Impact of organic and nano selenium on sexual, maturation, egg, and offspring quality of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) broodstock

Epidemiology and immunoprophylaxis of lactococcosis in European Sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax): A comprehensive study from Egyptian Aquaculture.

ABSTRACTFish aquaculture faces significant economic losses from disease outbreaks. Vaccination is the most effective prevention strategy, and bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) show promise as vaccine platforms due to their strong immuno‐stimulating properties. However, the application of EVs derived from pathogenic bacteria is limited by toxicity risks and production challenges. Alternatively, genetic engineering of non‐pathogenic microorganisms is being explored to produce tailored EVs to deliver antigens and serve as carriers of therapeutic proteins. Recently, we have engineered the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 for the expression of the reporter green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) and its targeting to EVs. Here, taking advantage of the Synechocystis sfGFP‐loaded EVs, the stability of vesicles and their cargo was evaluated in the long term when stored under different temperature conditions and after freeze‐drying. The possibility of using Synechocystis EVs as a tool for eliciting specific/adaptive immune responses was assessed in European seabass, a high commercial value fish, by following the amount of total and sfGFP‐specific immunoglobulins produced after immunisation through injection. Synechocystis EVs were shown to be resilient nanostructures that can induce specific immune responses in fish with additional adjuvant features. This represents a biotechnological breakthrough towards a novel antigen‐carrier platform for sustainable fish‐pathogen control.

Transcriptional profiling of receptor-transporting protein 3 variants in European sea bass and gilthead seabream suggests divergent roles.

Variation of ingested microplastic size and quantity in different tissues of juvenile European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax.

Humic substances and Eisenia bicyclis bioactive extract modulate water, biofilter, and seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) skin mucus bacterial communities

Functional assessment of European sea bass RTP3 proteins and their effect on RGNNV replication.

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications concerning gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from authors affiliated with institutions in Türkiye between 1984 and 2024, based on the Web of Science (WoS) database. A total of 708 publications were examined to assess annual publication trends, document types, leading authors and institutions, subject categories, journals, keywords, and citation dynamics. The findings indicate a remarkable increase in publication productivity starting in the mid-2000s, with a stabilization observed throughout the 2010s. Over 95% of the documents were identified as original research articles. Among the most prolific authors were: Şahin Saka, Muammer Kürşat Fırat, Yeşim Özoğul, Fatih Özoğul, and Orhan Tufan Eroldoğan. In terms of institutional contributions, Ege University, Çukurova University, and Istanbul University ranked as the top three. Most publications were concentrated in the categories of Fisheries, Marine and Freshwater Biology, and Food Science and Technology. Keyword analysis revealed that the studies were predominantly focused on terms such as “Dicentrarchus labrax”, “Sparus aurata”, “growth,” and “fatty acids.” According to citation analysis, the most cited publication was by Akdoğan et al. (2019), followed by works from Dural et al. (2007), Dimitroglou et al. (2011), and Süzer et al. (2008). In terms of total link strength, the most prominent publications were by Çaklı et al. (2008), Özoğul et al. (2007), Erkan (2007), Özoğul et al. (2013), and Yazgan et al. (2017). Overall, the results demonstrate that scientific research on sea bream and sea bass in Türkiye has evolved significantly over time, generating a substantial body of knowledge that provides a strategic reference framework for future research in the field.

This study aims to predict the freshness of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) using deep learning models based on image data. For this purpose, 10 fish were monitored daily from the day of purchase until three days after spoilage, with multi-angle imaging (eight distinct perspectives per fish, both with and without background) and corresponding quality analyses. A total of 22 quality parameters—10 categorical (sensory-based) and 12 numerical (color-based)—were evaluated, with the purchasability parameter defined as the most critical indicator of freshness. Using seven popular transfer learning algorithms (EfficientNetB0, ResNet50, DenseNet121, VGG16, InceptionV3, MobileNet, and VGG19), 2464 predictive models (1120 classification and 1344 regression) were trained. Classification models were evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and response time, while regression models were assessed using mean absolute error and tolerance-based error metrics. The results showed that the MobileNet algorithm achieved the best overall performance, successfully predicting 15 of the 22 parameters with the lowest error or highest accuracy. Importantly, in the prediction of the most critical parameter—purchasability—the DenseNet121 architecture yielded the best classification performance with an accuracy of 0.9894. The findings indicate that deep learning-based image analysis is a viable method for evaluating the freshness of fish.

Traditional fixatives such as buffered formaldehyde (BF) and paraformaldehyde (PFA) are widely used but raise health concerns due to their toxicity. Their use is increasingly subject to regulatory restrictions, calling for the development of non-toxic alternatives. Glyoxal acid-free (GAF®) has emerged as a potential substitute. This study evaluated GAF® for preserving gonadal tissues, oocyte, sperm, and larvae of the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), comparing both its standard and an optimized, marine-adapted formulation to conventional fixatives or fresh samples. The standard GAF® led to tissue shrinkage and poor gamete preservation, while the optimized version effectively preserved oocyte, sperm, gonadal tissue, and delicate larval structures. Although 10% formalin still outperformed GAF® for certain larval tissues, extended fixation in optimized GAF® improved results. Overall, optimized GAF® represents a promising non-toxic alternative for histological applications in marine fish, though further refinement is needed for certain tissues and for the use in the oocyte cytoplasmic clarification applied in aquaculture broodstock selection.

This study, conducted for the first time in Turkey within the framework of the EU Natura 2000 conservation approach, aimed to map and evaluate marine habitats in the Samandağ-Hatay region of the Northeast Mediterranean, with particular emphasis on a ray field habitat characterized by the presence of diverse elasmobranch species. It was found that habitat was mainly sandy bottoms (90.53%), but in terms of structure complexity reef habitats, which are found on Natura 2000 Annex I Habitat 1170 (Reefs), only occupied 6.18% of seafloor. Despite their limited extent, these reef structures function as ecological hotspots that support multiple threatened and protected species. A total of 84 species were recorded and assessed using the IUCN Mediterranean Red List, Turkish national protection regulations, and Natura 2000 species annexes. Only five species were listed under Natura 2000: Alosa fallax (Annex II & V), Dicentrarchus labrax (Annex V), and three Annex IV strictly protected megafauna; Monachus monachus, Caretta caretta, and Chelonia mydas. No bird species recorded in the area were listed under Birds Directive Annex I. Several elasmobranch species typical of the ray field, including Gymnura altavela, Rostroraja alba, and Rhinobatos rhinobatos, were categorized as threatened by the IUCN and protected nationally, despite not being included within EU annexes. In general, the results indicate that the conservation value of the Samandaag ray field is great as the small and fragmented reef microhabitats harbor a disproportionately large number of sensitive taxa in a sand-dominated environment. The research will furnish the necessary scientific data to inform future marine spatial planning and conservation policies of the area that take the form of Natura 2000.

Evaluation of the nutritional value of processed lupin meal (Lupinus albus) with exogenous enzymes, as feed ingredient in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) aquafeeds

Corrigendum to “Evaluation of the nutritional value of processed lupin meal (Lupinus albus) with exogenous enzymes, as feed ingredient in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) aquafeeds” [Aquac. Rep., vol. 45 (2025) 103135

Dietary DHA limitation did not affect swimming and metabolic performance, but reduced growth in wild European sea bass.

Commercial sea cage farming assessment of sustainable diets on growth performance and fillet quality of gilthead sea bream and European sea bass

Larval survival in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is shaped by the natural thermal regime of their population of origin and the level of introgression of Atlantic and Mediterranean genomes

Abstract There is no specific EU legislation dedicated to fish welfare during farming, transport, or killing; however, fish are covered under the general provisions of Council Directive 98/58/EC (protection of animals kept for farming purposes) and Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 (on the protection of animals during transport and related operations) and No 1099/2009 (on the protection of animals at the time of killing). Significant advancements in fish farming practices in recent years have introduced new welfare concerns. In this context, and to prepare for potential mandates on fish welfare, EFSA conducted an information‐gathering exercise on fish farming during the 25th meeting of the EFSA Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) Network aimed at mapping current fish farming systems in the EU. A pre‐meeting survey was circulated to network representatives, and most responded. The aggregated results were discussed during the meeting, together with clarification questions and a poll. Not all major EU‐farmed fish species are produced in every country. Some species are widely distributed, such as brown trout (Salmo trutta), carp (Cyprinus carpio), European eel (Anguilla anguilla), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and salmon (Salmo salar). In contrast, species such as bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) are only farmed in a few countries, while others are restricted to the Mediterranean areas, including seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), and seabream (Sparus aurata). Common husbandry systems include Recirculating Aquaculture System, Flow‐through System, freshwater ponds and net pens while almadraba traps and saltmarsh ponds are mainly used in Southern Europe. The links to all relevant national legislation or guidelines, as well as information on additional species and husbandry systems provided, were collected and are annexed to this report.

Spatio-temporal dynamics in biofilm and planktonic microbiota during vibriosis in a Dicentrarchus labrax aquaculture system

Massive recruitment of CD45+ and T cells drives central nervous system responses in RGNNV-infected European seabass

In this study, the identification of Vibrio isolates isolated from vibriosis infection of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cultured in the Black Sea was carried out using conventional biochemical tests and PCR methods. Kidneys and spleens of moribund fish showing typical disease symptoms were inoculated onto tryptic soy agar (TSA) containing 1.5% salt and incubated at 20±2°C. Isolated colonies were purified by inoculation onto thiosulphate citrate bile salts sucrose agar (TCBS). The bacterial strains were found to be motile, Gr(-), catalase, and oxidase positive, sensitive to the O/129 test (150 µg), and fermentative in OF medium. According to PCR test results, all of isolated bacteria from sea bass were identified 19 isolates as V. anguillarum, 1 isolate as V. fluvialis, 7 isolates as V. harveyi, 19 isolates as V. parahemolyticus, and 1 isolate as V. vulnificus. All of bacteria isolated from rainbow trout were identified as two isolates V. alginolyticus and 29 isolates as V. anguillarum. In addition, according to the slide agglutination test results performed with Vibrio anguillarum O1 serotype, most of the isolates were determined to be Vibrio anguillarum. According to antimicrobial test results, florfenicol and enrofloxacin were identified as the most effective chemotherapeutic agents.