Project Number: 6225-63000-004-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Dec 18, 2003
End Date: Apr 30, 2005

Objective:
Develop engineering processes and sustainable effluent technologies to enhance water and energy utilization and reduce environmental impacts in low salinity aquaculture systems. Develop nutritional strategies and diets for optimal growth, efficiency, and reproductive success of marine fish reared in low salinity recirculating systems. Develop captive reproductive strategies and larviculture methods for sustainable seed production of selected marine finfish species.

Approach:
Design and construct replicated recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) to evaluate efficiency of current RAS technology components (i.e., pumps, biofilters, microscreen and swirl solids separators, oxygen saturators, SCADA units) for the production of marine finfish in low salinity environments. Conduct waste excretion and solids velocity studies for different stages (fingerling-juvenile-broodstock) of selected marine fish to establish baseline information for recirculating system design and component sizing. Develop suitable dynamic system models of RAS processes and components to determine cost-effective production output. Evaluate the utilization of wood fiber materials for the removal of ammonia and suspended solids of the organic effluent from recirculating systems in efforts to achieve enhanced water re-use. Determine the nutrient digestibility of traditional and non-traditional feed ingredients to replace fish meals and oils, and evaluate the efficiency of diets containing these ingredients in terms of growth, performance, health, nutrient partitioning, and carcass quality. Establish nutrient requirements for the development of broodstock diet to increase egg and larval quality resulting in enhanced reproductive success and reduction of reproductive stress. Determine nutrient and energy requirements for rearing pompano, black sea bass, and flounder in low salinity environments for optimal growth, performance, health, nutrient partitioning, and carcass quality. Establish and refine spawning procedures including hormonal induction, photothermal manipulation, and sex ratio modification to achieve year-round reproduction of target broodstock species such as black sea bass pompano. Develop procedures for consistent production of larval through juvenile stages of selected species via research involving physiology, stocking density, water quality, and physical factors of culture systems.