08/23/1991

Auburn University Fisheries Research Fair

AUBURN, Ala.—Orange and blue crayfish, genetically engineered catfish and carp and a harvesting system that pumps fish out of the water were just a few of the topics that drew some 350 people to the first-ever Auburn University Fisheries Research Fair.

The Fair, which was held Aug. 19 at the Fisheries Research Unit in Auburn, featured the results of a wide range of fisheries research projects conducted through the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station at Auburn University. People came from throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia and even from some foreign countries to hear updates on fisheries and aquacultural research issues and to tour the Research Unit.

Visitors interested in growing fresh water crustaceans were able to see an orange and blue crayfish which has shown great potential for Alabama production in Auburn research. David Rouse, associate professor in Auburn's Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures and project leader for fresh water crustacean research, explained that the popularity of shrimp indicates there is a good market for fresh water crustaceans.

"Shrimp is one of the largest crops we harvest from the Gulf," he said. "But we are still importing more than half of what we eat, and imports are increasing daily. We have an abundance of fresh water in Alabama and we need a crop that can tap into that resource and fill the demand for crustaceans," he continued.

Rouse has evaluated fresh water shrimp that can be grown in ponds and have shown some potential as a fresh water crop. He also has evaluated several species of crayfish for pond production and has found that red claw, an Australia crayfish which is larger than the native crayfish, may be a good choice.

Early results have shown this crayfish, which has orange and blue hues in its shell, can feed off of hay or other rotting vegetation placed in the pond and is easy to harvest through trapping or seining. These crayfish can be harvested in the fall or overwintered in a climate-controlled facility.

Genetic engineering research on catfish and carp was another highlight of the Field Day. Fish geneticist Rex Dunham, also an associate professor of fisheries and allied aquacultures, talked about the various types of genetic work underway to improve catfish production in Alabama and the Southeast.

According to Dunham, the goal of this genetic research is to improve traits such as growth, reproduction and disease resistance in commercial catfish. To reach this goal, researchers have looked at a variety of genetic improvement options including the use of selective breeding, crossbreeding different strains of fish, hybridization and genetic engineering.

Dunham said hybridization research has led to the development of a "super catfish," which is a cross between a female channel catfish and a male blue catfish. "These fish can grow 20 to 100 percent faster than other catfish," Dunham said. In addition, they are easier to catch and perform well in densely populated ponds.

Work with transgenic fish at Auburn also has proven to be both effective and a first for science. Dunham explained that the rainbow trout growth hormone has been successfully implanted into both carp and catfish through his genetics program in an effort to get fish to market size more quickly. While earlier work had been conducted in the lab, the transgenic fish were recently placed in a research pond at Auburn for further evaluation, making Auburn the first university to place a transgenic animal into an outdoor facility.

Visitors also were able to see a pump harvester in action during the Fair. Len Lovshin, professor of fisheries and allied aquacultures, demonstrated a turbine pump system which literally pumps fish out of a seining net and deposits them into a transport truck. He explained that commercial producers commonly use a boom and basket system but are looking for better, faster ways to harvest their crops. The turbine pump, which harvests 600-650 pounds of fish per minute compared to 340 pounds per minute with the boom and basket system, looks promising.

Sport fishing research was another feature of the Fair. Dennis Devries, assistant professor of fisheries and allied aquacultures, discussed the need for a proper balance of fish species in sport fishing lakes. He noted that bass and bluegill are most commonly managed in these situations, though research is looking at the possibility of adding shad to the community.

Devries also discussed the use of electro-shocking to sample sport fish populations. He explained that a specially equipped boat sends an electrical shock into the water, stunning fish and causing them to rise to the surface where they can be easily collected. This process allows fisheries researchers to sample populations without harming the fish. The samples allow them to estimate the size and population densities of fish in a pond.

Visitors were able to see some alternative fish species during the Fair, including paddlefish (which produce caviar), tilapia and hybrid bass. Ron Phelps, associate professor of fisheries and allied aquacultures, noted that tilapia show potential as a crop in the Southeast because they can tolerate lower quality water conditions than other fish species. But, he noted, they cannot overwinter in Alabama and they tend to overpopulate ponds. Researchers are now looking at ways to control reproduction in these animals, including the use of sex reversal.

Additional topics discussed during the Fair included water resource management and cages, farm pond construction and engineering, fish nutrition and management of off-flavor, fish health management, water quality management, aeration and effluents, handling of sport fish during fishing tournaments and marketing fish through local fish-out operations.

Other program participants from the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures included: Department Head Wayne Shell, John Jensen, Michael Masser, Claude Ellington, Tom Lovell, Mike Schwartz, Yolanda Brady, Chris Hyde, Renee Beam, John Plumb, Tom Seeger and Michael Meceina. Lowell T. Frobish, director of the Experiment Station, also addressed the crowd.

The Fair was sponsored by the Experiment Station, the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service, and the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures.

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By:
Katie Smith