Health & Welfare

Researchers studied the nature of muscle necrosis in shrimp by sampling infected shrimp from local ponds and challenging healthy specimen with filtrates from the diseased shrimp. 

The 2001 detection of chloramphenicol in shrimp imported into the Netherlands heightened awareness of and anxiety over the presence of chemicals in food. 

Those charged with determining the underlying cause of a disease outbreak have a wide variety of detective tools at their disposal. 

Shrimp survival, weight, yield and feed conversion were better in farm units that operated with settling chambers for solids removal than in units without. 

Combining biofloc technology with bio-secure modular shrimp culture can make operations more sustainable and economically viable. For optimized biofloc production, lined ponds and reservoirs and high stocking densities are essential. Paddlewheel aerators keep dissolved-oxygen levels high. 

Germany produces a limited amount of carp, trout, mussels and other species. Although traditional pond-based farms continue to operate, the country’s aquaculture production is trending toward land-based systems that feature efficient resource use and reduced environmental impacts. 

Male reproductive dysfunction has been increasingly reported in commercial shrimp maturation facilities. The authors recently carried out studies to characterize the reproductive capability of male black tiger shrimp. 

One of the largest shrimp maturation operations in Ecuador is working with five major shrimp producers to improve growth rates. 

The emerging disease Early Mortality Syndrome has caused large losses among shrimp farmers. EMS is characterized by mass mortalities during the first 30 days of culture. 

When aquaculture pond water suddenly warms, gas bubbles can form in the blood of aquatic animals and lead to stress or mortality. 

In Peru, some wild cockle communities have been so overfished that total fishing bans are being considered. A project was therefore established to develop sustainable spat production as a crucial step toward the implementation of a conservation strategy for blood cockles that fosters social aquaculture and stock enhancement. The project rested on the establishment of protocols for reproduction, larval culture and seeding; development of diagnostic tools for molluscan pathogens and the study of blood cockles’ genetic diversity. 

Although pike perch aquaculture is growing, it still relies on wild breeders, whose spawning is induced by hormone treatment or manipulation of photoperiod and rearing temperature. 

The toxins from blue-green algae pose a threat to animal health and potentially to consumers if they are present in farmed product. Culture animals that ingest these toxins may not die, but can be weakened, increasing their susceptibility to pathogens. 

In laboratory tests with white shrimp, feed consumption was 36.5 percent higher at 33 degrees-C than at 29. Growth was similar at both temperatures. 

Shrimp aquaculture could improve its position through more accurate and consistent identification and counting of postlarvae.