Researchers at Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University have developed a range of probiotic micro-organisms which have demonstrated protection against several fish diseases, including furunculosis, a disease affecting a wide range of salmonid species as well as certain species of carp, bream, catfish, turbot and bass.
Furunculosis are most likely to occur in fish during the critical smolting and spawning stages of their development, and are caused by the onset of higher water temperatures or during periods of rapid temperature change.
These probiotics would replace the existing antibiotic feed premix treatment, which has the disadvantages commonly associated with antibiotics – gradual disease resistance in fish and occasionally in the humans that consume them.
Heriot-Watt University are currently looking for parties interested in obtaining a licence to this technology, forming a joint venture or sponsoring continued developments.
A series of patent documents outline a field of invention that may be part of the solution to the aquaculture feed protein and oil deficit. This deficit, derived from short supply of wild caught fish has the potential to undermine the growth of aquaculture.
Finfish discussed the problems with the global supply of fish meal here.
Microalgae (single celled algae or phytoplankton) represent the largest, but most poorly understood, kingdom of microorganisms on the earth. As plants are to terrestrial animals, microalgae represent the natural nutritional base and primary source of all the phytonutrients in the aquatic food chain.
As the primary producers in the aquatic food chain, microalgae are the source of many phytonutrients, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) precursors for the valuable nutritional component widely promoted as Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
Microalgae also represent a vast genetic resource, comprising in excess of 80,000 different species.
Yeast, filamentous fungi, and bacteria are also in the direct food chain of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. However, only a very few of these microbes, perhaps less than 10 species, have been exploited for aquaculture feeds.
These few species have been used primarily for historical reasons and ease of cultivation. They have not been chosen on the basis of any scientific evidence of superiority as nutritional or therapeutic supplements.
The marine environment is filled with bacteria and viruses that can attack fish and shellfish, thereby devastating aquaculture farms very quickly. Bacteria and viruses can also attack single celled microalgae, so these organisms have evolved biochemical mechanisms to defend themselves from such attacks. Such mechanisms may involve the secretion of probiotic compounds that inhibit bacterial growth or viral attachment.
Can you point to any additional material on algae as an aquaculture food source?
What do we know about optimising the economics of production?
What wholesale cost would the feed need to be produced at in order for the major feed companies to adopt this technology as a food component for aquaculture and other intensive forms of animal production?
The patent documents which describe this endeavour can be found here.
Advance Bionutrition Corp (the assignee of the patent is hot on the trail of non fish meal derived aquaculture feed.
An international campaign aimed at forbidding the use of antibiotics in aquaculture was launched on 5 June in Chile. The project also demands that all sanitary standards regarding antibiotics for Chilean salmon consumers be brought in line with standards such as the United States’ FDA rules or those of the European Union.
Chile proposes a sole State agency, which would regulate and monitor the use of antibiotics both in human use and animal health. Another of the issues demanded is free access to historic information on the volumes and types of antibiotics currently imported and used by the salmon industry.
For years, environmental organisations have requested information from Chilean health organisations such as the National Fisheries Service, Sernapesca, but have never received an answer.
This campaign is aimed at controlling the use of antibiotics within the the bacterial resistance study launched by the United Nations’ World Health Organization.
What are appropriate principles for antibiotic use in aquaculture?
If we are going to be able to achieve the marked growth required to meet demand for fish what role must antibiotics play?
How can we effectively balance the valid concerns about over use and the needs for health management in large and dense captive fish populations?
The organic movement as represented by the Organic Trade Association have some strong views on these matters. The Organic view of the world can be reviewed here.
An interesting article on the trend from antibiotics to probiotics to prebiotics in humans could point the way towards sustainable practice in aquaculture. Please consider the article here.
What is the current state of the art for aquaculture? Are our aquaculture food, food supplements and drug companies experiencing any demand from producers for probiotics or prebiotics?
