Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Plant-based feeds for Black Seabass

Dr Wade Watanabe and Dr Md Shah Alam, scientists at the University of North Carolina Wilmington-Center for Marine Science (UNCW-CMS) are developing alternative plant protein based practical diets for the culture of black seabass, (Centropristis striata). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration black seabass is a commercially important species found in waters along the Atlantic coast from the Gulf of Maine to northern Florida.

Their wide acceptance as an excellent food fish and their high market value has led to over-harvesting of wild stocks especially in the South Atlantic US coast. Increased awareness of the status of the black sea bass populations, coupled with high market value and demand, has led to an interest in the development of culture technologies for commercial production. Reliable protocols for spawning and larval rearing of black sea bass are already established.

At UNCW, a team of researchers lead by Dr Wade O. Watanabe, is developing nursery and grow-out technologies for producing marketable fish in recirculating aquaculture systems. Nutrition and diet development are critical components of their research. Black sea bass grow rapidly when fed prepared feeds consisting largely of marine feedstuffs such as menhaden fish meal or natural foods such as live tilapia. The future potential for limited availability and rising cost of fish meal and live tilapia limit their application in future practical diets. Read more...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers.
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