Health & Welfare
Phytoplanktonic organisms, or microalgae, are very abundant in aquaculture ponds and have critical roles in these ecosystems, significantly influencing overall pond ecology and water quality. Proper management of phytoplankton populations is essential for successful aquaculture pond production.
Aquafeeds
Interest is growing in a two-year-long competition aimed at driving innovation in the aquafeed sector. The F3 prize for a demonstrably fish-free feed comes with a cash reward, and possibly a glimpse at the future.
Intelligence
Land-based cultivation of macroalgae can minimize impacts on wild macroalgae stocks while reducing harvest costs and controlling quality. Integration of macroalgae with land-based fish culture systems could reduce capital and operating costs.
Responsibility
The silicon plants take up in silicic acid from water strengthens cell walls. Among the phytoplankton, diatoms particularly need silicon.
Health & Welfare
In trials, a culture diet that naturally enhances rotifers and eliminates the need for enrichment was tested. Skretting feed specialists found similar growth and reproduction figures were registered with a conventional rotifer enrichment diet and a standalone diet for a period of nine weeks.
Aquafeeds
Chlorella and other species have potential as protein sources in aquafeeds. In trials with tilapia fry raised in a recirculating system, the fish received a fishmeal-based control diet or feeds with portions of the fishmeal replaced by Chlorella.
Intelligence
The yellow coloration in catfish fillets caused by carotenoids does not affect flavor, but many consumers see the yellowish fillets as inferior.
Aquafeeds
A global survey of feed producers in 134 countries found that aquaculture feed production rose 17 percent in 2012, affirming its position as the fastest-growing species sector.
Aquafeeds
About 30 percent of global microalgae production goes to animal feeds, with large applications in aquaculture, particularly for larval stages.
Intelligence
Off-flavors in seafood can stem from a variety of sources. Industrial effluents can at least secondarily contribute to off-flavors in fish. Off-flavor oxidative carbonyl compounds increase during cold storage of some farmed fish.
Responsibility
Pond pH had a strong effect on the effectiveness of a product applied to remove excess phosphate to control algal blooms in eutrophic aquaculture ponds.
Responsibility
Algae offer advantages over terrestrial plants for biofuel production: short generation cycles and fast population growth. Algal fuel production would spare corn and soybeans for consumption as food for humans.
Responsibility
Ultrasound offers a low-impact alternative to chemical treatments for unwanted algae, like chlorophyll a, and biofilms in aquaculture.
Responsibility
The Hydraulically Integrated Serial Turbidostat Algal Reactor (HISTAR) developed at Louisiana State University superimposes contaminant control techniques on a continuous algal production system.
Health & Welfare
Sea bream fry are produced using the greenwater technique in which microalgae are added to larval-rearing tanks during the first 20 to 30 days after hatching.
Responsibility
Aquaculture ponds typically have ideal conditions for the growth of various species of phytoplankton. Green algae are considered most desirable in freshwater ponds.