Biology
The survival of young fish in their vulnerable larval state is crucial to the success of aquaculture, but establishing positive larvae-microbe interactions seems to be a major obstacle. By analysing the mechanisms through which microbes interact with these creatures, scientists are devising new strategies to sustain them, thereby improving the productivity of aquaculture
Improving larval survival in aquaculture
Overfishing marine
and the ecosystems have
deterioration of prompted
investment in aquaculture as an alternative to wild catches. In 2010, this vast industry produced fish with a value of more than $217bn. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, natural extraction has effectively levelled off in recent years, but aquaculture production continues to burgeon, presently accounting for around 60 million tonnes of production - 60% of
the world total in 2011, and
increasing by 7% per year. Despite carefully managing their waters,
larviculture may still flounder due to biological hazards. Temperature, feed, water quality and sanitation are all carefully modulated,
because concentrating large
quantities of fish in comparatively small spaces may exacerbate
threats. Stocking
densities, behavioural interactions, disease and parasitism all pose risks to young fish, which are especially susceptible to these ills, as
larvae can only rely on their immune system to combat majority of diseases
64 innate in fish larvae
infections. The are
thought to be caused by opportunistic
microorganisms, which become pathogenic when their host’s resistance is lowered by environmental stress factors. These can be partly mitigated by hygienic measures, such as filtering and disinfection of Despite
the countermeasures,
ubiquity the
predictable) mortality of high
the water. these
(and observed in
poorly the
rearing of most species suggests that the present countermeasures provide limited protection. Moreover, it has been proposed that they may even affect the microbial communities negatively. “This is a significant issue, both within academia and industry,” says Professor Olav Vadstein, a specialist in microbial ecology at the Trondheim-based Norwegian University
of Science and
Technology. (NTNU). “Survival of larvae is generally very low. This threatens animal welfare, production and profitability.” If widely acknowledged as a significant contributor to larval
mortality,
biology tools in combination with strictly controlled conditions
microbial catalyst to revisit this environmental
for these larvae have been a problem,” says
Vadstein. “Thanks to the recent methodological
analytical models to examine revolution in molecular
biology, we are now able to comprehensively examine this problem. Not only have we devised
relationships between microorganisms and their hosts, but we have also considered how to potentially mitigate
detrimental effects”. Ghent University, Recherche pour
Institut Français their most de l’Exploitation de la Mer the
processes through which microbes interact with their hosts have hitherto remained enigmatic. “Recent advances in molecular
(IFREMER), Wageningen Univeristy, NTNU and SINTEF have all been important contributors to a 3m project titled ’Microbes As Positive Actors For More Sustainable Aquaculture’. Since commencing in 2009, the project has developed several novel techniques to improve the survival of hosts. The project’s findings suggest promising new management techniques for the aquaculture progressing
industry. understanding
Fostered of
by a factors Insight Publishers | Projects
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