Fish Breeding Research Articles

Validation of a QTL for Flavobacterium psychrophilum resistance in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Flavobacterium psychrophilum is the causative agent of Bacterial Cold Water Disease (BCWD)/ Rainbow Trout Fry Syndrome (RTFS) in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. The disease is associated with significant mortality in trout farms and thereby responsible for severe economical losses in this part of the aquaculture industry. Vaccination of the very young life cycle stages is not successful due to the immature development of the adaptive immunity in yolksac larvae and early fry. This explains the extensive usage of antibiotics for control of BCWD/RTFS. Selective breeding of RTFS resistant fish may be a solution, and identification of markers associated with natural susceptibility/resistance to the disease may elevate breeding efforts towards more robust strains. We suggest a QTL (SNP Affx-88941461) for partial disease resistance on chromosome 25 (Omy25) based on our experimental F. psychrophilum challenges of outbred fish and subsequent GWAS analyses. The favourable SNP allele was designated Q, whereas q indicated the unfavourable allele. We validated this QTL in two subsequent challenge experiments by F. psychrophilum exposure of QQ, Qq and qq trout. In the first trial we produced trout carrying at least one favourable allele (QQ and Qq) associated with partial resistance by fertilizing trout eggs from non-selected (outbred) females with sperm from homozygous QQ males. In the second trial we also produced homozygous offspring by fertilizing trout eggs from QQ females with sperm from QQ males. The resistance profiles of these groups were then determined in the laboratory by triplicate or duplicate challenge experiments (common garden water bath exposure to F. psychrophilum), which showed a significantly higher survival in trout carrying the favourable allele. Field observations supplemented the laboratory studies. Under farm conditions QQ and Qq trout showed a higher survival rate compared to qq trout. In the present study chromosome 25 (Omy25) QTL was found associated with a partial resistance to F. psychrophilum. However, we recommend to include additional SNPs in future breeding studies because several QTL are associated with resistance.

Научно-производственная компания «АКВАТЕХ» новый лидер в производстве стартовых кормов для молоди тихоокеанских лососей

We analyzed the feeding efficiency of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), chum salmon (O. keta), masu salmon (O. masu) and coho salmon (O. kisutch) juveniles at the federal fish hatcheries of Sakhalin during seven fish breeding cycles using starter feeds from «Aller Aqua» (Denmark) and «Aquatech» (Russia). It was established that the feed coefficient when using Russian-made feed was lower at all enterprises and when growing juveniles of each salmon species. In addition to the quality of the feed itself, this may be due to the combined effect of two factors, firstly, with the use of special feeds with biologically active additives to stimulate immunity at the initial stages of feeding, and secondly, with the presentation of feeds in two flotation options «conditionally floating» or slowly sinking and «floating» or floating, as well as the selection by experience for each enterprise of the most suitable option.

Identification of sex-linked codominant markers and development of a rapid LAMP-based genetic sex identification method in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), a commercially important aquaculture species, is native to North America and has spread worldwide. Channel catfish exhibit sexual size dimorphism, with males growing faster than females. Therefore, the creation of an all-male population is promising for growth improvement in channel catfish. In the process of monosex fish breeding, the development of sex-specific genetic markers is the most critical step. Although sex-linked SSRs and SNPs have been developed in channel catfish, they are polymorphic, unstable, and difficult to use for rapid sex genotyping. In this study, three codominant markers with large size differences between their two alleles were identified by performing a detailed comparison of the region on X and Y chromosomes that enriched male-specific SNPs using preexisting RAD-seq data and genome data. After examination by one wild and three artificially bred populations using electrophoresis on agarose gel, the accuracy rate reached 100%, suggesting that all three codominant markers could be effectively used for genetic sex identification in channel catfish. To achieve genetic sex identification performed in the field without complex equipment, a rapid LAMP-based method was established for the identification of genetic sex in channel catfish based on the codominant markers we identified. Overall, this study established rapid and effective PCR- and LAMP-based methods to identify the genetic sex of channel catfish in the laboratory and in the field.

PENGEMBANGAN BUDIDAYA IKAN GURAME SEBAGAI WAHANA LAPANGAN KERJA BARU DI DESA MLARAS SUMOBITO JOMBANG

The management of fisheries economic activities is an integral part of agricultural businesses and cannot be separated. One of the obstacles faced is the lack of management in gourami fish farming, so that many farmers cannot develop their business. The purpose of this community service programme (PKM) is to provide training to village youth so that the Mlaras community can be more independent. Participants in this PKM activity are youth from Mlaras village in the Mitra area who have the drive and ambition to improve their situation and create new economic ventures. The challenges faced are the lack of knowledge and skills among the youth in Mlaras village regarding the management of carp farming, especially in tarpaulin ponds, and regarding aquaculture business planning, in addition to good aquaculture technology, such as feed distribution management, has not been widely adopted by the community. This activity uses a direct approach by involving members of the fish farming community in the Partner area. Activities are carried out through theoretical counselling, hands-on practice, and mentoring in the field to provide access to the community to real knowledge and experience. The positive impact resulting from this PKM activity is that participants gain knowledge and skills related to fish breeding management.

Identification and characterization of fish breeding habitats on Lake Kyoga as an approach to sustainable fisheries management

Identification and characterization of fish breeding habitats on Lake Kyoga as an approach to sustainable fisheries management

Антиоксидант астаксантин в составе кормов для осетровых рыб

The article highlights the experience of using astaxanthin in sterlet feeding. Studying the influence of astaxanthin on the morphophysiological state of fish helps develop highly effective recipes of compound feeds for valuable objects of aquacultures. This highly intense antioxidant impacts the work of all systems and overall health, but using astaxanthin in feeding has not reffered to the valuable aquaculture facilities. The influence of astaxanthin on the physiological status of sturgeons has not been studied. It was found that in test No. 2 (adding 40 mg of astaxanthin per 1 kg of feed), the highest absolute growth, average daily growth, average daily growth rate and mass accumulation coefficient (p ˂ 0.001) were observed, in contrast to test No. 1 (adding 20 mg of astaxanthin per 1 kg of feed) and the control. Absolute increase in this sample was for certain 2.3 times higher than in the control one. The average daily growth rate in this variant made 1.8%, which is for certain 2 times higher than in the control group (p ˂ 0.001). The data obtained indicate the positive effect of astaxanthin (40 mg/kg) on the fish–breeding and biological indicators of cultivated fish. The indicators of energy metabolism also prove a better accumulation of plastic substances in the fish of the experimental groups (tests No.1 and No.2): hemoglobin in the variants with adding astaxanthin in the feed made 77.4 and 71.3 g/l, which is 17.6 and 8.4% higher than in the fish of the control group. In the experimental variants compared to the control sample the level of total protein was for certain higher by 17.4 and 22.2% (p < 0.05). Thus, it can be said that the antioxidant astaxanthin provided more favorable trophic and biochemical conditions necessary for the normal growth and development of fish.

Особливості росту дволіток веслоноса (Polyodon spathula Walbaum, 1792) в умовах ставового господарства Лісостепу України

Purpose. To investigate the peculiarities of growth of age-1+ paddlefish depending on water temperature and quantitative parameters of zooplankton development in ponds of the forest-steppe zone of Ukraine. Methodology. Age-1+ paddlefish, a North American zooplanktophagus were reared in polyculture with cyprinids in a 72-hectare pond using semi-intensive technology. The stocking density of age-1 paddlefish with an average weight of 86.5 g was 59 fish/ha, with a total stocking density of 2,402 fish/ha for all objects of polyculture. The intensification measures included fertilization of ponds with traditional organic fertilizers and feeding of carp with feed mixtures based on waste from the processing of agricultural raw materials of plant origin. The study of the intensity of development of the natural food supply and physicochemical parameters of water was carried out according to the methods generally accepted in hydrobiology and hydrochemistry. Determination of piscicultural parameters and growth characteristics of age-1+ paddlefish was carried out using methods common in ichthyology based on the dynamics of body weight gains in absolute and relative values. Findings. The conditions of the pond environment during most of the period of rearing of age-1+ paddlefish met the biological requirements of this species. A periodic decrease in the content of oxygen dissolved in water to 3.3-3.5 mgO2/dm3 was noted, which could negatively affect the growth of fish. Water temperature during the fish breeding period varied between 9.8-26.5oC. The average seasonal biomass of phytoplankton and zooplankton of the pond was 16.49 mg/dm3 and 3.92 g/m3, respectively, with a predominance of Cladocera and Copepoda (respectively, 61.0 and 34.5% in the average seasonal biomass) in the quantitative composition of zooplankton. As a result, age-1+ paddlefish reached an average weight of 1318.3 g with a fish productivity of 45.6 kg/ha and a total pond fish productivity of 1162.6 kg/ha. Maximum relative weight gains of paddlefish of 4.25–4.37% per day were observed during the first half of the growing season (mainly in June) at a water temperature of 22–25oC during the period of increase in zooplankton biomass from 3.79 to 10.11 g/m3. Originality. New data were obtained on the growth characteristics of paddlefish depending on environmental conditions of the ponds of the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine. Practical value. The study results can be used in the process of improving pond aquaculture technologies in Ukraine. Key words: pond aquaculture, paddlefish, growth, zooplankton, water temperature.

Влияние пробиотика, иммобилизованного на энтеросорбенте, на интенсивность роста и физиологические показатели красной тиляпии (Oreochromis mossambicus × Oreochromis niloticus)

The article considers a method to obtain environmentally friendly aquaculture products (red tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus × Oreochromis niloticus) by adding the probiotic preparation Ecoflor to the balanced mixed feed. The probiotic component of the preparation formed by several strains of bifid and lacto bacteria gives the prepa-ration ability to improve the intestinal microflora of fish, activate the immune system, remove unfavorable microflora formed by metabolic products, heavy metals, radionuclides, toxins and metabolites, increase the rate of formation and accumulation of biomass of beneficial microflora in the digestive tract of fish. In the Aquaculture Technical Center under Astrakhan State Technical University there were grown 4 groups of red tilapia, 15 species in each group. Three experimental groups were fed with compound feed with the addition of probiotic Ecoflor by 2, 4 and 6 g/kg. The results were compared between the experimental groups, as well as with the control. It has been proved that feeding red tilapia with balanced mixed fodders with the addition of the immobilized probiotic preparation “Ecoflor” at a dose of 4 g/kg of feed helps to activate the protective functions of the body, normalize the metabolic processes, optimize digestive processes. The absolute increase in the group that received food with a probiotic at a dose of 4 g/kg of feed was 7.7 more than in the control. It significantly exceeded the increase in other experimental groups, which allows reducing feed costs to 1.1 units. The use of the developed compound feed in the cultivation of red tilapia makes it possible to obtain eco-friendly fish bio-products even if the waters used for fish breeding are polluted.

The alternative transcription and expression characterization of Dmc1 in autotetraploid Carassius auratus.

Established autotetraploids often have a highly stable meiosis with high fertility compared with neo-autotetraploids. The autotetraploid Carassius auratus (4n = 200, RRRR) (4nRR), which stemmed from whole-genome duplication of Carassius auratus red var. (2n = 100, RR) (RCC), produces diploid gametes with an adopted diploid-like chromosome pairing in meiosis and maintains the formation of autotetraploid lineages. In this study, we focused on Dmc1, a meiosis-specific recombinase during the prophase of meiosis I, and elaborated on the genetic variation, alternative transcription, expression characterization, and epigenetic modification of Dmc1 in RCC and 4nRR. Two original Dmc1 from RCC were identified in 4nRR, and two duplicated Dmc1 differences in genetic composition were observed in 4nRR. Furthermore, we only noticed that one original and one duplicated Dmc1 were expressed in RCC and 4nRR, respectively. However, both possessed identical gene expression profiles, differential expression of sexual dimorphism, and hypomethylation levels. These results indicated that the specific expression of duplicated Dmc1 may be involve in the progression of meiosis of the diploid-like chromosome pairing in autotetraploid Carassius auratus. Herein, the findings significantly increase knowledge of meiosis of autopolyploid fish and provide meaningful insights into genetic breeding in polyploidy fish.

PROSPECTS FOR REGIONAL FISH FARMING IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

Ability to meet the demands of the population in fish and fish products and its food security is one of the most acute problems in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
 Objective – the current state of the fisheries of the Republic of Kazakhstan was studied and proposals for the development of the fisheries in the West Kazakhstan region were made.
 Methods – statistical methods of data analysis were used to study the state of the fisheries of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and exclusively the catch of fish and other aquatic animals, as well as the dependency of the physical volume of fish farming production from the total amount of products made. 
 Results - the study discusses topical issues of the production capacity of fisheries and fish canneries, by types and volumes of output products, economic indicators, as well as by enterprises engaged in the purchase and sale of fish products, wholesale and retail trade, problems of marketing research in the field of fish products production and safety.
 Conclusions - creation of the laboratories and fish breeding in autonomous facilities will allow development of the innovative technologies for rearing, preservation, and replenishment of fish resources in water bodies of the region, will provide a training base for the future specialists training, will create prerequisites for preservation and multiplication of fish resources in Kazakhstan, will improve the food security of the country, and will resolve the key problems of the fish industry development.
 Artificial fish farming involves interfering with the development of organisms to increase their production, such as regular restocking, feeding, protection from predators, etc.

Artificial propagation of Asian catfish, Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Asia: A review

Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a popular food fish of Indian sub-continent due to its high nutritional value. Earlier many workers have carried out studies on feeding and breeding biology of this fish species but convulsive information on the same is not available. So, a survey of published literatures on the induced breeding of C. batrachus has been carried out to consolidate the available information. Environmental factors play an important role in regulating reproduction in fishes. Pituitary gland extract, HCG and synthetic hormones viz., ovaprim and ova tide are successfully being tested for the induced breeding of fishes by various researchers under different climatic conditions, with varying degree of success. Chasm of information has been pointed out for further study mainly on age group wise variation in food preference and correlation of breeding periodicity with hydrological parameters and photoperiod.

Research on the export competitiveness of aquatic products and its influencing factors: A case study of Guangdong Province in China

Guangdong Province is a major producer of aquatic products in China, but its export has been lack of competitiveness. Based on data of aquatic products in Guangdong Province from 2009 to 2020, this paper analyzes the export competitiveness and influencing factors of aquatic products in Guangdong Province using an extended gravitational model and result show that production factor input and high-quality production management are the core factors to enhance the export competitiveness of aquatic products. The geographical distance of importing countries and GDP per capita have a significant positive impact; The impact of the fisheries industry and construction industry is significantly positive; Whether the exporting country is an APEC has a significant negative impact, indicating that the previous trade agreements have no effect on the improvement of the export competitiveness of aquatic products in Guangdong Province over time. It has no significant impact on fish breeding area, the number of processing enterprises above designated size and the openness of foreign trade. Reducing the density of aquaculture, increasing innovation, strengthening the supervision of aquatic products and improving the supporting facilities of related industries are important measures to improve the export competitiveness of aquatic products in Guangdong Province.

Community-Managed Fish Sanctuaries for Freshwater Fishery Biodiversity Conservation and Productivity in Malawi

Key fish breeding and other biodiverse areas in Malawian lakes are under threat from illegal fishing, the siltation of key breeding areas (due to deforestation-induced soil erosion), and the clearing of shoreline aquatic vegetation. Freshwater protected areas, also called sanctuaries, have the potential to support the restoration of degraded aquatic environments and protect fisheries’ biodiversity. In Malawi, community-managed fish sanctuaries have been established by beach village committees (BVCs) throughout Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe, Lake Chilwa and Lake Chiuta. The sanctuaries were established to conserve exploited stocks, preserve biodiversity, and enhance fisheries’ yield. The BVCs are aligned with local decentralized village development committees linked to District Councils. Together, they constitute a defragmented decentralized ecosystem-based management of fishery resources. A monitoring study was conducted in sanctuaries in the four lakes during the wet and dry season over three years (2016–2019). The monitoring was carried out to evaluate the sanctuaries’ biological performance. The results showed that community-managed sanctuaries contributed to a 24% increase in the total number of observed species. The Shannon Diversity Index increased from an average 1.21 to 1.52. Small and mid-size (<50 ha) sanctuaries showed a higher performance improvement than large (>50 ha) sanctuaries. This is likely due to multiple factors, including a higher level of fish movement and the greater ability of communities to surveil and enforce smaller sanctuaries. The participation of communities in monitoring enhanced the demonstration effects of sanctuaries. This, in turn, encouraged communities to expand the number and size of the sanctuaries. The biological performance results indicate that community-managed freshwater sanctuaries can be used to protect and restore fish biodiversity in freshwater lakes in Africa. Linking the BVCs to defragmented decentralized structures ensures that the interconnectedness between ecosystem uses, including forestry, agriculture, and tourism, which impinge on fish productivity, are addressed holistically.

Predictions about the Pink Salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha (Salmonidae) Catches on Iturup Island

The pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha spawners which otolith marks created at fish early age at the Kurils and Reidov fish-rearing stations have been studied; fish breeding data and fishing statistics have been analyzed. At the end of the spawning run of pink salmon, only fish of the fish-farm origin have been caught near the fish-rearing stations. More than that, the pink salmon spawners return to the stations of their release (although with rare exceptions). The catches of the pink salmon on Iturup Island are on average 1.6 times greater in even years than in odd years. The increase of the fish stock in odd years significantly depends on the breeding of juveniles in fish farms. There is a positive statistically significant relationship between the filling of spawning grounds with pink salmon spawners and its catches in the Prostor and Kurilsky bays two years later.

Biodegradation of Oil-Based Plastic Wastes by Bacteria Isolated from Fish Breeding Tanks

Several studies have shown that certain microbes, mainly bacteria may have the ability to digest plastic wastes. The goal of this study was to see how well Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus lentus, Aeromonas hydrophila, Sphingomonas paucimobilis and Kocuria paedia degrade three kinds of oil-based plastics: low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene (PS) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) polymer sheets. The experiment was conducted for 30 days under laboratory conditions with occasional shaking at 180 rpm and 32°C. Biodegradation was measured in terms of weight loss.. Accordingto IR Spectroscopy, the C-H stretch band at 2920cm-1 improved as a result of bacterial degradation of polyethylene. The most affected polymers were LDPE and PVC films. While PS films were the least affected polymers. B. subtilis was shown to be the most successful of the five bacterial species, whereas K. paedia was determined to be the least effective.

Dams or ponds classification based on a new criterion to assess potential flood damage to roads in case of failure

Dams are hydraulic infrastructure that have several purposes, such as irrigation, hydropower, water supply, flood control, recreation, fish breeding and navigation. However, their failure or malfunctioning can pose a threat to downstream communities, and thus, their safety is paramount to public protection and economic security. A variety of approaches to classify dams can be found in countries worldwide. Their classification allows to distinguish among those that are to be subject to safety regulation in each country. A common approach to classify them is according to their potential damage in case of failure. Roads are usually among the infrastructures that these approaches consider to be assessed in terms of the level of damage that can suffer. A new people-centred criterion is proposed in this paper to assess potential intangible damage (i.e. human lives) when roadways could be flooded due to a dam failure. This novel methodology is based on the Average Daily Traffic (ADT) of roadways and sets a maximum and a minimum number of vehicles expected in the area receiving the flood. To evaluate its appropriateness, it is verified from the results obtained after being applied to three existing ponds located in Catalonia (Spain).

A lightweight network for portable fry counting devices

Estimating the number of fries plays a critical role in the maintenance of fish breeding, transportation, and the preservation of marine resources in aquaculture. Generally speaking, statistics are recorded manually by fishers and government units. Manual recording is time-consuming and increases the workload of fishers. Compared with traditional physical shunt devices, visual-based algorithms have benefits such as non-restriction of labors, minimal equipment installation, and maintenance costs. However, these methods generally come with massive calculations and model parameters, or poor abilities of aggregation handles and counting precision. This paper proposes a fry counting method named MSENet for portable fry counting devices. Firstly, the lightweight network is designed with simpler parameters (Params: 139.46 kB) for portable embedding. The visualized single-channel fry density maps are predicted by feeding the original images and the number of fries is calculated through integration. Then, the Squeeze-and-Excitation block is utilized to strengthen the features of weighty channels. The model training is refined by hyperparameter studies, the shortened preparation stage enhances the portability. What is more, a fry counting dataset NCAUF and an extra set NCAUF-EX are built for verifications of network generalization. The results demonstrate that the lightweight MSENet outperforms in fry counting with higher precision and competently solves the issue of fry aggregation (MAE: 3.33). The source code and pre-trained models are available at: https://github.com/vranlee/MSENet.

A Study on the Metabolic Rate Change Pattern in F2 Hybrid Sturgeon, the Bester (Huso huso × Acipenser ruthenus), during the Early Developmental Stage

The primary goal in aquaculture is to maximize the growth and survival of farmed fishes at a minimal cost, which requires an understanding of the changes in metabolism undergone by different fish breeds during development. In particular, highly intensive aquaculture production systems, such as recirculating aquaculture systems, require a better understanding of oxygen consumption. Ontogenetic phase shifts (i.e., sudden changes) in metabolism have been observed in several aquaculture species during early development, and such metabolic phase shifts may help to predict the oxygen consumption of aquaculture species during different stages of their development. Here, I analyzed the pattern of metabolic changes in the F2 hybrid sturgeon, the bester (Huso huso × Acipenser ruthenus; hereafter, referred to as the F2 bester), during its early development. I observed ontogenetic phase shifts in metabolism in the F2 bester at body mass values of about 0.2 and 0.8 g. Thus, the F2 bester undergoes ontogenetic phase shifts in metabolism during early development, which can help to characterize oxygen consumption at a specific developmental period. Therefore, oxygen can be appropriately adjusted and replenished during breeding.

Effect of type and concentration of cryoprotectant on the motility, viability, and fertility of climbing perch Anabas testudineus Bloch, 1792 (Pisces: Anabantidae) sperm

The climbing perch, Anabas testudineus is a freshwater fish that has economic value in Indonesia. It is cultured in the country, but the breeding technology, specifically sperm storage, is not well developed. Sperm cryopreservation is one of the preservation methods that need to be developed to support fish breeding technology. The type of cryoprotectants and its concentration are species-dependent and determines the success of this approach. Therefore, this study is aimed at determining the optimal type and concentration of cryoprotectant for sperm cryopreservation of A. testudineus. Four separate study series were performed, each of which evaluated one type of cryoprotectant at five concentration levels. The cryoprotectants used were DMSO, methanol, glycerol, and ethanol, and the tested concentrations were 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%, which were combined with 5% egg yolks. Each treatment was conducted with three replications. The results showed that the type of cryoprotectant and its concentration significantly affected sperm motility, viability, and fertility of climbing perch (P < 0.05). The best outcome was obtained in DMSO, and methanol at a concentration of 10%, glycerol at 5%, and ethanol at 15%. However, the highest motility, viability, and fertility values were observed at 10% DMSO, indicating it is the best type and concentration for sperm cryopreservation of climbing perch A. testudineus.

Survey indicates large proportion of fishkeeping hobbyists engaged in producing ornamental fish

Ornamental fish are amongst the most popular pets in the world, with a massive number of thriving hobbyist groups both online and in person. The global trade of ornamental fish is growing rapidly. However, documentation of the production of fish is limited, despite this, considerable inroads have been made to document the marine and freshwater trade; this information has primarily been focused on data collection via import/ export data and, as a result there is still limited information on the captive production of fish within a nation. While it is known that hobbyists produce fish, to date there is little information on the scale of this production. This study aimed to document to what extent hobbyists are involved in the production of ornamental fish. This study used a snowball method survey to collect data on the current status of practices in the ornamental hobby. The survey was hosted on two popular online forums, as well as a number of Facebook™ fishkeeping groups. A total of 3304 valid responses were collected, from 76 countries. This study identified that 66.3% of hobbyists surveyed had been actively engaged with breeding fish at some point during their hobby with another 23.5% indicating that they had experienced fish breeding in their aquarium accidentally. There were clear increases in active breeding effort with experience in freshwater hobbyists, however this was not the case with marine fish keepers. The majority of hobbyists did not seek to make a profit from their endeavour, and those who did saw small annual profits, or exchanged fish for store credit. Overall, this study identified a significant number of hobbyists that actively pursue the production of fish at some stage during their hobby and lays the groundwork for further engagement with the hobbyist community required to foster collaboration between them and academia.