Fish Lots Research Articles

Traceability system for quality monitoring in the fishery and aquaculture value chain

Nowadays it is important to know the origins of most products, not only for public health reasons, with regard to food products, but also because of the increasing people's awareness of environmental and social aspects, posing new challenges in the quality of products and their environmental impact. Food traceability information must be collected throughout the supply chain, and be registered on a platform external to all operators in that chain. This information must be available, not only to value chain operators and public health authorities, but also to end customers. One of the best ways to provide customers with this traceability information, in the places where they need to make a decision about which products to buy, is to add kiosks at the points of sale for those products. This article describes the design and architecture of a traceability platform for fish and fishery products, within the scope of the ValorMar R&D project, as well as the applications that supply the platform with traceability information, and a kiosk application for points of sale and a mobile app for final consumers, which will allow them to consult the traceability of fish and fishery products' lots. • A new traceability platform for tracing fish and derived products from sea to fork. • The platform comprises a microservices backend, and kiosk and mobile user apps. • Platform allows easy recall of fish lots by authorities, for food safety reasons. • Traceability, taxonomy and nutritional information is provided to value chain users. • The backend has been stress tested, and user apps have been tested for usability.

Quality issues related to the presence of the fish parasitic nematode Hysterothylacium aduncum in export shipments of fresh Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua)

The parasitic nematode Hysterothylacium aduncum commonly occurs in many fish species in the Northeast (NE) Atlantic. The parasite is considered non-pathogenic to humans. During spring and summer of 2018, lots of head-on eviscerated fresh NE Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) were shipped from Norway to Spain for commercialization. At arrival, the presence of lively roundworms (i.e. H. aduncum) in the transporting boxes was noticed. Consequently, fish lots were rejected causing substantial monetary losses to all involved parties. As part of the hazard assessment process, the epidemiology of H.aduncum in cod, NE Arctic saithe (Pollachius virens) and NE Arctic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) fished off West-Finnmark, Norway, was studied. Parasites were morphologically and molecularly identified to species level. Additionally, the viability of H. aduncum was assessed by simulating the conditions that prevail during transport of fresh cod to European market. The infection values of L4 larval stage or adult H. aduncum in the digestive tract of fish were highly variable, ranging from 100% prevalence with mean abundance (range) 238 (10–1092) in cod to 27% prevalence with mean abundance (range) 1 (0–22) in haddock. Fishing season was identified as most important explanatory factor for parasite abundance. Infection levels were higher during winter and early spring, and lower during late spring. Infection peaks of H. aduncum in the three fish species seemed to coincide with heavy predation on spawning capelin (Mallotus villosus) during winter and early spring. Thorough evisceration seems to remove most of the nematodes from the fish. However, parasites may remain hidden within the head cavities where they can stay alive and active under regular transport conditions for at least 14 days. Hysterothylacium aduncum can be completely removed from the product by evisceration, beheading and rinsing the fish prior to shipping. Alternatively, thorough cleaning or completely removal of the gills and pharynx may be considered.

Application of indexes to evaluate the water quality of the Continguiba/Pindoba Irrigated Perimeter in Sergipe, Brazil

Irrigation makes food production viable, but the quality and quantity of water may be compromised as a result of inadequate management, which may lead to an increase in the concentration of nutrients, heavy metals and agrochemicals. This study aimed to characterize and monitor the water quality of the Continguiba/Pindoba Irrigated Perimeter in Sergipe, Brazil. Secondary data from the Water Quality Monitoring Program were used through the reports of monitoring campaigns carried out between 2013 and 2014. The Water Quality Index (WQI) and the Trophic State Index (TSI) were used in the water quality assessment. The results showed that there is an influence of seasonality, where the best indices were obtained in the rainy season, with the WQI characterized as regular to good, and the TSI characterized as oligotrophic. There was interference from the drainage of rice lots in the dry season, contributing to the increase of nutrients. There was no spatial influence for WQI, which may be related to the eclipse effect, which attenuated the negative impact of a certain variable given the aggregation of several variables. The TSI suffered spatial influence, the waters added to agricultural and fish lots were classified as oligotrophic or ultraoligotrophic, already in the drainage were found indexes of super-utrophic state.

FALHAS DE MANEJO NA FASE DE ENGORDA DE TILÁPIAS E SUA RELAÇÃO COM A DISPARIDADE DE PESO FINAL

O presente estudo foi realizado na região Oeste do Paraná, considerada o polo agropecuário da produção de peixes do Estado, região que concentra 17 frigoríficos de abate e industrialização de pescados, tem como objetivo informar o produtor em relação à engorda do lote, bem como sobre as análises da qualidade da água do viveiro com o intuito de verificar as falhas de manejo que contribuem para a disparidade de tamanho final dos peixes. Durante cinco meses (out/18 a fev/19) foram monitorados seis viveiros em quatro pequenas propriedades localizadas no município de Toledo-PR. Para a biometria foram utilizadas amostragens com 50 indivíduos por viveiro, pesados e medidos individualmente. A disparidade de peso foi calculada utilizando-se o desvio padrão amostral de cada lote. A sonda multiparâmetros foi utilizada para mensurar: temperatura, pH, condutividade elétrica, sólidos totais dissolvidos, oxigênio dissolvido e turbidez. Os resultados demonstraram forte correlação entre turbidez, sólidos totais dissolvidos e condutividade elétrica com a disparidade de tamanho das tilápias. Foi observado superlotação dos viveiros. O desvio padrão de peso aumentou à medida que os peixes cresceram. Conclui-se que a qualidade da água afeta diretamente o desenvolvimento dos peixes e a falta de manejo adequado deste ambiente, contribui para com o aumento da disparidade de peso e tamanho das tilápias.

Retail Baitfish in Michigan Harbor Serious Fish Viral Pathogens.

Indigenous small cyprinid fish species play an important role in Great Lakes ecosystems and also comprise the backbone of a multimillion‐dollar baitfish industry. Due to their widespread use in sport fisheries of the Laurentian Great Lakes, there are increasing concerns that baitfish may introduce or disseminate fish pathogens. In this study, we evaluated whether baitfish purchased from 78 randomly selected retail bait dealers in Michigan harbored fish viruses. Between September 2015 and June 2016, 5,400 baitfish divided into 90 lots of 60 fish were purchased. Fish were tested for the presence of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV), golden shiner reovirus (GSRV), fathead minnow nidovirus (FHMNV), fathead minnow picornavirus (FHMPV), and white sucker bunyavirus (WSBV). Using the epithelioma papulosum cyprini cell line and molecular confirmation, we demonstrated the presence of viruses in 18 of the 90 fish lots (20.0%) analyzed. The most prevalent virus was FHMNV, being detected in 6 of 30 lots of Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas and 3 of 42 lots of Emerald Shiners Notropis atherinoides. We also confirmed GSRV in two fish species: the Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas (5 of 11 lots) and Fathead Minnow (3 of 30 lots). Two VHSV (genotype IVb) isolates were recovered from a single lot of Emerald Shiners. No SVCV, FHMPV, or WSBV was detected in any of the fish examined. Some of the infected fish exhibited clinical signs and histopathological alterations. This study demonstrates that live baitfish are a potential vector for the spread of viral pathogens and underscores the importance of fish health certifications for the Great Lakes baitfish industry.

Re-evaluation of anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) as an important risk factor for sensitization to zoonotic nematodes in Spain

In recent years, scientific evidence from clinical case studies has been accumulated to suggest that consumption of homemade raw anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) in vinegar (referred to locally as “boquerones en vinagre”) represented the main potential risk source for anisakiasis and IgE sensitization to Anisakis in Spain. Conversely, most epidemiological surveys for this fish species in fishing grounds along the Spanish coast and in Spanish markets showed parasite-free fish lots or parasite prevalence below 10%. In order to update the anchovy infection data and to re-evaluate the importance of this species as a potential source of risk exposure to zoonotic and allergy diseases, 956 anchovies collected by Spanish commercial fishing vessels operating in NE Atlantic fishing grounds were analyzed, using a high performance methodology. Results revealed an overall mean prevalence for zoonotic nematodes (genera Anisakis and Hysterothylacium combined) of 64.33% (14.75% in the flesh). Infection values reached 87% in one of the lots. Prevalence in anchovy muscle was 28.65%, which represents the highest value of parasitization of the flesh ever reported for European stocks of this species. An enhanced risk communication plan focused on control measures, such as removal of anchovy viscera by retailers, and educational campaigns stressing the importance of freezing anchovies that are intended for raw consumption, may clearly contribute to avoid this emergent biohazard in seafood.

Scoring the parasite risk in highly-valuable fish species from southern ICES areas

We carried out a comparison of three different tools for determining the risk of Anisakis exposure in fish: i) a risk ranking tool registered as a trade mark (FPR standard) based on a previous risk categorization scheme (Site, abundance, density and exposure, SADE), ii) the current visual method for fish inspection (V) and iii) the UV-press/peptic digestion (UV-P/PD) method. We used 2377 fish from 9 species and three important ICES fishing areas. The percentage of rejection for each fish lot was calculated according to the criteria established for the three different methods as follows: V, presence of visible parasites in the viscera and/or abdominal cavity; UV-P/PD, presence of parasites in the fish flesh; FPR scoring for parasite risk, individuals obtaining the classification of “poor”. The highest rejection rate was for UV-P/PD method, rejecting all the fish that harbor just one Anisakis in the edible part of the fish. Follow the rejection rate of fish under visual inspection, being the lowest that catalogued using the FPR standard. Visual inspection penalizes species with far higher rates of visceral than muscular parasitation, such as the blackbellied angler. Conversely, fish individuals preliminarily accepted by visual inspection would be rejected by FPR, thus minimizing the risks for consumers in species, such as in the case of the European hake, with high flesh infection. In some cases, the edible part exceeded the number of parasites found in the abdominal cavity and visceral organs. Overall, the results obtained after combining various geographic areas and fish species clearly suggest that a risk ranking tool represents a better trade-off between a best-value for money approach and the best-assurance for fish quality and safety approach than current inspection methods FPR also allows the possibility of an objective, transparent and efficient classification of the fish lots in 5 different categories from “poor” to “excellent”. As a conclusion, the FPR scheme should be routinely used within HACCP programs to facilitate the risk standardization and communication to improve the fish quality and guarantee healthier products.

Light Influence on Chromatophores Activity in Poecilia reticulata

A total of 30 fish were examined during 15 days (in April - March 2013) in three similar tanks with different illumination conditions: control group, total darkness and 40W incandescent light bulb exposure. Every 3 days the fish were examined under the optic microscope (4x) and images were taken for further analysis and interpretations. For the microscopic examination the fish lots were separately placed in a drop of water on a Petri dish. Central nervous system projection was considered to be most relevant due to the higher number of chromatophores in this area. The analysis of the images revealed the total area coverage of the chromatophores in the selected area and also the light influence over chromatophores activity.

A Scoring System Approach for the Parasite Predictive Assessment of Fish Lots: A Proof of Concept with Anisakids

A total of 982 individuals distributed in 11 lots belonging to 10 fish species from three Atlantic FAO fishing areas were sampled and examined to detect the presence of anisakid larvae in fish muscle. After hazard identification by genetic sequencing and exposure assessment by anatomic extent and demographic characterization of infection, all data were fitted for each fish species to a new proposed scoring schema of parasite prediction. In the absence of a criterion standard method for inspection and precise definition of the quantum satis for parasites in contaminated fish lots, the inspection rating scheme called SADE (Site of infection, Assurance of quality, Demography, Epidemiology) may help fish industries to precisely handle and to evaluate the likely outcome of infected fish lots after being diagnosed. For this purpose, a supporting flow diagram for decision was defined and suggested. This new performance assessment tool has the aim of staging fish lots, thus helping in planning manufacture, commercial, and research decisions during self-management programs. This novel scoring system provides an improved inspection format by implementing the occurrence stratification for parasites to guide Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) programs for the uniform exchange of information among fish industries, administration and researchers, thus facilitating standardization and communication. In the future, this scoring version could be validated (in terms of classification and wording) for similar overall predictive purposes in other muscular parasites infecting seafood products.

The effect of powdered thyme sprinkling on quality changes of wild and farmed gilthead sea bream fillets stored in ice

The effect of powdered thyme sprinkling on the quality characteristics of fresh and ice-stored wild and farmed gilthead sea bream fillets was assessed. Initially, significant differences in proximate composition and quality attributes were found between wild and farmed fresh sea bream flesh. Throughout ice storage, biochemical alteration appeared more pronounced in farmed fish fillets with significantly higher levels of TVB-N, TMA-N, and TBA; and a lower liquid-holding capacity (LHC). Thyme powder addition (1% w/w) exhibited a preservative effect in both fish lots since significant lower levels of TVB-N, TMA-N, free amino acids (NPS), TBA and LHC were observed in thyme-treated fillets during ice storage. However, thyme inhibitory effect was more marked in wild than farmed fish. As revealed by partial least square regression, LHC in both groups was positively influenced by storage time and trimethylamine accumulation factors, while it was negatively influenced by thyme treatment and fish origin. Hence, LHC was suggested to be related to spoilage bacterial growth. The use of dried thyme extended the shelf life of fish fillets by about 5 days and appeared to be highly valuable to the fish industry as a natural preservative.

The Zoological Museum Hamburg (ZMH) fish collection as a global biodiversity archive for elasmobranchs and actinopterygians as well as other fish taxa

Summary Based on the analysis of the Zoological Museum Hamburg (ZMH) fish collection database, a current status report of the ZMH fish collection is provided with a focus on Elasmobranchii and Actinopterygii. Therein, development of the collection, systematic and geographic coverage of the collection material, and the volume and structure of the ZMH type collection are presented and analysed. The majority of the specimens in the ZMH fish collection is preserved in 70% ethanol and arranged in phylogenetic order. The basis of the collection originates from the former Natural History Museum in Hamburg. Initially low in numbers, in 1850 amounting to only 119 lots, the fish collection increased markedly during the second half of the 19th century. By the end of 1875 the number of registered lots was 550, surpassing the 4400 mark in 1900. Expeditions exploring unknown habitats and territories were the main source of material during the first half of the 20th century. The first two decades of the 20th century marked a period of relatively rapid expansion in the number of fish species and specimens collected at the ZMH, with about 11.1% of the material indexed in the collection database originating from 1901 to 1920. Much of the additional expansion derived from the 1993 takeover of 23 860 marine fish lots from the former ISH (Institut fur Seefischerei, Hamburg) collection, the main reason for which about 74.6% of all actual catalogued lots were stored in the ZMH fish collection during the 1951–2000 period. In February 2008, the number of catalogued entries reached 45 640, with about 257 967 specimens. Some 8100 nominal species in 60 orders and 378 families are represented in the ZMH fish collection. The collection maintains worldwide coverage, with large numbers of lots originating from the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Caribbean Sea, from Asia, Africa, Europe, South America and Middle America. Actinopterygii and Elasmobranchii together comprise more than 93% of the known orders, more than 98% of the families and more than 99% of the lots and individuals represented in the collection database. The collection contains about 1321 type series (lots) and 3656 type specimens; 41.8% of the type lots are primary types. Actinopterygians contribute 90.6% to the type series and 94.6% to the type specimens. Elasmobranchs are represented with 8.1% of the type series and 4.7% of the type specimens in the ZMH fish collection. Sharks are represented with 27 type series (25.2%), whereas the contribution of batiods amounts to 80 type series (74.8%). Comprising 69.2% of all elasmobranch types, the family Rajidae is the most important group of batoid fishes represented. The family Scyliorhinidae with 14.0% of all elasmobranch types is the best-represented shark family in the ZMH type collection. Further development and future research of the ZMH Ichthyology Group is discussed and is to include modern taxonomic and biogeographic approaches important in present global biodiversity research, thereby rendering the ZMH fish collection as an indispensible tool among international reference centres dealing with biodiversity documentation and conservation of fishes.

Host factors associated with the detection of Aeromonas salmonicida and Yersinia ruckeri in Ontario, Canada government fish hatcheries

This paper presents an epidemiological investigation of Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Fish Health Laboratory data from 1981 to 1997, to determine whether fish species and age were associated with lot-level detection of Aeromonas salmonicida and Yersinia ruckeri in hatchery fish. In stepwise logistic regression, the species brook trout and back-cross (lake trout crossed with the hybrid “splake”) were more likely to test A. salmonicida-positive compared to all other species reared in the hatcheries. Similarly, the species brook trout was significantly more likely to test Y. ruckeri-positive compared to all other species. For both pathogens, the 1–5-month age group was associated significantly with detection. These findings suggest that purposive sampling of higher-risk fish lots could increase the likelihood of detecting both study pathogens.

Development of decision support tools for aquaculture: the POND experience

Decision support systems (DSS) are potentially valuable tools for assessing the economic and ecological impacts of alternative decisions on aquaculture production. In this paper, we discuss the philosophy of design, functional modules and application areas of POND, a decision tool that has been developed to allow analysis of pond aquaculture facilities by the use of a combination of simulation models and enterprise budgeting. We focus less on the details of POND’s internal models, and more on the experiences we have gained from going through the process of the designing, developing and using the POND software. POND was designed and implemented using object-oriented programming principles. The software makes use of a simulation framework to provide much of the generic simulation, data handling, time flow synchronization and communication features necessary for complex model-based DSSs. Additionally, an architecture suitable for representing and manipulating pond aquaculture facilities was developed in order to meet the design specifications of POND. This architecture includes a series of mini-databases, a number of knowledge-based components (‘experts’), models of the pond ecosystem, and various decision support features (e.g. assembling alternate management scenarios, economic analysis, and data visualization). A typical POND simulation consists of assembling a number of appropriate objects or entities (e.g. multiple ponds and fish lots), their management settings together with appropriate experts (e.g. an aquaculture engineer, an aquatic biologist, an economist, etc.), and projecting changes in the facility over time. Our experience with the development of POND and other simulation-based tools indicates that the object-based approach provides a robust foundation for developing tools which allow code reusability, facilitate maintenance of complex software, and enable partition of program development among multiple programmers. Experience gained with POND users suggests that there are largely two groups of aquaculture personnel interested in such applications, namely commercial growers and educators. These two groups have substantially different interests and needs. Consequently, a single tool such as POND may not optimally meet the requirements of both groups. Recent development work on POND, and the need to involve users in the design process of such tools are discussed.

Communications: Length–Weight Relationship of Hatchery-Reared Atlantic Salmon

Abstract Three lots of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from two fish hatcheries were sampled to yield an overall length-weight relationship of W = 0.0000109126TL2.99163; W is weight in grams and TL is total length in millimeters. The average metric condition factor, K = 105 2.99163, was 0.986; the average English condition factor, C = w/tl3 (w is pounds; tl is total length in inches), was 0.0003563. Differences in condition factor occurred between hatcheries, between fish lots, and over time. Just before they were stocked into streams, smolt-length fish had their lowest condition factors. Fish lengths at stocking calculated from a standard condition factor typically were less than lengths calculated from a seasonally adjusted condition factor. Because Atlantic salmon are operationally defined as smolts at a particular minimum length, use of the standard condition factor to calculate size at release can lead to underestimates of the number of smolts stocked and inflated estimates of subsequent adult return r...

Field testing of oral Vibrio anguillarum bacterin in pond-cultured ayu.

The efficacy of oral bacterin to control vibriosis was determined using pond cultured ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis). A formalin-killed whole cell bacterin of Vibrio anguillarum was fed to 322, 000 ayu in seven ponds eight to fifteen times at doses ranging from 0.08 to 0.16g bacterin/kg fish/day. Fish were exposed to natural infections due to vibriosis in the farm ponds. Experimental challenge was performed with fish lots where natural infection did not occur. Natural infection occurred in three ponds of vaccinated fish and three control ponds where bacterin was not fed. A decrease in the number of dead fish and the number of days of medication using oxolinic acid was shown in all of the vaccinated lots as compared to the non-vaccinated lots. Efficacy of the bacterin was assessed as the differences in the mortality profile and the need for medication during two months. The results of the experimental challenge showed the efficacy for more than 59 days. Combined use of oxolinic acid and bacterin did not reduce the efficacy of the bacterin. The smallest amount of bacterin yielding protection was eight feedings of 0.1 g/kg fish on alternate days. The total amount of bacterin required to vaccinate 322, 000 fish was approximately 1.4 kg equivalent to 4.3 mg/fish. The vibrio bacterin delivered by the oral route was shown to be highly effective when given to large commercial ayu populations showing ease in application and reduced stress for the fish.