 0.025 and 0.050 M. Cultures were incubated at temperature of 30^oC and initial pH of 9.5 under 12/12 hour light-dark photo period with normal white light. The results clearly showed that S. platensis successfully cultivated by using different nitrogen regimes and maximum biomass was produced in medium containing NH₄NO₃. The maximum protein content was obtained in culture containing NH₄NO₃ followed by NH₄Cl and KNO₃. Moreover, in all S. platensis cultures, increasing in nitrogen concentrations, led to an increase in maximum biomass and minimum protein content; whereas with increasing nitrogen concentrations, chlorophyll-a content increased more slowly and reached relatively high values only at very high nitrogen levels. However, chlorophyll-a content did not show any significant, when the nitrogen were varied in term of regimes and levels. Overall, the results of present study clearly showed that using NH₄NO₃ can be considered as a promising nitrogen source for S. platensis cultivation for achieving optimal biomass and protein production

Biography:

Helmut Wedekind has completed his PhD at the age of thirty one years from Göttingen University on postdoctoral studies on intensive catfish farming. He is the director of the Institute for Fisheries, part of the Bavarian States Research Center for Agriculture in Starnberg, which is a research and education center for fisheries and aquaculture. He has published papers in reputed journals and in national fisheries and aquaculture journals. Moreover he is a lecturer at the Technical University of Munich and other German high schools in the field of aquaculture

Abstract:

Animal welfare is an actual and quite relevant topic in aquaculture. Facing serious concerns by consumers and critical groups, the industry is obliged to evaluate their practice in the varying farming systems. So far, the monitoring and safe guarding of fish welfare has received considerable attention by researchers in recent years. During aquaculture production several environmental conditions (e. g. water quality, illumination) and management procedures (e. g. feeding, stocking, handling) can be stressful for fish. Moreover, the social structure in holding facilities or other environmental stressors can lead to a depression in performance and can be detrimental to health. In this context it has to be pointed out that satisfying the physiological and behavioral needs of the organisms cultured, is in consistence with the producers interest. Only if the husbandry conditions are close to the optimum, maximum growth and health can be assured, which consequently result in best productivity. Actual research in fishes is focused the evaluation and measurement of parameters for the welfare status. Besides animal behavior and performance, measures of health restrictions and physiological stress reactions are indicative for the welfare status of farmed animals. Some specific indicators, such as health related parameters, are precisely indicative for a stressor (e. g. gas bubble disease). Others (e. g. thin or skin lesions) can have different causes or can generally indicate suboptimal husbandry conditions. Behavioral indicators are even less specified for aquaculture species. To distinguish stress induced behavioral and abnormalities, further research is required e.g. for the definition of normal behavior under culture conditions. For this, the development of assessment methods with a high level of practical suitability for farms, as well as monitoring tools for fish welfare, is a current challenge for researchers

Biography:

Christian Oliver Ewald was Chair in Financial Economics and Head of Economics, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow. He educated at the Universities of Mainz (MSc) and Heidelberg (PhD) and holds a higher doctorate (Habilitation) from the University of Kaiserslautern. Prior to moving to Glasgow in 2011, he has held positions at the University of Sydney, Nottingham University Business School (China), University College Cork, University of St. Andrews and the University of Leeds.

Abstract: