Penaeid Shrimp in Chesapeake Bay: Population Growth and Black Gill Disease Syndrome

Troy D Tuckey,Hamish J Small,Jillian L Swinford,Jeffrey D Shields,Mary C Fabrizio

doi:10.1002/mcf2.10143

Abstract

AbstractSince 1991, the number of penaeid shrimp occurring in Virginia waters of Chesapeake Bay has steadily increased, prompting an interest in developing a fishery. Although development of a shrimp fishery in the Chesapeake Bay region could bring economic benefits, the fishery may be hampered by the presence of a disease syndrome known as shrimp black gill (sBG). The objectives of our study were to (1) describe the spatial distribution and abundance patterns of shrimp in Chesapeake Bay, (2) relate relative abundance of shrimp to habitat characteristics, and (3) determine the presence and seasonality of sBG to better understand disease dynamics in the region. Subadult penaeid shrimp were collected monthly from Virginia waters by trawl from 1991 to 2017, and individuals were identified to species and counted. White shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus were the most numerous species captured, followed by brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus and pink shrimp F. duorarum. Shrimp were captured primarily from July to December. White shrimp were the only species that exhibited visible signs of sBG, which was first observed in October 2016 (13.4% prevalence); the condition continued into November and recurred the following year. Shrimp with visible signs of gill disease were examined by microscopy, histology, and PCR assay and were diagnosed with infections of a histophagous apostome ciliate, presumably Hyalophysa lynni. Any impacts of sBG on shrimp survival or marketability should be considered in fishery management plans to ensure sustainability of the resource.

Highlights

Penaeid shrimp captured off Georgia first exhibited symptoms of the disease as early as 1996, and shrimp black gill (sBG) is found in shrimp from Georgia, South Carolina, and as far north as Chesapeake Bay (Frischer et al 2017; Fowler et al 2018)
Penaeid Shrimp and Habitat Associations in Virginia The number of penaeid shrimp captured in Virginia varied annually and by species, with white shrimp being the most numerous shrimp species captured across years (N = 17,822), followed by brown shrimp (N = 1,209) and pink shrimp (N = 354)
The size range and average size of shrimp were similar among species

Summary

Introduction

Young shrimp can be found in a variety of substrates and salinities, they prefer oligohaline and mesohaline regions (Wenner and Beatty 1993) As shrimp grow, they move from shallow tidal creeks and low-salinity regions into high-salinity areas toward the mouth of bays and inlets, where they reside as subadults (Weymouth et al 1933). The objectives of our study were to (1) describe the spatial distribution and abundance patterns of three penaeid shrimp species in the lower Chesapeake Bay region; (2) relate relative abundance of penaeid shrimp to the coastal abundance of penaeid shrimp and to habitat characteristics (i.e., water temperature, salinity, freshwater flow, and submerged aquatic vegetation [SAV]); and (3) determine the presence and seasonality of sBG in populations of shrimp in Chesapeake Bay to better understand the disease dynamics of this syndrome in the region

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Discussion

Conclusion