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SUMMARY RECORD

Of

MARITIMES REGION FISHERIES SERVICE

ENVIRONMENT CANADA

AQUACULTURE WORKSHOP

Held at

HALI FAX LABORATORY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORATE FISHERIES AND MARINE SERVICE 1707 LOWER WATER STREET HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA B3J 2R3

NOVEMBER 26 and 27, 1973

.. '

SH 37 5 ~.. M ~UC..F Rf:a fOTH · £QUE ltEGION OU GOLF£ hCHES ET OCEANS 1

CONTENTS

Agenda ...... 3

List of Attendees and Affiliations ...... 6

Opening Remarks - J.E. Stewart ...... 7

Session I 7 Session II ...... 8

Session III 8

Session IV 9

Session V ...... 11

Summaries of Prepared Statements ...... 15

Notes by G. I. Pritchard ...... 15

Salmonid Diseases Workshops and Expectations by R.M. MacKelvie ... 17

Implications of Recommendations Emanating from Salmonid Diseases Workshops by T. G. Carey ...... 25

Salmonid Aquaculture Research at St. Andrews by R.L. Saunders .. .. 26

Lobster Culture by D.E. Aiken 27

Sea Ranching by A. M. Sutterlin ...... 28

Trout Farming Trials Carried out by Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries by J.S. MacPhail ...... 29

Summary of Presentation on ll.lssels, Mytilus edulis by L.L. MacLeod 31 Summary of Presentation on salmonid culture by R.E.H. MacDonald... 34

Acclimation of Kidney-Diseased Atlantic Sa lmon to Salt Water by C. Frantsi and A. Foda ...... 37

Aquaculture - Oyster Farr'1ing by A. Mciver ...... 38

Preliminary Studies on Reconditioning Atlantic salmon Kelts (Salmo salar L.) for Release and on Recycling Salmon Kelts for Utilization as 'Broods tock by R. W. Gray ...... 40

Salmonid Diseases - Program Report by D, Desautels and R.M. MacKel vie ...... 41 2

Molluscan Disease by M. F. Li and G.S . Traxler...... 42

Nutrition Repor t to Aquaculture Workshop by J.D. Castell ...... 44

Ha l i f ax Laboratory Aquaculture Program by J.E. Stewart ...... 45

Reproductive Physiology of Fish at the Halifax Laboratory by M. S. Mounib ...... 47

Genet i cs : Aids f or Making Sel ect i ons for Culture by P.H. Odense 49 Aquaculture at t he Mari ne Eco l ogy Laboratory, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia by K. R. Freeman ...... • • ...... 50

Smolt Stocks f or Aquaculture by R.F. Hawkins ...... 52

Economics, Marketing and Cost Accounting in Aquaculture by G. DeWolf 53

Problems and Me t hods Used in Extension Work in Aquaculture by A. Mclver ...... 54

Need for Extension and Pi lot Plant Work and Possible Arrangements With Industry by R. L. Saunders ...... 58

Letter from J . S. MacPhail , Director of Resource Development, Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries ...... 61 3

Fisheries and Marine Service

Maritimes Region Fisheries Service Aquaculture Workshop

in

Conference Room Halif~x Laboratory Research and Development Directorate Fisheries and Marine Service 1707 Lower Water Street Halifax, Nova Scotia

November 26 and 27, 1973

Registration 9:30 - 10:00 a . m. November 26

No Parking Available

Agenda

Session I 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon November 26 Chairman J.E. Stewart

10:00 a.m. Opening Remarks

10:05 G. I. Pritchard National and Related International Aspects of Aquaculture

10:40 G.I. Pritchard Current Status of Salmonid Disease Regulations

10:50 R.M. MacKelvie Salmonid Diseases Workshops and Expectations

11: 10 T.G. Carey Implications of Recommendations Emanati_ng from Salmonid Diseases Workshops

11: 30 Discussion

12:00 - Lunch 1:00 p.m. 4

S8ssion II 1:00 - 5:00 p. m. ovember 26 Chairman T.G. Carey

1:00 p.m. Opening Remarks

1:05 Program Reports 15 min. each

1. Vancouver - W. Vanstone

2. St. Andrews - R.L. Saunders D. Aiken A. Sutterlin

3. Nova Scotia - J.S. MacPhail

4. Cape Breton Development Corporation - R.E. Drinnan

5. Resource Development Branch - R.E.H. MacDonald C. Frantsi A. Maciver R.W. Gray

6. Halifax Laboratory - J. D. Castell M.F. Li R.M. MacKelvie J.E. Stewart

7. Marine Ecology Laboratory - K. Freeman

Session III 7:30 - 10:00 p.m. November 26 Chairman J. S . MacPhail

7:30 p.m. Opening Remarks

7:35 Completion of Program Reports (if necessary)

8:00 R. Hawkins and P. Murray (20 min. address - Discussion) Source of Stocks for Large Scale Commercial Operations

9:00 R. Dewolfe (20 min. address - Discussion) Economics, Marketing and Cost Accounting in Aquaculture 5

Session IV 9 :00 a .m. - 12 :00 no on November 27 Chairman R. L. Saunders

9 :00 a .m. Opening Remarks

9:05 Cons i deration of the most promising species for culture

a) Salmonids - Atlantic Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Chinook, Brook Trout, etc.

1. Which species and why?

2. Type of unit (tanks, c_ages, etc.). Fresh water or Sea water?

3. Family sized units or large scale?

4. Most important problems in order of priority?

5. Who is doing what now in relation to these problems and who contemplates work on any of these problems?

6. Can th.is work be improved through cooperation and collaboration?

11:00 b) Oysters, Eels, Musse ls, Lobsters, Seaweeds

Repeat of considerations under Item a.

12:00 - Lunch 1:00 p.m.

Session V 1:00 p.rn. - 5:00 p .rn. November 27 Ch airman J.E. Stewart

1:00 p.m. Opening Remarks

1:05 R. E J-l . MacDonald (20 min. address - Discussion) Regulations Concerned with All Aspects of Aquaculture Operations

2:00 A. Maciver and R. L. Saunders (20 min . address - Discussion) Need for Extension and Pilot Plant work and Possible Arrangements with Industry

3:30 Should a comprehensi ve Atlantic Region meeting on aquaculture, includi ng universities, provincial government o_rganizations and indus tries, be held in March 1974?

Should an in-service \vorkshop of the general type just completed be held again? I f so, how often and what should be its general structure?

4:15 p.m . Closing Remarks at Completion of Workshop. 6

In Attendance

Name Affiliation

D.E. Aiken Fisheries Service, St. Andrews, N.B. R.L. Saunders Fisheries Service, St. Andrews, N.B. A.L. Sutterlin Fisheries Service, St. Andrews, N.B. E.B. Henderson Fisheries Service, St. Andrews, N.B. W.E. Vanstone Fisheries Service, Vancouver, B.C. K.R. Freeman Marine Ecology Lab., Dartmouth, N.S. R. E. Drinnan Marine Ecology Lab., Dartmouth, N.S. & DEVCO T.G. Carey Res. Dev. Branch, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. A. Mclver Res. Dev. Branch, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. P. Woo Res. Dev. Branch, Fisheries Service, Halifax , N. S. R.E.H. Macdonald Res. Dev. Branch, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. S.R. Baker Res. Dev. Branch, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. R.E. Cutting Res. Dev. Branch, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. R.F. Hawkins Res. Dev. Branch, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. G. Robbins Res. Dev. Branch, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. A. Foda Res. Dev. Branch, Fisheries Service, Fredericton, N.B C. Frantsi Res. Dev. Branch, Fisheries Service, Fredericton, N.B David Newton DEV CO L. Boudreau DEV CO J. Stuart MacPhail N.S. Dept. of Fisheries, Halifax, N.S. L. MacLeod N.S. Dept. of Fisheries, Halifax, N.S. P. Murray Fisheries &Marine Service, Ottawa G. I. Pritchard Fisheries &Marine Service, Ottawa T. C. Clarke SSRB, Fisheries &Marine Service, Ottawa G. DeWolfe Economics Branch, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. B.C. Muise, DEVCO, St. Andrews, N.B. W.D. Paterson Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. J. D. Castell Halifax Laboratory, Fi sheries Service, Halifax, N.S. J.E. Stewart Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. D. Desautels Halifax Laboratory, Fi sheries Service, Halifax, N.S. B. Zwicker Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. B. Arie Halifax Laboratory,,Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. J.W. Cornick Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. R.M. MacKelvie Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. M.F. Li Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N. S. G. Traxler Hal i fax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. J. MacLean Hal ifax Laborat·ory, Fisheries Service, Hal if ax, N.S. L.W. Regier Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. H.S. Shieh Halifax Laboratory, Fisheri es Service, Halifax, N.S. M.S. Mounib Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. V. Logan Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. P.H. Odense Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. M.W. Gilgan Halifax Laboratory, Fisheries Service, Halifax, N.S. Maritimes Region Fisheries Service 7

Aquaculture Workshop

The workshop arranged by T.G. Carey, R.D.B. and J.E. Stewart, R & D, Fisheries Service, was mostly in-service and represented an attempt to bring government people up-to-date on what was happening in government and in closely related projects. The emphasis was largely, but not exclusively, on salmonids.

The prepared statements listed in the agenda were presented and in some instances were illustrated with slides. Summaries of most of these statements were prepared by the authors and have been included in the written record. Discussions provoked by the prepared statements and by other points raised by different participants have been summarized briefly and presented below largely without attribution and should be read in conjunction with the various authors' summaries. Included as well is a copy of a highly relevant letter from J.S. MacPhail, Director of Resource Development for the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries.

OPENING REMARKS - J.E. Stewart

This is a particularly appropriate time to hold a workshop on aquaculture, since even to the most casual observer it has become apparent that there is a multiplicity of private, university, federal and provincial government projects going by the name of aquaculture and costing a great deal of money. With the increasing competition for research funds it is unreasonable to expect continued financing of any research area unless the participants offer evidence of doing something useful and of deriving the maximum benefit from the money spent on the various projects going to make up the whole.

There is a very great need for a comprehensive and agreed approach to the research and development activities within the several branches of the Fisheries Service as well as with those in other government agencies and at the universities. A certain amount of cooperation and collaboration can arise from individual efforts, but this is limited. The lack of a means of communication and coordination inevitably ensures that many projects will duplicate one another and come into conflict while other important and possibly crucial areas are neglected. The end result is a rather inefficient use of facilities and equipment together with an uneven or one sided development of a field which in commercial practice requires a balanced development in several subject areas and an integrated dissemination of the information thus obtained. Means must be devised to overcome the problems inherent in the present fragmentation of the research and development activities. Hopefully this workshop is a start toward reducing this fragmentation.

Session I.

A review of national and pertinent international aspects of aquaculture was presented by G.I. Pritchard. An important announcement made was that the western provinces had stated their definite interest in proceeding with aquaculture and requested federal aid in doing so. This request was received sympathetically by the Minister of Fisheries. An integrated statement describing the work intended by the federal governmen in this field for the west is being prepared by western federal fisheries staff for consideration as a Federal Cabinet Document in reply to the requests of the Western Provinces. 8

The important area of fish diseases was discussed jointly by R.M. MacKelvie and T.G. Carey. Revised regulations controlling importation of salmonids are expected to become effective in 1974. The impact of this on salmonid aquaculture ventures could be considerable. Later discussions revealed that there is virtually no Canadian source of fish for commercial salmonid rearing since the government hatchery programs have all they can do to meet current obligations and are in no position to expand operations significantly. Thus the only readily available sources lie outside the country. Application of the regulations on importation of salmonids is expected to reduce the availability of the imported stocks. Thus unless a good source of salmonids is developed within Canada, preferably within each major region, since it is just as important to prevent disease spread within Canada, salmonid culture would not be able to fluorish. Enactment of similar regulations by the United States would also have a major impact upon sales of the finished product; current and anticipated regulations apply to the unsterilized flesh of salmonids as well as to the live fish and eggs. Thus major problems of supply of fish or eggs for commercial culture plus the sale of the finished product exist and require immediate solution.

Session II.

This session covered presentations from various workers in several different institutions describing their work. With two exceptions this is covered in the summaries prepared by the authors.

W. Vanstone of the Vancouver, Fisheries Service, R. & D. Laboratory, D.0.E., described activities on the West coast. A very active program is underway both at the Vancouver Laboratory and the Nanaimo Station. This includes work on seaweeds (Porphyra and La.minaria) , salmonids grown in sea water, oysters and freshwater crayfish.

R.E. Drinnan of the Marine Ecology Laboratory, Dartmouth, described the programs being run by DEVCO with which he is associated in his secondment to that organization. The intent of DEVCO is to run a development program to demonstrate whether certain forms of aquaculture are feasible. If the feasibility is proved, they wi ll encourage these activities in Cape Breton as a means to provide employment and additional income for the area. To date they have studies on oysters, salmonids and mussels underway and have been encouraged by the results .

Session III.

This session is covered quite well by the summaries submitted by the authors. Among the more imp ortant points raised was the statement that the Maritimes Region Hatchery Service was in no position to provide the fry or young fish or smolts for commercial operations . Considerable discussion took place as to whether any other sources might be tapped. With the prospect of rigorous control of imports through the impending disease regulations the best solution was considered to be the development of specific­ pathogen-free sources within the country. The question as to whether this should be done with public or private funds was not resolved although both solutions were discussed extensively.

The question of whether aquaculture would prove to be a good investment was covered at some length. One view was that it was not a good investment at the present time; another viewpoint was that the prospects for rearing rainbow trout in salt water offered an excellent investment. Most were in agreement with the view that the technology for many forms of aquaculture does not now exist and that improvement in techniques and procedures could alter the picture considerably. A fair conclusion would be that no one at present really knows whether aquaculture in the Maritimes would be profitable. The best indications suggest that the first and most promising candidate is probably the oyster.

Session IV.

This session was concerned with the choice of species most appropriate for aquaculture in the Maritime Provinces. R.L. Saunders chaired the session and suggested the following 12 criteria for choosing a species for culture:

1. Control of spawning.

2. Simple larval development.

3. Fast rate of growth.

4. High conversion efficiency.

5. Satisfactory feeds known.

6. Indigenous.

7. High price range (marketing).

8. Commercial feed available.

9. Hardy.

10. Suitable temperature range.

11. Disease free or disease resistant - (specific pathogens).

12. Grows well in cold water. 10

Salmonids, because of their high market value and existing techniques for culture were considered the most favorable group of finned fish for aquaculture and the species were ranked in order of preference as follows: Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, coho salmon, chinook salmon, brook trout, arctic char and brown trout. The first three salmonid species were reported to be those which will be considered for initial pilot plant operations at Lorneville, New Brunswick.

One of the major points of discussion with regard to choice of a species for culture was the possible importation of disease if exotic species were to be used. For example, the kidney disease of the west coast salmon was considered to be a serious potential problem with coho salmon. It was also pointed out that local stocks were likely to have more resistance to endogenous disease problems such as IPN.

Some concern was expressed over the possibility of exotic species escaping from culture facilities and competing with local stocks in natural waters.

In considering choices of species it became obvious that there was a need for more biological and physiological information on most species discussed. Among the problem areas which require further work were the following:

1. Disease control and identification diagnosis.

2. Effects of environmental manipulation, temperature, salinity, stress conditions, photo periodism, etc.

3. Control of sexual maturation.

4. Nutrition.

5. Genetics.

6. Effects of introducing exotic species.

At the conclusion of the salmonid discussions the following statements were agreed upon generally:

1. That a definite Government policy on culture of exotic species be requested.

2. That the possibility of using hybrids should be considered.

3. That studies of diseases be continued and that a Government policy regarding importation of specific-pathogen-free fish be stated. 4. That more work on genetics is strongly recommended.

5. The nutrition work on salmonids is essential.

6. That possible new sources of stocks of yotmg fish for commercial aquaculture ventures should be considered.

7. That the question of size and type of aquaculture industry that is desirable has yet to be determined. Production capacities of various sizes of units must be determined. 11

8. That site selection requires more hydrographic and oceanographic data from Nova Scotia coastal areas than is presently available.

9. That research into potential markets, locations and desirable marketing practices, packaging etc. is required.

10. That research on effects of environmental conditions should be enlarged.

11. Physiological research on species for aquaculture is important yet the studies currently possible are lacking in the necessary depth.

12. The task of proving and demonstrating that aquaculture can be a money-making proposition must be accomplished prior to its recommendation to industry, especially after the failure of Sea Pool Fisheries.

Other species which were then considered briefly included lobsters, shrimp, oysters, eels, mussels and seaweeds. Scientists working in various aspects of disease, nutrition and culture of these species in the Maritimes were identified. It was felt that with increasing fish meal and feed costs, primary producers such as oysters, mussels and seaweeds which do not require artificial feeding have the best potential for long range aquaculture ventures. The summations prepared on these topics by the individuals reporting on these species give the best account of the problems and the possibilities.

Session V.

1. REGULATIONS CONCERNED WITH AQUACULTURE:

The final session, chaired by J.E. Stewart, commenced with an outline of the legal implications and regulations in aquaculture operations given by R.E .H. MacDonald. A brief history of the licensing of fish farms pointed out that although the British North America Act gave responsibility for fisheries to the Federal Government of Canada, the inland provinces have been delegated authority over their fisheries and Quebec and British Columbia control their inland fisheries. The first commercial fish farm permit issued in the Maritimes was in 1930, about 30 permits have been issued since with only 4 active permit holders today.

The following current requirements for fish farming permits were described:

1. Ownership or lease for land in cultivation area.

2. Water Permit.

3. Drawings, to scale, of fish plant.

4. Identification of species to be cultured. 12

It was pointed out that, in spite of the great interest i n salt-water cage (net) culture of salmonids, no provisions exist at present for licensing fish farms in salt water. It was then suggested that the following licenses would be needed in the Mari times:

1. License for raising fish for food in freshwater.

2. License for raising fish for food in saltwater.

3. License for rai sing fish for recreational purposes (fish-out ponds).

4. License for rearing young fish for sale to private operators.

R.E.H. MacDonald noted that there are a number of existing regulations that could be a hindrance to the development of aquaculture. For example, the Province of New Brunswick requires that no more than one day's catch may be shipped at any one time. 1be Federal Fisheries Act required that all artificially propagated fish produced must be tagged. 1bis rule was relaxed for Sea Pool who were required only to give the buyer a sales slip with the fish farming license number, however, the rule is still on the books. Ray MacDonald was also concerned about import regulations, and expressed the view that disease regulations might smother or kill an aquaculture industry rather than protect it.

In the discussion that followed it was learned that the Federal Government is working to develop a water colunm lease which would protect oyster farmers. It was recommended at the meeting that this water column lease shquld be developed to include other species in addition to oysters.

2. EXTENSION WORK AND PILOT PLANT OPERATIONS:

The second speaker of the afternoon was Allen Maciver who discussed extension work and his interesting experiences as extension worker with the Crane Cove Oyster Farm. Allen Maciver defined an extension worker's job as knowing who is doing the actual industry work and who has the technical information relevant to the industry and then bringing the two together. At present the major aquaculture industries in the Maritimes are government, with DEVCO being the largest followed by the Department of Indian Affairs, DREE, Industrial Development Branch of the Federal Government and ARDA. 1be reasons for aquaculture developments by government have been to create employment and to reduce the cost of unemployment payments with the actual production of a crop being only a secondary motivation.

1be two major sources of expertise to supply technical information valuable to the industry are government and university scientists. 1bus we have government extension workers to take government research knowledge to government sponsored industry, with private enterprise playing only a minor part in the aquaculture picture in the Mari times.

There have been three approaches to initiating aquaculture industries. The first has been direct government involvement, the second crown cooperatives and the third government "experts" loaned to private corporations as exemplified by A. Maciver's role as advisor to Crane Cove Oyster Farm .

Discussion of the role of extension work in the aquaculture industry was delayed until after R.L. Saunder's presentation on the value of Pilot Plant operations to demonstrate the feasibility of aquaculture. 13

3. PILOT PLANT FEASIBILITY:

R.L. Saunders spoke of the importance of a pilot plant operation to demonstrate the feasibility of aquaculture in the Maritimes. He pointed out that this demonstration was especially important to encourage new industry in light of the catastrophic failure of Sea Pool Fisheries. He felt that a pilot plant operation should be beneficial both for proving the possibility of a profit making industry in aquaculture and for testing laboratory techniques under actual operating conditions.

R.L. Saunders briefly outlined the proposed pilot plant operation at Lorneville to be operated in conjunction with the new thermalpO\ler plant. A number of interesting points were noted in connection with the Lorneville pilot plant.

The engineer's definition of a pilot plant (a first module to be later incorporated into the final production facility) is considerably different from that of the biologist who feels that there should be a strong research component in a pilot plant.

The questions of who should construct the pilot plant and who should conduct the pilot study are not settled. Who should finance the study, private industry or government? Who would own the information gained?

The Dom Sea operation in Washington State was noted as a good example of researchers involved with industry.

In the discussion which followed R.L. Saunders presentation, it was suggested that a pilot plant could serve as a tra1n1ng module for industry people and thus play a valuable role in extension work.

It was noted that at least three of the projects in aquaculture could serve as sites for training programs; (1) Ray MacDonald's cage culture operation, (2) Lorneville pilot plant and (3) the DEVCO operations.

In the discussion there was general agreement that in fisheries generally as well as in aquaculture there was need for considerably more extension work and training opportunities than it has been possible to provide to date. The discussion included mention of training and information aids such as training films, local short-term courses, technical pamphlets, local workshops, information sheets and extension services, pitched directly to the clients' needs.

References Noted Relative to Aquaculture:

1. Government-Industry Seminar on Aquaculture, held at Winnipeg, June, 1973. (Limited copies of written record available from G.I. Pritchard, Ottawa)

2. Lobster and Lobster Fisheries Interdisciplinary Bibliography, compiled by W. Nowak, Marine Science Laboratory Technical Report No. 6, 1972. Memorial University, Nfld., 3500 references $2.00 - Available from Memorial University.

Immediate Action Required:

1. It was resolved and approved by the majority of those present that a Regional Aquaculture Workshop be held in the fall or winter of 1974-75 open to all aquaculture workers in this region, university, government and 14

private industry. In addition it was strongly recommended that a Federal in·house Regional Aquaculture Workshop session be held in conjunction with this meeting, either immediately before or immediately afterward.

2. It was resolved and approved that a recommendation be made to our immediate superiors that a regional approach to aquaculture be developed equivalent to that being l.ll1dertaken for the western provinces by the Federal Government. The approach recommended was for the Regional Directors to commission the development of a document on aquaculture similar to the Cabinet Document on aquaculture being written by western Federal fisheries staff.

Record Prepared by

J.E. Stewart J.D. Castell 15

NOTES G. I. Pritchard

AQUACULTURE WORKSHOP Maritimes Region

November 26-27, 1973

It was only 15 months ago that we sat down in Ottawa for the first time to discuss where we might go, as a Service, in a program designed to create a viable, industrialized, fish production industry in Canada. The pace has let up little since. At that time, spokesmen for this region expressed concern for the fragmentation of activities, for the inroads that were being made by other government departments, and the need for aquaculture identity within the organization. Meetings such as this one cannot help but go against fragmentation, and can go a long way toward developing a strong and visible aquaculture program that will command respect i n other agencies. There seems to be little support for the idea that the Fisheries and Marine Service should assume a coordinating role for other government departments, but there is no lack of people seeking information and leadership from the Fisheries and Marine Service. When we talk to the industrial sector such as we did last June at t he seminar in Winnipeg, it quickly becomes apparent that simply manipulating existing policies or prog~ams to satisfy private operators is hardly satisfactory, and that much of the innovation, capitalization, and other expertise for aquaculture will likely come from outside the traditional fisheries sector. There is much, however, which this Service can and must do to reduce the risks in the emerging aquaculture industry and the time for getting essential regulations, guidelines, or other instruments affecting the Service's mandate to fall into place is not long.

On the international scene, the FAO Fisheries Conference that met last February in Vancouver came out strongly in support of aquaculture development. Last summer, I had the privilege of joining a group sponsored by the Consultative Group on Agricultural Development to draft a case for R & D in aquaculture, which is already generating financial commitments. The Canadian International Research & Development Center is looking for techni cal projects in southeast Asia and Canadians have recently been there. Aquaculture has also been identified in science and technology exchange agreements, specifically with Germany, Japan and China .

There are also some signs of more support for aquaculture within Canada. At the Western Economic Opportunities Conference last July, the Prime Minister agreed to the Premiers' request for accelerated development of fish farming in Western Canada, so the Service is now in the process of drawing together a Cab inet memorandum identifying existing and projected program needs. This wi ll include a review of the availability 16

of capital to private operators and some consideration will have to be given to its impact on the rest of Canada. Other Provincial Premiers, including Mr. Regan, is on record of favouring development in aquaculture.

We are also under direction to seriously examine the possibility of using thermal effluents in fish rearing operations, particularly as related to facilities designed and sold by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., and to the whole question of rehabilitation of the Great Lakes. Some experience i s being gained in the Lorneville feasibility study that should have application elsewhere; there is a session on thermal effluents for the CC FFR in January, and Dr. Saunders and I will attend a NATO sponsored workshop and research planning session in Bergen next February.

Aquaculture is also being discussed in the corporate board rooms, and some have set out action courses which would establish sites and conduct pilot op erations. Some are sophisticated companies that have little patience for wishy-washy policies on conflicting interpretations of government policy, and have no hesitancy in seeking the Minister's clarification. If the enterprise is not reliant upon the common-property resource for input, then the legal authority of the Fisheries and Marine Service in this area is tenuous at best. The overall federal policy on Canadian ownership is still being debated, and provincial authorities may well have the final word.

Few areas of aquaculture have had the attention of the prairie pot-holes. The program is being directed heavily into water chemistry and the capacity to predict consistent yields free of muddy-flavours. The Freshwater Institute also have a genetics project, and work on hatchery techniques. The provinces have followed up with extension programs and numbers of farmers involved continue to grow. Agriculture departments in both Alberta and Quebec are giving some support to aquaculture - primarily with emphasi s on the use of cages for fish feed lot although the thinking in Alberta also involves raceways, thermal-power plants as well as the value to native peoples. There are also several small trout-farmers in British Columbia that are prepared to grow bigger, but I suspect that some are in serious financial difficulties as a result of the current feed supply problems and the limited access to other financial resources.

The need for manufacturing fish-feed in Canada is well recognized, and there are several companies ready if the economics were r ight. The Service is cooperating with Ontario Natural Resources in getting a modest fish nutrition program underway at the University of Guelph - primarily looking at formulation problems. Also, the Marketing Branch has a consultant looking at some of the production cost/marketing factors.

Somewhat earlier, the private fish farmers were particularly concerned with being unable to get direct access to markets so that they could capture the highest prices. In the case of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, the subject was reviewed with provinces , and even though they did not remove rainbow trout from the schedule of their Act, they came up with a generous licensing policy which achieved the same end. 17

Maritimes Region Fisheries Service Aquaculture Workshop Halifax Laboratory, November 26-27, 1973

"Salmonid Diseases Workshops and Expectations" by R.M. MacKelvie

My task is to outline· the background, the considerations and more particularly some of the thinking, and I repeat some of the thinking, that has gone into the process of trying to develop a programme to prevent the introduction, and control the spread of diseases of salmonid fishes within Canada. The limitation in scope to these particular species was intentional in order to facilitate the development of principles and strategies which, at some later date, would serve as a general basis for disease control for other important aquatic animals.

The best way to deal with this subject is one of temporal sequence and so I would like to start in the mid 1960's and in the United States, for which information I am indebted to the writing of Donald F. Amend. In that decade, the importation of exotic animals into the United States had increased to the point where they felt that regulations were necessary to protect their wild-life resources. In 1967, therefore, Title SO, Chapter I, Part 13, Code of Federal Regulations became a federal law regulating importation of wild­ life or their eggs. In 1969, Section 13.7 of this law was ammended to include the provision that salmonid eggs, salmonid fish and unsterilized food products thereof could not be imported unless it was certified that they were free of a whirling disease caused by Myoxosoma cerebralis and a viral hemmorhagic septicaemia (VHS) also called Egtved disease. This law presumed to protect United States fishery resources from these two exotic diseases, but regulation of transportation of diseased fish within the United States had to be left to the individual States. The threat of VHS and whirling disease from Europe had prompted the a~en dment of Title SO, but whirling disease had already been found in the United States before the law took effect, and its rapid spread across that country made many people realize the consequences of indiscriminate movement of fishes.

Probably the first impact of the new United States regulations was felt in Ottawa when they were notified that in order to export salmonids to the United States, certification based upon methodologies laid down in a document called FDL-9 would have to be supplied, and Ottawa was also asked to provide a 1 ist of people who were considered compe tent to per.form this task. The second impact, and this under tonsiderable pressure from the United States who wished to set up a continental barrier to these diseases, was that Canada should, without delay, enact similar legislation. Canadian Federal legislation with respect to salmonid fishes was passed in 1969 and implemented in January 1970. Because of time limitations, the Canadian regulations were virtually indistinguishable from those of the United States including the use of the methodologies contained in FDL-9. Calmer examination of the situation reveal ed 18 flaws and ambiguities in both the form of the certificate ~ -: hich had been devised, and in FDL-9 itself. ~ lore importantly, however, attention was no;v directed to the whole question of a comprehensive fish health progranune for this country, which of course would include provision of diagnostic services, fish disease research and the like. In June 1970, Dr. Logie, the then Assistant Deputy Minister of Fisheries, convened a meeting in Ottawa of scientists with experience in fish pathology, fish cul turalists and fish­ eries administrators to discuss an overall programme. Included were repre­ sentatives from Universities and Federal and Provincial fisheries departments.

The three inter-related topics to be considered at this meeting were:

1. Certification of hatcheries for international trade with special attention to be paid to the adequacy of FDL-9, and the qualification of certifying agents.

2. Certification of hatcheries for interprovincial trade, and

3. Proposals for additional diseases which should be tested for, with respect to both international and interprovincial shipments.

For the purposes of this meeting we, in this laboratory, prepared two documents. The first was a critique of FDL-9 and Form F-1601, which \vas the prescribed form of certificate for use with the Import Regulations. The certificate was indeed subsequently amended the following February to clear up some of the ambiguity, but still failed categorically to indicate not that a particular shipment was free from the given pathogens, but that it derived from a facility wh i ch had been examined, with negative results, according to prescribed protocol which included stock surveillance for a specified period of time. Our quarrel with FDL-9 was that it implied a non-existent control over the movement of fish, that it lacked specific direction for sampling periods and rates, and that it contained several technical flaws. Our second presentation was in the form of a discussion paper which we had concocted after a fairly penetrating examination of the Animal Contagious Diseases Act. Our feeling was that there was probably a greater need to implement control over salmonid diseases that were indigenous to Canada, in particular those which affect some but not all parts of the cduntry. We felt, for instance, that fish culturalists in the Maritimes would be more concerned over the risk of introducing furunculosis from Ontario than Egtved disease from Denmark. We thought it incumbent upon us to set our own house in order as a first priority and warned our listeners that the seeming severity of what we were about to propose had to be taken as an indication of the seriousness of our intent. Briefly what we proposed was a complete ban on all movement of salmonid fish both into and within the country. This was to be followed by a period of stocktaking with respect to a list of named disease organisms, application of remedial measures and the judicious lifting of the ban on movement between certain areas which appeared to offer no hazard. This interchange was to be expanded as the larger-scale picture cleared until it 19 encompass ed the whole country. We i ns i sted, however, that this ban should not be lifted wi th r espect to imports from abroad until such time that we were convinced that the exporting country had in effect a control system as stringent as the one we were envisaging for ourselves in this country.

It would be dishonest to say that our proposal was well received - most in attendance tactfully decided to defer comment until they had studied i t further, and I must say in retrospect that it now appears to me to be remarkably crass and verging quite perceptibly on the naive. It did, however, establish for the purposes of our subsequent thinking certain important con­ cepts. It established the requirement for a standard protocol embodying directions for specific sampling periods and rates for the detection of specified named diseases using standard methods. It established the need for strict control over the movement of fish in and out of facilities, lack of which would nullify all inspection data requisite to certification of the facility . It established the need for a system of record-keeping. It established the need for consideration of administrative procedures and methods for the destruction of condemned stocks and the subsequent dis­ infection of the premises. Perhaps more significantly, it established the concept, which we have clung to tenaciously in all our subsequent delibera­ tions, that an essential part of any disease control programme must be the establishment under Federal government auspices of hatcheries and rearing establishments devoted exclusively to the breeding of salmonid fishes. Healthy fertilized eggs and planting stock of desirable genetic character should be made readily available to both public and private fish rearing establishments at a price sufficiently attractive to discourage production elsewhere. And finally, of course, it espoused the concept of an embargo on all importations from abroad, an idea which had become firmly planted in our way of thinking. It \VBS to prove a highly contentious issue later, but for the record I should like to make a quote from a letter I received from Dr. Ken Wolf to whom I had sent a copy of this discussion paper. It reads "I was very much impressed wi th the strength and sound reasoning in back of Canada's proposed complete and immediate embargo on fish from other nations. I have taken the liberty of circulating your proposed regulations among the staff members here, and also of making a copy and sending it to Washington, D.C. to the Division bf Fish Hatcheries. They, too, reacted as we did." The only real concensus of opinion to emerge from this meeting was the realization that disease control would be a key ingredient in any strategy for the development of an aquaculture industry, and that a committee consisting solely of technical people should be formed to study the entire problem and come up with a defini t e set of recommendations.

Thus came into bei ng the Canadian Committee on Fish Diseases, composed of individuals most of whom had research experience in fish diseases and who had been trained as microbiologists or parasitologists. Two of the members were veterinarians with special training in pathology. To provide a basis for consideration of thes e recommendations the Committee (in effect Drs. Margolis and Bell of t he Fisheries Research Board, Nanaimo, who wer e co-chairmen and who did t he l i on' s share of the work) reviewed the gener al 20 principl es of disease control . They took invent ory of communicable diseases known to affect Canadian fishes, of disease control regul ations then in effect in Canada and its provinces , and of r egulations in other countries . They obtained information on the level of i nternational and jnterprovincial imports and exports, of fish eggs , live fis h and fresh and f rozen f ood product s thereof. All these i terns were assembled into a s ection called "Background Information" in the committee's report, the first draft of which appeared in October 1971. The main section embodied their recommendations which were grouped under the following headings:

1. Transfer and shipment of l ive fish and eggs, and products from fish farms.

2. Control of water borne disease into and out of fish culture establishments.

3. Eradication of disease.

4. A disease reporting system.

5. Di agnostic centres.

6. Resear ch and Training centres.

7. Tne setting up of a standing committee to advise the Federal Government in mat ters relating to a fish health programme.

Recommendati ons in thes e various areas were summarized at the end of the report, and because ready reference to them may be usef ul later in thi s discussion, I have run off a number of copies of this ~ummary. There was a remarkable degree of agreement among the members , except for one es sentia l area, that deal ing with transfer and shipment of fish, etc., where a lone, but quite vociferous, dissenting voice was heard. This section discussed the relative me rits of total ban versus an alternative approach which advocated the adoption of strict regulations and enforcement regarding inspection, certificati on, quarantining , etc. at both the international and interprovin­ cial l evels. The significant points of the alternative approach, which was favored by the majority of the committee at that time, are incorporated into the summaries jus t handed out. Whi le the majority of the committee recognized that the ideal method of preventing the introduction of disease into Canada would be to impose a total ban on i mportation, they nevertheless felt it did not seem practical from s everal points of view, and cited retaliation against Canadian e xports and the s tifling of a developing salmonid farmi ng industry for l ack of a sufficiency of Canadian p lanting stock. For my part, I was ready at t his time to concede , wi th reservations, that the recommended control measures i n the alternative plan would be acceptable for the governing of fish mo vements within the countr y, but I felt that the risks involved would be i ntolerable were they to be applied to importations from abroad. I decided, therefore, to set dmm my arguments and request that they be submitted toge ther wi t h the report , to assist those respons ible for making the ultimate decisions. My arguments appear as Appendix I I of the final report which is now available · 21 to t he public as F . R.B. Miscellaneous Special Publication No. 16, dated June, 1972. The gist of my argument was quite simply that a ban on foreign imp orts was more than "ideal" and was , in fact, essential for the protection from disease of a developing aquaculture programme. I pointed out that three extremely serious diseases were still alien to this country, VHS, ulcerative dermal necrosis (UDN) and myxosomal whirling disease. That it was imperative that these diseases, plus others which unrecognized, almost certainly existed in various parts of the world, should be excluded at all costs. There should be absolute zero risk of contamination and this could be wrought only by the imposition of the ultimate in available control measures. Any lesser measure, even the best conceived system for shipment certification, permitted a chance for an accidental introduction. Added to this, there was the problem of applying meaningful certification against a disease such as UDN for . which there is even now no recognized etiological agent, and whose symptoms are far from unique. In any certification system, I pointed out, there was also the very real problem concerning the credibility of certifying agencies over which Canadians would have no control. This matter had been raised at the 1970 Ottawa meeting and is also referred to in Appendix I of the CCFD report. Misgivings on this subject were expressed to me personally by Ken Wolf upon his return from a trip to Europe. He was gravely concerned over the quali­ fications of some of the "approved certifying agents" he met whose names had been listed for this purpose by their governments and which list Washington had no choice but to accept. Yet another difficulty foreseen was the possibility that we could be victimized by certain questionable practices on the part of commercial suppliers - examples of which I had heard about from Doug Gillespie in connection with the prairie pot-hole operations. In answer to the charge that imposition of a ban could result in retaliation against Canadian exports, I felt that this was probably something we would have to live with, but that we would not be setting a precedent, since Denmark, Ireland and New Zealand prohibit all importations, as does Finland with exceptions only where fully justified. Countering the other charge, that an import ban would be stifling to aquaculture, it was argued that introduction of hard-to-eradicate diseases would be potentially more stifling to such an enterprise than any ban to safeguard against such an introduction. In any event, I pointed out, the obvious remedy was that steps should be taken immediately to develop adequate facilities within Canada for the production of planting stocks which would meet the demand, and ensure the culturalists of healthy stock. Copies of the paper, with my thoughts, now hopefully more articulately arranged, were circulated to all committee members for their appraisal. A subsequent poll indicated that the majority view (7:4) had now shifted in favour of a complete ban on foreign imports and this information too was submi tted to Ottawa. Typical of the reaction generated among the converts was that of Dr. Nielsen, Head of the Pathology Department, of t he Veterinary College in Saskatchewan, who had this to say in a letter to Gordon Bell "I have become convinced that the immediate imposition of a ban on salmonid imports is an imperative course of action if Canada is to develop the kind of aquacultural industry we believe is possible. The imposition of a ban may in no way be permanent - it is a measure to preserve the status quo while Canada establishes an effective disease control programme, etc., etc.". 22

On e thing was now clear - t he Committee had forwarded to the adminis­ tration for decision and act i on their general recommendations plus two views on an iss ue of divisi on, and that, of course , we would h ave to accept wh :itever policy they decided to adopt. The first real indication of what this might be with respect to for eign importations became evident when I was asked late in 1972 to sit on a committee to draw up a system of protocols and methodology for use in strengthening the salmonid import regulations. So this was it. Since then I have received a draft of a revised set of Salmonidae Import Regulations and a new form of certificate to be used in their connection.

What are my expectations?

On the national or interprovincial level and looking at the list of CCFD recormnendations i t appears to me that we have the plan for a highly effective fish health programme, especially if the riders suggested in my Appendix to the CCFD report are included. I do however anticipate there will be a quite considerable delay in implementation and would urge that this be hastened by every possible means. This is particularly true of Item #7.

Regarding the more vexatious question of foreign imports, the situation is not without its irony - of all the recommendations listed, only #5 is receiving any significant attention. And this was the only recommendation which did not receive the unanimous support of the committee and in fact represents a minority opinion. However I gather that it is Ottawa's intention to write the regulations in a manner sufficiently restrictive that a ban will, in many instances, be virtually in effect. I personally stil l prefer the more outright position that I have adopted on this issue and it is my sincere hope that there will arise no occasion whereby this stand will be vindicated. 23

V. SUMMA..~Y OF RECOMMENDATIONS

The volume of fish traffic in the f orm of eggs, planting stock, and processed products is increasing rapidly. The future of Canada's growing aquaculture industry, its recreational fisheries, and to an extent its commercial fisheries, depend upon the existence and development of healthy fish-cultural operations. A serious threat to the success of such operations is posed by the possible introduction and spread of devastating fish diseases. Prevention and control are essential. Canada is at the crossroads and a relatively small investment at this time would yield very significant long-term benefits.

The Canadian Committee on Fish Diseases presents the following key recommendations concerning the establishment of an effective Federal fish disease control programme and urges their implementation. (Relevant details are given for the most part in the text pages indicated in parentheses.)

1) Establishment of a number of strategically- located centres with responsibility for research, diagnosis, consultation, inspection, and certification relative to fish diseases, and which would also provide training programmes on fish diseases for certifying agents, inspectors, and fish culturists, both conunercial and governmental. (p. 21 and 22)

2) Development and acquisition of qualified personnel responsible for a continuing inspection and . certification programme of fish cultural premises, fish s tocks, and fish and egg shipments. This staff should also be responsible f or. checking on the reliability of foreign certifications of imports and for assessing the status of disease in wild stocks . (p . 21 and 22)

3) Es t ablishment of a sys tem for controlling the transshipment, part icularly between watersheds, of fish and eggs which have not been t reated so as to kill fish pathogens. The system should permit the establishment of quarantine areas and sites, when desirable, and provide for confis­ cation and destruction of diseased stock if necessary, to ensur e localization of disease problems. Measures should be taken to encourage the use of surface-disinfected eggs rather than fish for transfer a nd stocking. (p . 13, 14, 15 , and 17)

4) Development of regulations requiring that all hatcheries and other fish culture facilities that discharge their wastes directly into bodies of water containing resident populations of camnercially or recreationally .important species of fish, treat their waste water in such a way as to reduce pollution, and have the capability of disinfecting their dis­ charges in the event of a threatened epizootic. (p. 18 and 19)

5) Strengthening of present legislation relating to fish diseases. Specific changes in the "Salmonidae Import Regulations", and the associated inspection certificate, are recommended, including the addition of more diseases for which certification would be required. (p. 15, 16, and 17)

6) Establishment of a national fish disease reporting system with a central staff and headquarters . This central office would function as a focal poir.t for the f low of information to and from Provincial and Federel agencies, in t e ~ nationcJ.organizations, fish culturists, and concerned 24

individuals, and act as a source of infonnation on the current fish disease situetion in Canada. (p. 20)

7) Establishment within Canada as soon as possible of an adequate supply of brood stock certified as being free of certain specified diseases. A series of strategically-located, "certified" hatcheries should be established to supply all Canadian requirements for eggs, fry, and fingerlings for both conunercial and governmental fish culture operations. (p. lJ)

8) Establishment of a programme of grants to stimulate the training of qualified staff necessary for an effective diagnostic and certification programme. (p. 21)

9) Establislunent of a Standing Committee on Fish Diseases that would advise the Federal government on all matters pertaining to heaith and d.iseases of cultured and wild, freshwater and marine fishes, and that would recommend individuals for acceptance as certifying agents. ( p. 22) 25

IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATIONS EMANATING FROM SALMONID DISEASES WORKSHOPS

Implications of specific recommendations made by the Canadian Committee on Fish Diseases (C.C.F.D.) to control the spread of fish diseases in Canada on ongoing and proposed fish culture operations were considered.

While most of the recommendations were desirable, three were criticized as being impractical because of the potential effects on further development of government and private fish culture operations. These included:

(a) Establishment of a system for controlling transfers of fish and eggs which have not been treated to kill fish pathogens, especially between watersheds. This would cause problems because of the continued reliance of hatcheries on surface water supplies, and the planned centralization of hatchery operations for economical reasons.

(b) Strengthening of present legislation preventing spread of fish diseases. New regulations should be introduced gradually, and be phased so that commercial aquaculture and other fish culture operations are not seriously affected.

(c) Steps taken to ensure an adequate supply of SPF broodstock to initiate private fish culture enterprises. It is anticipated that thi s will be a major problem in the near future because there are no hatcheries in the Maritimes capable of producing SPF stocks.

T.G. Carey, Resource Development Branch Halifax, N.S. 26

SALMONID AQUACULTURE RESEARCH AT ST. ANDREWS

-R.L. Saunders - The goal of salmonid aquaculture research at St. Andrews has been to establish physiological principles and technical knowledge for the control of growth and reproduction of salmonids which seem to be good candidates for aquaculture and to encourage the application of these principles in practical aquaculture. This year we established the biological feasibility of raising salmon and trout to market size (1/2 - 3/4 lb) during a single season (May-November) starting with smolt sized fish. This strategy seems quite promising and likely to form the basis of a Maritimes aquaculture industry. In our studies we learned that the lower lethal temperature of Atlantic salmon, rainbow and brook trout in sea water (30%0 ) is about -0.8°C. All three species reached pan size by September. Rainbows had the highest survival and growth rates. Brook trout had lowest survival rates, probably because many attained sexual maturity which does not seem to be compatible with salinity tolerance. Better growth rates were realized with a diet of ground fresh herring than with a commercial, pelleted food. We plan further work to improve diets to meet the special needs of salmonids in sea water and to find ways of producing suitable flesh color and flavor of the fish, to improve cage structure and to find ways of reducing the cost of production. We have continued our endocrinological studies relating pituitary histology, growth rates and salinity tolerance to photoperiod. Attempts are being made to purify and identify hormones associated with physiological changes taking place during smolting and as a result of photoperiod manipulation. Oxygen consumption and NH3 production are increased during smolting of salmon. Photoperiod manipulation influences these parameters and the smolting process as a whole. This physiological research is being conducted in order to better understand the smolting process an appreciation of which is basic to aquaculture of salmonids. A proposal was made for R&D towards an aquaculture development using thermal effluent at Lorneville. The St. Andrews aquaculture group has been active in a study with Maclaren Eng. Co. and Arthur D. Little Co. to determine the biological, economic, m~rketing and engineering feasibility of such a development. The salmonids have been chosen as candidates meeting most of the criteria of good species for aquaculture. The study is to be completed in January, 1974. 27 MARITIMES REGION FISHERIES SERVICE AQUACULTURE WORKSHOP

-D.E. Aiken-

LOBSTER CULTURE

Most Important Problems Slow growth, antisocial behavior, and unknown nutritional requirements are often cited as the ma,or obstacles to lobster culture. However, I fe~l that the first two have been overstated, and that the nutritional unknowns are no greater than for some species of salmonids in salt water. The rearing biology and technology is straight­ forwardr the problems arise in trying to satisfy the require­ ments in an inexpensive way. Right now some aspects of lobster rearing are phohibitively expensive, and principal among these is the cost of maintaining and rearing post larval lobsters. This is best done byisolating individuals, but considerable bioengineering research is required to find a low-maintenance system that will feed and clean automatically. Larger lobsters of the juvenile size are more easily maintained. In my opinion the eenoept of lobster culture is more plausible than many realize, but I place two conditions on this statements (1) that "waste" heat be utilized to bring the culture water to 20-22 C so that the expense of heating ambient seawater is avoidedi and (2) that the marketing concept include the half-pound "scampi" sized lobster as well as the standard 1-li "market• lobster. The advantages to this approach are obvious. Finally, lobster culture is compatibl.e with molluscan culture, and there is no obvious reason why the blue mussel, for exam­ ple, couldn't be cultured in conjunction with lobster, both as a protein source for lobster and a marketable product in its own right.

Who is Doing What The most extensive research effort on lobster culture is in California. Eighteen PhD-level researchers are working on 9 different culture-oriented problems at Davis, and a special thermal effluent lab has been established at San Diego specifically to study the effects of thermal effluent on lobster and other species, and to design and test hardware to .handle the effluent in a culture facility. In Canada virtually all lobster culture research is done at Halifax and St. Andrews, on such subjects as nutrition, disease, molt and reproductive con­ trol, and chemical communication. There is more cooperation within Canada than between Canada and the United States in these matters, but at best it is less than optimum. 28

Sea Ranching

Arnold M. Sutterlin Biological Station St. Andrews, N. B.

Releases of Atlantic salmon smolts are planned for the next 3 years. Stocks from Bay of Fundy rivers which do not contribute to the Greenland fishery will be used. Smelts will be tagged, and imprinted on chemicals in the Station tide pool and released directly in the sea. The chemical will be released in subsequent summers in an attempt to attract the adult back to a trapping facility at the release site. Groups of smolts will also be released at different times in the summer in an attempt to alter their migratory behaviour. Local rivers and wiers in Passamaquoddy Bay will be checked for possible evidence of returning adults. Better survival of smolts and good summer feeding grounds in the passages around Passamaquoddy Bay might result in good returns. Such a stock might also be used for rehabilitation of the St. Croix River once the water quality is restored. 29

0 N

NOVA SCOT I A BOX 2223

DEPARTMENT OF FISHERI ES H A LI FA X

Aquaculture Selllinar November 26 and 27, 1973 Halifax Laboratory risheri•• te•earcb Board Trout raraing Triah Carried Out by Nova Scotia Departllellt of Fiaheriea

First trial• were in autmn i971 with 400 •i>ecltled trout in two ca1•• 4 feet by d feet by 8 feet of knotl••• nylon twin• in a •alt 1Mter pond in lla•quodoboit Barbour where w vere alrudy doia1 acne 1hellfuh atudlH. Th••• wintered very well although the 1Mter -• about 33 1 for three month1. However, mortalitiH bepn occurrin1 fre11 June untU Sept­ ember and uy have been cau•ed by hip •ter temperature• of 7l9 r or a dbeaae or both.

Second trial• were started in 1pring 1972 and the Lindloff Hatchery nur St. Peter• wa1 u•ed •• a ba•e. The nuraery tanks or ra cawya iD the old hatchery were ueed to hold trout before introducina thm to ..1t wter caaea. Theae cagea were 9 or 10 feet in circumference and 10 feet deep. They were covered with Ji-inch mesh vinyl-coated wire. caaee were placed in McNab's Cove near St. Peter•, Seal Ieland at the Big Bra• d'Or bridge and at Oyster Pond, St. Anne'• Bay. Aa far•• survival wa1 concerned , McNab ' • Cove prwed to be the beat site and probl8al 1ucb as foulina were severe at Seal Island and Oyster PODd, St. Anne '~ Bay. I believe a super-chil ling of the salt water in Deceraber at Seal bland wiped out that 1t ock and in Decmber,loJ Drinnan butchered the Oyster Pond trout for samplin1, taste panel•, etc.

Since we had only aeveral hundred trout at Mcllab'• Cove. ve left th• there for overwintering. However, when the ice melted, they were 1one. We had a few• maybe 12 or 15 skeletona and l filh lures caught in the bottom of the wire ~ •I•• However, we "nk a couple of ca1•• in the freah ,.ter in Lindloff Lake with a few hundred fiah and they overwintered very well with perhaps a 2 per cent mortality. During winter 1973, holding unit• were deaigned vhich consisted of module• of 3 cages each with •t'•!'ofoaa fl otation for a working platform. The fraae• of the caa•• were fabricated from aluminium and each cage could be, •ay, 6 or 8 feet in diameter and either S or 10 feet deep by bolting two 5-foot cage• together. Thia made them much eaaier to tran1• port and handle. 30

We obtained about 20,000 fingerling• from the la•ource IMvelopment Branch of the federal 1l•heri•• and Narine Service the flr•t week of May 1973 and placed th• in the racewya at the hatchery. Then ve ran into problaa with •ted.al•. Ordera for alumlal\a and vinyl-coated wire aade the f irat of jprll were received in Auauat but one llOdul• wa placed ln Mc ..b'a Co9• la late ~er.

Bera we aeemed to run into a di1eue probl•. Th• higbeat temper• ature recorded in the hatchery •• 57•r and 'tlhen the fiah were put in the wraer Hlt wter of perhapa up to 70•r, mortalitle• began occurriq aid there •• rupturlng of cell• &1ld bleeding at the 1llla aad, I believe, laternally. Al wter t911peraturea cooled in Septmber, the 1ituation •eemed to rlpt itaelf and 110rtaliti•1 dropped to acceptable level•. !be module at McNab'• Cove •• brought aahore but a caa• or two with aeveral b~red trout ..re 8Ullk at Mc.. b'a for ovenrinterlllg. The r ...lnder of our trout, 15,000 or ao, are in thrH of th• old circular TH.)n t·, .'t Lindloff or in aunkan cap• in Lindloff Lau. liab beyond what we eould handle were takm to the Moaer liver Statton.

We believe that ve had a diaeaH perhat>• of a bacterial nature ln th••• f iah which ,... held in check by the cC111P&ratlvely cold wter of Llndloff Lake but vhlch bloHomed vhm th• f iah were placed ln the wm Braa d'Or wter.

The reaulta point to the need for a greater effort la uaderatandina, raeoanlslna and makin& provl•lona for varloua fl1h dlaea•••·

Th• co•t of f lah food la too high and aubatltut•• other than f lah ...1 1a11t be found.

However, I feel that theae ohatacle• and r ..trictiona in flab farming can be overcome aa they have been in the rearing of cattle. aheep, hoga and chicken•.

* * •

J. Stuart MacPhall Director of Resource "Oli!velopment Province of Nova Scotia Halifax, Nova Scotia

NOVA SCOTIA DIPAR'l'MDT of FISHERIES 31

Summary of Talk Presented to Aquacultyre Seminar, Fisheries Research Board Laboratory, Halifax, November 27, 1973

The Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries began blue mussel culture off-bottom at Pleasant Point, Halifax County, Nova Scotia in July 1970. In that year an air-buoyed raft with 100 rope and polyethylene collectors picked up a very heavy spat set. We continued to experiment with collector material since that time. At the present time, there are ten rafts under cultivation at Pleasant Point with rafts located in other areas of the Eastern Shore. These collectors are being used to deter­ mine growth rate, etc. It has been found that the blue mussel

sp~wns and sets much earlier (mid-June) in Pleasant Point has the capability of being a collecting and nursery area for the Eastern Shore. From the 1970 raft, approximately 3,000 pounds of raw product was harvested over a two and three year period. Leaving the mussels for an extra year did not make an appreciable difference in meat yield. It would appear that a two year growth period is sufficient. Of course, this depends on the type of product desired -- canned or in shell.

The collector now being used is a 4" wide x 8 1 long strip of black polyethylene mesh with 1/4" rope for support. This appears to be a very good collector. The life expectancy should be

~ ten years. Assuming a two year growth period, four to five crops 32 should be realized from the same collector. The raft has the same life expectancy under normal conditions. This makes the oollootor and raft very eoonom1oal. One of the major problems that had to be overcome was the density of mussels on collectors.. This has been. solved by the development of resetting techniques. Having this capability allows for the proper culture of the blue mussel. One ton of whole mussels were processed in November this year with a steamed meat yield of ±12%. The meat was can processe~ in 4-ounce .cans with six different varieties of brine. These will be used to test shelf life and quality assessment and also it is hoped that some consumer acceptance resuits will be obtained this winter. It would appear that most of the physical parameters have been determined for the commencement of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) culture in the Eastern Shore area of Nova Scotia.

Lincoln L. MacLeod 33 Plye Mussel Unlt (Collectors + RAft + Lubor) - Pleasant Point. N.S.

11 A. Black Polyethylene Mesh (3/8 ) 5' x 100' = $100.00 Collector 4 11 wide x 8 1 long = 188 Collector& Price one (1) collector = $ 0.53

(2) Polypropylene Rope 1/2" or 5/16" @ $ll.OO/co11 of 200 f'ms.

Coat Price of Rope/Collector $11.00 $0.009 1200 = 12 Ft. of Rope/Collector 0.009 x 12 = $ 0.07 Cost Price of Materials in Collector Mesh 0.53 Rope Q..&Z. $0.00

B. Raft 15' x 15' 13 pieces 2" x 2" x 15 ft. @ 1.00 each = $ 13.00 3 pieces 2'i x 4" x 15' ft. @ 1.80 = 5.4Q

Cost Price of Lumber $ 18. ltO Cost Price Buoys @ $12 each x ~ 48.00 Nriils 2.00 Anchor & Chain 10.00 TOTAL COST PRICE OF RAFT $ 78.40

C. C.P. of lOO Collectors 100 x $0.60 $ 60.00 C.P. of 100 Collectors + Raft $134.40

D. Labour in making 100 Collectors 25.00

~ .' E. Cost Price of Materials + Labour for illue Mussel Unit

' ...... SUMMARY OF PRESENTATION ON AQUACULTURE 34

IN-HOUSE FEDERAL GOVERN'T WORKSHOP NOV. 26-27

-R. E. H. MacDonald-

Commercial fish farming in the Maritimes is a very small developing industry at present, however recent pilot project experiments in marine aquaculture involving rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon offers considerable promise that this type of farming could be successful in the Atlantic region.

In 1972 the Resource Development Branch, Fisheries and Marine Service, Halifax, contracted with the Cape

Breton Development Corp. (DEVCO) to conduct a two year study in the Cape Breton area to develop methods and materials that could be used in farming salmonids in a saltwater environment.

The DEVCO program started late in 1972 when Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout were acclimated to saltwater and placed in wire mesh metal cages supported by flotation collars anchored in 40-50 feet of water in Arichat Bay.

This program had limited success until Jan. 7/73 when the equipment was extensively damaged and all the fish were frozen to death during a severe winter storm. The 1973

DEVCO program was limited to the production of rainbow trout as, at that time, it was considered that production would have to be limited to a growing period from May to

December. The 1973 DEVCO rainbow trout program has been 35

very successful.

Average weight of rainbow trout at start of saltwater cycle 48.3 grams Average weight of rainbow trout at finish of saltwater cycle 520.7 " Average production in saltwater cycle ( 3 months ) 472.4 " In 1973 an Atlantic salmon marine pilot project study was undertaken by the Resource Development Branch at Polly

Cove, Halifax Co., N.S. The salmon program was moved to this location rather than Cape Breton because more favourable winter conditions could be expected. An attempt will be made to winter the fish in saltwater, using three different methods, one lot of fish will be held in box nets at the surface, a second lot will be retained in wire mesh cages lowered to a depth of 20 feet and the third lot will be held in insulated tanks on shore, supplied with saltwater pumped from a depth of 30 feet. Growth so far has been very satisfactory in this project.

Average weight of smelts July 1/73 at start of project 74.0 grams Average weight of salmon Nov. 3/73 750.0 " Maximum weight of salmon Nov. 3/73 861.0 " Minimum weight of salmon Nov. 3/73 458.0 "

Average production in saltwater cycle ( 4 months ) 676.0 " No disease or parasite problems have been identified in either program in the saltwater cycle that can be 36

attributed to the marine environment.

A moist diet was used in both projects, 98% of the ingredients supplied from Maritime sources and consisted of scrap fish, fish meal, oil, grain derivatives, and added vitamins. A production size rainbow program is scheduled for 1974 sponsored by DEVCO and the Atlantic salmon program will continue if the winter program is successful

Regulation regarding licensing commercial

fish farming in the Maritimes Region

There is a review being made of existing licensing policy and procedures that date back to 1928 and reconunendat­ ions for the new regulations should be ready shortly.

The regulations concerning licensing of fish farming in saltwater environment are not clear, however, this matter is being investigated and will be corrected. 37

ACCLIMATION OF KIDNEY-DISEASED ATLANTIC SALMON TO SALT WATER

C. Frantsi and A. Foda

Low returns of adult salmon from smolts released from Margaree Fish

Culture Station appear to be due to Corynebacterial kidney-disease (KD) infection. This study was designed to determine the ability of KD infected salmon smolts to acclimate to and survive in -sea water.

Smolts used were: Uninfected controls, low KO-lesion prevalence and high KD lesion prevalence. Smolts were acclimated over a 16 day period to full strength (30 ppt) sea water. Daily mortalities and a number of physiological parameters were recorded. Most fish which died during acclimation possessed KO-lesions. Roughly 30% of the high KO-lesion prevalence fish died. The progression of the disease was rapidly reversed in fish which survived acclimation with no gross lesions showing within one month. During the following 3 months

KD survivors and control fish showed similar growth rates.

Tag return information is being analysed to determine the fate of the salmon after they go to sea. 38

AQUACULTURE - OYSTER FARMING -A. Mciver-

The Canadian East Coast oyster fishery exists in three levels of sophistication. The "public fishery" depends -- primarily on the exploitation of existing natural stocks of oysters. Modest management techniques enhance this resource which is harvested by licensed oystermen fishing from dories using tongs or rakes. The "leasehold" fishery involves the transfer of oysters from public areas, contaminated areas or shorelines to areas with suitable hard bottom and a good nutrient supply, where purification and shell shape improve­ ment takes place. The main harvesting period is in the late fall and early winter. In off-bottom oyster cultivation, oyster spat are actively captured by suspending in the spawning areas, scallop shells strung on wire and spaced with short sections of 1/2 inch diameter vinyl tubing. These form a good substrate to which oyster larvae may cement themselves following three weeks of free swimming. The shellstrings bearing oysters may then be transferred to other areas for rapid growth and the oyst ers may later be transferred to bottom plots or wire mesh tra ys wh e n the y a r e large enough to resist starfish predation.

Some times, thousands of "spat" may set on one string, but an u ltima te surviva l of W-~oysters per scallop shell is considered a r ea sona ble den s i ty.

The Fisheries Service, Shellfish Unit, has promoted oyster farming by g iving technical a dvice to industry and by running 39

practically oriented experiments. For example, various systems and methods of oyster farming were evaluated and an attempt was made to cost each operation. Different spacer sizes were tested to determine the optimum spacing for spat collection or for growing of oysters. Control of mussels which also set on the same shellstrings as oysters, was experimentally carried out using a copper sulphate Cuso4 solution dip and air drying of shellstrings. Recommendations were then made to industry.

Comparative growth rates using different techniques and in various locations were determined, a spat monitoring and pre­ diction service is given in key locations and experiments to

extend the market season by delaying spawning were also carried

out. Much of this work was carried out .by Mr. P .. Woo. , . Dr. R. Lavoie

has overseen the management and manipulation of natural stocks

and the locating of commercially exploitable natural sources

of oyster spat, a critical fact or in oyster farming. The

Marketing Branch of the Fisheries and Marine Service has investi­

gated the effect of increase d oyster production and shellfish

product development is presently under consideration.

Thus, the approach tak en to oyster cultivation attempts

to consider all aspect s of deve lopment from spawning to

marketing and to give indus try oriented direction as it is

n e eded. It is ant icipat ed tha t an increased Maritime oyster

production 0 ill manifest i tse l f most noticeably by 1975 or 1976. 40

Preliminary studies on reconditioning Atlantic salmon kelts (Salmo salar L.) for release and on recycling salmon kelts for utilization as broodstock. R.W. Gray

Investigations on reconditioning black salmon or kelts for release back into the wild or rearing in captivity to sexual maturity were initiated in 1971. This technique was based on the assumption that higher kelt survival would be achieved in captivity than in the ocean and that viable progeny could be produced from these fish. The procedure involved reconditioning these fish to their original or slightly larger size thus requiring a minimal energy input since their major growth increment had occurred in the wild prior to spawning as virgin fish. At a low cost these fish can be spawned several times in successive years thus increasing the efficiency of stock utilization.

The primary objectives of the program in 1973 were twofold: (1) To compare the difference in survival between reconditioned kelts and normal kelts released in the wild. For this purpose a total of 41 reconditioned kelts (K=0.80) were released in the East River estuary in 1973: returns from these releases are expected back in 1974.

(2) To study the influence of several factors: (a) rearing salinity, (b) time at which kelts are acclimated to freshwater prior to spawning, (c) age at first maturity, (d) diet, (e) crude pituitary extract injections, on sexual maturation of kelts reared in captivity. In 1973 a total of 10 (30.3%) female salmon, with an estimated egg deposition of 49,840 spawned; 7 (31.8%) males also matured sexually. The eggs from specific spawning crosses between recycled and wild salmon are being incubated in separate groups at Cobequid Fish Culture Station to determine growth and survival characteristics of the resulting progeny. Maritimes Region Fisheries Service 41 Aquaculture Workshop Halifax Laboratory, November 26-27, 1973

"Salmonid Diseases - program report" ~y D. Desautels and R.M. MacKelvie

Our work is concerned with the infectious pancreatic necrosis virus of salmonids. The immediate objective was to find answers to practical questions posed by aquaculturalists, questions which pertained to the survival and eradication of the virus in rearing facilities; but part of our studies also related to the laboratory manipulation of IPN for routine and research procedures. A major finding of our work was the discovery that we had underestimated the length of time that IPN will persist under various conditions. Survival studies of IPN in fresh water from a natural epizootic showed a loss of 99% infectivity in 12 weeks. However at the end of 24 weeks there was residual activity in the water. Survival studies of IPN in natural seawater at 10°C indicated that seawater may have a stabilizing influence on IPN since there was no loss of activity after 10 weeks incubation and the loss of activity after 6 mon\hs was not significant. Results from heat inactivation studies carried out at 60°C showed that at pH 7.0 and 9.0, six hours of exposure were required to destroy the virus. At pH 3.0 the inactivation time was 3 hours. These experiments indicate that the usual pasteurization process is not adequate totally to destroy the IPN virus, and that therefore pasteurized mortalities should not be fed to fish. Results from drying experiments indicated that IPN lost 99% of its ·infectivity after 72 hours. However there was still residual infectivity after 6 weeks of drying at room humidity. IPN was resistant to both alkaline and acidic pH as shown by dialysis of IPN at pH 2.0 and 9.0 which demonstrated a residual activity after 40 days of incubation. IPN was inactivated with Wescodyne at 35 ppm for 5 min. at room temperature. These results indicate that the use dilution recommended by the manufacturer (75 ppm) will inactivate IPN on contaminated surfac~s even in the presence of organics. Irradiation of IPN with U.V. light at 2000 µW/cm did not completely inactivate IPN. There was residual activity as long as 45 min. after the start of irradiation. Chlorine disinfection studies of IPN indicated that a minimum of 25 ppm of active chlorine was required to inactivate the same amount of virus present in water as found during an epizootic. Based on the data obtained, we would advise use of a combinat1on of agents in order to assure complete eradication of virus. Every endeavour should be directed toward total extinction since surviving virus can be as destructive as non-treated virus. In future work it is our intention to follow the process of IPN infection in fish with fluorescent antibody. This, we anticipate, will provide us with a pattern of infection i n fish, and be instrumental in the determination of the proper organs for analysis for IPN in brood stock. We are also interested in developing a serologi cal method for the determination of IPN antibodies in carrier fish. Specifically we shall be attempting to perfect a latex or bentonite agglutination test. This may provide a better method of screening brood stock for IPN than the sampling of reproductive fluids during the spawning period and lethal sampling at other times. Sensitivity in detecting carriers would not be sacrificed and sampling could be done all year round without lethality. 42

Maritimes Region Fisheries Service Aquaculture Workshop

MOLLUSCAN DISEASE - MALPEQUE DISEASE

M.F. Li and G.S. Traxler

Work on the Malpeque disease of oyster is a major research program being carried out at the Halifax Laboratory. This disease had been studied by a number of workers with much work being done on its epidemiology and gross syndromes together with histological examinations of affected tissues. Our research in this area involves:

(1) Isolation or detection of the possible causative agent,

(2) To study the effect the environmental conditions have on producing

and affecting infected and disease-free oysters,

(3) To study the host-animal response.

Since 1970 several groups of Cape Breton oysters have been transferred from

the disease free Bras d'Or Lake waters to Malpeque Bay area (a disease area). The

mortalities and growth condition of the transferred oysters were monitored and compared

with those of native control oysters left in the Bras d'Or Lakes. Dying or weak

experimental oysters were used for inoculation of tissue culture lines (fish cells),

histological examination, and electron microscopy. The environmental conditions such

as water temperatures, salinity, and microbial distribution were studied at the same

time for representative samples. The results i ndicate that differences in water salinity

and distribution of microbial populati ons exist for the two areas. The transferred

oyster showed consistently higher mortalities and low condition indices. After one

year of exposure to the infected area a higher incidence of shell recess, pustules

formation and giant cells was found in the transferred oysters. Electronmicroscopy of the

oyster tissue revealed that the giant cells were typical known or pigment cells which

consist of vacuolated cell membranes, and fibril materials, and various dense bodies in th1

cytoplasm. 43

The signs, such as shell recess, pustule formation, and increased number of brown cells are commonly seen when the oysters become infected (by Dermocystidium marinum, or by Minchinia nelsoni) or growth under stress. Whether the observed signs in the transferred oyster are due to infection or stress under adverse environmental conditions is being studied further. 44

NUTRITION REPORT TO AQUACULTURE WORKSHOP -J. D. Castell- Salmonid Nutrition: There is a difference between a survival diet which will keep fish alive and growing, and a well balanced nutritious diet. Almost all commercial trout feeds are survival diets but not all are well balanced diets. High inci­ dence of disease problems,poor feed conversion, poor resistance to stress and poor flavor and texture of the fish are some of the symptoms of a less than optimal diet. An example of this has been shown in regard to the essential fatty acid content of 7 of the leading American trout pellets. Only two of the 7 pellets examined contained the minimum level of essential fatty acid.* Lack of essential fatty acids, as present in fish oils, results in poor growth, susceptability to fin rot, high flesh moisture and high mortality under high stress conditions.

Three lines of approaching the fish feed situation in the Maritimes should be: 1. A careful nutritional assessment of available commercial feeds, 2. The development of a maritime based fish feed producing industry, 3. Preparation of a reasonable diet from available raw materials at the site of the aquaculture venture. Another consideration that should not be overlooked is the storage condi­ tions of finished feeds and/or raw materials. The shelf life of dry pellets is reduced by exposure to heat, high humidity, UV irradiation and air. Fish type oils required by salmonids are even more subject to oxidation than vegetable oils.

Lobster and Oyster Nutrition: The marine nutrition program has been underway at the Halifax Lab for about 2 1/2 years. Initially a number of technical problems of holding facilities, water treatment and physical character of test diets had to be solved. Nutrition work with lobsters is progressing well. The effect of varying levels of protein, carbohydrate and lipids are being investigated wi th juvenile and adult lobsters. The oyster nutrition pr6gram has been mostly carried out by Mr. Don Trider; two years as a summer assistant and now as a MSc. candidate. The initial work assessed the relative importance of carbohydrate, protein, lipid, vitamins and minerals in test diets . Don's thesis wil l deal specifically with the lipid and fat-soluble vitamin requirements of oysters.

Salmonid Nutrition in Salt Wa t er: The commercial dry trout pellets have not proved to be satisfactory. It is obvious that the dietary requirements for salmonids in salt wa ter are altered by their change in environment . The nutritional requirements of salmon and t rout in salt water will be investigated by Dr. Lall, a recent graduate of the University of Guelph.

*Sinnhuber, R.O. 1969. "The Role of Fats" in Fish in Research, ed. Neuhaus, O.W. and J.E. Halver, Academic Press,. N.Y. pp. 255 45 Maritimes Region Fisheries Service Aquaculture Workshop

HALIFAX LABORATORY AQUACULTURE PROGRAM James E. Stewart

The subjects of nutrition and disease were selected at the Halifax Laboratory for concentrated study as our contribution to a regional aquaculture program. This was done for several reasons: first was the program on diseases of fish and shellfish already in being as a service to the lobster and oyster industries as well as providing aid and information to large Fisheries Service Hatchery and stocking program, the concern for stocks generally and the needs of whatever aquatic farming ventures existed or were likely to start; Secondly, no other program on nutrition and disease of aquatic animals was in progress on the Atlantic Coast; and finally the experience of agriculturists has been rather convincing that if disease problems are not coped with the rearing of the species on a reliable commercial basis is just not possible, their experience has also shown the critical and imperative need for understanding of the specificnutritional requirements if the animal is to be raised on a rational and profitable basis. Additionally, even if there were no prospects for applying this information in aquacultural operations the data would still be required for the industry as stated above and moreover to provide a more detailed information base for ecological studies and the management of fisheries resources. The work on ecology and energy budgets in the various aquatic communities is essential to understanding overall fisheries populations. Thus fisheries management must have detailed and comprehensive data on just what each animal and plant requires nutritionally in order to assess its correct position and importance in the overall scheme . It must also understand the impact that disease has on the stocks and how these diseases arise if management techniques are to be successful. 46

Our group, some of whom have described for this workshop their particular work includes currently: H.S. Shieh and J. MacLean - biochemical bases for the mode of pathogenicity of fish pathogens - currently the studies are concentrated on Aeromonas salmoni cida, the cause of furunculosis in salmonids. R.M. MacKelvie and D. Desautels - viral infections of salmonids.

M.F. Li and G.S. Traxler - Molluscan diseases (Malpeque disease of oysters) and fish diseases. J.D. Castell and J. Covey - Nutritional requirements of lobsters and oysters . Plus graduate student D. Trider. Soon to also cover salmonid requirements in seawater. J . E. Stewart, J.W. Cornick, B. Arie and B.M. Zwicker - Crustacean diseases notably gaffkemia of lobsters. Currently includes W.D. Paterson who will soon start

work on fish diseases including those of eels. Plus graduate student S. Malloy.

Our group is prepared to assist and offer advice on the general subjects of nutrition and disease to the best of ou; ability. We hope those involved in the various other components of aquaculture will avail themselves of this offer. 47 Maritimes Region Fisheries Service Aquaculture Workshop

REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF FISH AT TI-IE HALIFAX LABORATORY M. Said Mounib

The following items are being studied at the Halifax Laboratory:

I. Cryogenic Preservation of Fish Sperm:

An extension medium has been developed and successfully used in freezing cod

sperm without losing their fertilizing capacity (Mounib et!!._., 1968, J. Fish. Res.

Board Can. 25: 2623). Recognition has been given to the usefulness of this new

extender by other scientists, e.g. Pullin (Aquaculture 1: 279, 1972) used it for

freezing sperm of plaice.

The above-mentioned medium has been useful only in the cryogenic preservation

of sperm of salt water fish e.g., herring and haddock. In view of this, another

extender was developed and proved to be suitable in freezing of salmon and trout

sperm with the retention of their fertilizability.

II. Preservation of Fish Eggs:

Attempts are being made to store fertilized fish eggs, and thus far partial

success has been achieved. When this work is completed it will be possible to

control the time of hatching and make it coinciding with market demands.

III. Biochemical Studies on SEerm and Eggs of Fish: These studies led to the elucidation of certain metabolic pathways and enzymes in these gametes. The results of these investigati ons generated ideas that were

helpful in outlining the procedures which I used in preserving sperm and eggs .

Furthermore, these studi es have been helpful in providing information on the physiologi cal requirements of successful fertilization. 48

IV. Metabolism of Ovaries and Testes of Fish With Reference to Control of Spawning:

These studies added to our understanding of some steps involved in o~genesis

and sperrnatogenesis. Mainly through these experiments we will eventually be able to control sexual maturity and reproduction in fish. V. Developing a highly sensitive technique to be used in diagnosing the stage of ripeness of fish. VI. Experiments are being carried out in collaboration with the Resource Development Branch, Fisheries and Marine Service, to induce spawning in salmon held in captivity.

VII. A simple method to be used in sexing of young salmon is being developed. Maritimes Region Fisheries Service 49 Aquaculture Workshop

Genetics: Aids for Making Selections for Culture -Paul H. Odense-

The prime concern seems to be what species of fish should be selected for culture. There should, however, be more concern with the assessment of stock quality. The brood stocks should be selected for different qualities. For example, if food fish are to be raised, the brood stock should presumably have different characteristics than fish which are being raised for sport fishing or for complimenting river stocks which are required to make long spawning runs. There should be a genetic design for the selection of the various brood stocks. Electrophoretic analysis may provide a valuable tool for use in stock selection. This technique can be used to detect lactate dehydrogenase mutants in various tissues. There are i ndications that these mutant enzymes may have different pH optima which could be correlated with the fitness of the fish for migration. Detection of the mutant en zymes and their correlation with fitness would permit selecti on of the optimum characteristi c. so

AQUACULTURE AT THE MARINE ECOLOGY LABORATORY DARTMOUTH, NOVA SCOTIA - K.R. Freeman- Although the Marine Ecology Lab. has no aquaculture group as such, parts of its biological programme have considerable relevance to

aquaculture. While the majority of the activities of this programme may appear peripheral to those which are actively

producing a food product they are nonetheless vital to an

understanding of the mechanisms involved in production at the

higher trophic levels.

Of particular importance here is the work carried on

by Dr. Platt who has been concerned with spatial distribution

and production of phytoplankton and nutrient measurements in

our coastal inlets. These studies, which have been under way

for several years, have contributed to a greater understanding

of the ecological dynamics of local type-inlets. A IOOre

restricted segment of this work carried out by Dr. Prakash

concerned the influence of humic compounds on growth of marine

phytoplankton. Results indicate that these substances, whether

from terrestrial origins or from littoral algae, may have a

significant effect on the ability of coastal waters to support

phytoplankton production. Hopefully these studies will enable

predictions of consequences of manipulation of these inshore

ecosystems such as might be encountered in aquaculture operations

or through pollution.

In conjunction with these studies of coastal fertility

attention has been paid to growth of hanging cultures of the

blue mussel (Myt i l us e dulis) in embayments of widely differing 51

states of eutrophication. Bedford Basin, which receives considerable amounts of domestic sewage, and the less eutrophic

St. Margaret's Bay were used as growing sites. Preliminary results indicate a higher growth rate in the more eutrophic water with animals reaching marketable size within two growing seasons.

In addition to the work on the blue mussel the

Marine Ecology Laboratory has been involved in the cultivation of oysters. Results of this work are reported elsewhere. 52

SMOLT STOCKS FOR AQUACULTURE

by

R.F. Hawkins Artificial Propagation Maritimes Area

The difficulty associated with production of sufficient smolts for a viable conunercial fish farm should be emphasized.

The key to viable fish farming is the procurement of adequate, healthy and economical smolts for stocking sea cages.

An assessment of the smolt production potential at the 13 Federal Government Hatcheries in the Maritimes reveals that no smolts can be made available for private venture under the existing circumstances. The reason is that all smolts are now produced for other priority government agencies, and that increased production of smolts would require extensive new facilities. Some limiting factors within the existing operations are: insufficient water supply, adversely high temperatures, unsuitable sites, adverse water quality, and lack of facilities.

The suggested solution is the development of a pilot demonstration station to display techniques, confirm costs and demonstrate problems associated with large production of smolts.

From the knowledge and experience available, it appears that simple, practical techniques and facilities are more economically viable and biologically efficient than complicated water recirculating systems and other complex techniques.

Everyone should be aware of the difficulty and risk in producing adequate stocks of smolts, as well as the high cost and scarcity of suitable sites. 53

Sununary of Paper on Economics, Marketing and Cost Accounting in Aquaculture by G. Dewolf

Of the three motives for promoting aquaculture: (1) to provide protein sources on a large scale to sup­ plement commercial exploitation of fishery species, (2) to provide opportunities for employment and higher incomes, and (3) to develop a self-sustaining profitable industry, the last objective seems most reasonable at this stage of aquaculture development. If a species is to be reared by aquaculture, it must first be selected using biological criteria and then economic criteria. The latter include, among others, (1) price of the product, (2) market volume, (3) cost of production, (4) alternative supplies, and (5) competition from other regions. Using the economic criteria, salmonids and eels offer a reasonable potential for aquaculture. Oysters, sea plants, and mussels offer a fair potential and lobsters offer a poor potential. 54

PROBLEMS AND METHODS USED IN EXTENSION WORK IN AQUACULTURE - A. Mclver-

Bef ore discussing the problems and methods used in exten­ sion work , it is important to recognize who is actually involved in "aquacultural" projects and oyster farming in particular.

In Eastern Canada, the major sponsor and investor in oyster farming is the Government through its various Federal and

Provincial funding organizations. Ideally, aquacultural ventures should be designed and operated on the basis of the inherent viability of the project and its merits judged on its success or failure to produce a marketable product economically and profitably. Often, however the cri teri.on for measuring "success" seems to be the number of people actively employed and the oyster culture is merely a means to an end. The motivation and manageffient skills required to produce a self-supporting or profit making organization is often lacking or under­ developed .

Primary probleras in the practical application of technical assistance in aquacultural techniques to industry, organizations a nd individuals , lie i n the lack of coordination and cooperation between various governmental bodies at a ll levels. Generally, the funding and labour ince ntive oriented departments do not

seem to be as sen s itive to the need for expertise in planning or desig ning aquacu l t~re oriented projects or in ma naging and opt=:rating P1em as they rnight be . SS

Seco ndly, mu ch infor mational material is presented in manuscripts and t e chnica l reports in a form far beyond the

comprehension of those act ively engaged in many of the projects.

Even the natural suspicion of economically deprived people of we l l f ed and c l othed government representatives telling them

h ow to do the ir job b e t t er, creates a barrier which is hard

to break down.

Private industry does not necessari ly want government

"interference" along with government finar:cial aid. There is

a l so a fear that information which may be to their benefit to

remain private or pref erred, may become public as government

r epresentatives report on their findings, experiences and

progress. To quote one manager, "Eatons doesn' t tell Simpsons

what they are d o ing".

A numb er of me t h od s o f involving skilled personnel in

aquacultural projects have b een u s ed v1ith varying degre es of

succ ess :

( 1 ) Government Operations -

Go vernment does the wh o l e proj e ct i tself as a working

e xample or a p i l ot ope ration , e. g . Ellersli e oyster

h atchery .

(2 ) Crown Corporations -

In i tiate pr o j e c t s and u ndergo ex ?ensive r e sear ch the

individ ual fa r mer c ou ld n ot a fford - a ssist cooperati v es ,

e tcetera , e . g . Cape Breto n Devel opment Corpora t i on , Marine

Farming Division . 56

(3) Seconding of skilled personnel to industry -

The funding organization also funds the services of a

biologist or technician to give biological direction to

a project, e.g. Crane Cove Oyster Farm.

(4) Consultation and information services -

Skilled technical assistance is available when requested

to a number of groups on a limited time basis, e.g.

technical assistance to Kent County Oyster Producers

AssociationetcSome information is generally available on

request to aquaculture ventures, e.g. general oyster spat

monitoring in the Orangedale area by the Resource

Development Branch.

(5) Publications, public education, use of media -

General bulletins or information leaflets and aquaculture

manuals are available or in the process of being compiled

to aid laymen and industry in aquacultural techniques when

personnel are not readily available, e.g. Oyster Farming

in the Maritimes, by J .C. Medcof, 1961 ( in the process

of being updated for suspended culture methods, by

Resource Development Branch). Public education courses

are periodically given by the Resource Development Branch

to educate oystermen on the biology and techniques of

oyster farming . A manager training course is also being

designed to teach the interpretation and utilization of

biological information by managers of oyster farms . General 57

information films on projects, e.g. Crane Cove Oyster

Farfil, are screened periodically on television and instruc­

tional films on techniques are presently being compiled.

(6) Legislation

The intelligent enforcement of conservational and mana­

gerial legislation gives the public the indirect benefit

of the technical skills which were used to design these

laws and regulations. These are constantly updated and

revised to keep them relevant, e.g. new leasing policy

which encourages larger more active leaseholding with

performance requirements included in the terms of leasing.

Many of these methods of giving technical aid have inherent difficulties in actual application, but understanding and flexibility in programming do much to overcome these problems.

Some proble~s are seemingly insurmountable, especially when founded on prejudice or ignorance and can only be circumvented. 58

Need for extension and pilot plant work and possible arrangements with industry

by R. L. Saunders

As a preface to any remarks on this subject, I should like to read a paragraph from Roly Brett's paper

entitled, 11 Marine Fish Aquaculture in Canada - The Practice

and the Promise. 11 He says, 11 Lacking any Canadian demonstration of a viable sea farm for fish, a lead-time of 5 years in R & D is necessary to establish an Experimental Fish Farm, which should form the nucleus for technical development, economic assessment, information service, demonstration, training, and expert advice. It should involve more than one species and more than one site. Private enterprise can then proceed on its own judgment and initiative, with adequate assurance of a supporting agency. " My remarks concerning pilot plants will relate to t he Lorneville s tudy in which we envisage a pilot-plant operation to demonstrate promising fish culture techniques and to establis h culture strategies for a production plant to be built later. The concept of a pilot plant differs among people. Whereas engineers are likely to consider the pilot plant as the first module later to be incorporated into the production plant, I think of it as a facility in which to test promising techni ques we shall hopefully develop in the laboratory during the next few years . /I endorse Dr. Brett's concept of an experimental fish farm which goes far beyond the usual concept of a pilot study. The pilot plant must, of course, establish operating procedures 59 and economics of the final operation. The pilot plant must be located at or near the site of the production plant so as to experience the actual conditions that will exist at the production plant, e.g., local climate, power plant shut-downs, and water chemistry of thermal effluent. We see a need for flexibility of the pilot study to allow testing of new concepts at a level of operation greater than we can accommodate in the laboratory. For example, although lobster farming is not now biologically feasible, the pilot plant should provide facilities for testing new techniques which are likely to be developed for lobster culture during the three years' lead time before hot water is available at Lorneville. Similarly, there are sure to be new developments in salmonid culture. Who should finance the pilot study and who should conduct it? We hope that private industry will see fit to finance the study and that we researchers will play a prominent part i n i t . In our organization we have expertise in physiology of aquatic animals, nutrition, diseases, culture techniques, and endocrinology, all of vital importance to a developing aquaculture industry. Such participation by experts was too little used in the Sea Pool Fisheries operation. On the other hand, the development in Washington of DOMSEA and Ocean Systems under sponsorship of Union Carbide Company and with input from .government scientists shows how industry is benefiting from the scientific input from the government sector. I hope that the Lorneville pilot plant will provide an opportunity for us in government 60 research to make our contributions by demonstrating techniques which we can develop in our laboratories but which must be tested in larger scale than we can accommodate in the laboratory. Finally, we urge that pilot operations continue long enou gh to establish a sound basis for sound mariculture practice. 61

0 N

NOV A SCOTIA BO>< 2223

DEP ARTMENT OF FISHE R IES H A LIFAX

B3J 3C4 November 29, 1973

Dr. J. E. Stewart Program Manager, Aquaculture Halifax Laboratory Fisheries Research Board of Canada P. o. Box 429 Halifax, Nova Scotia

Dear Jim:

I would like to say that the workshop on aquaculture was particularly enlightening and we are now coming face to face with some of the major problems and constraints facing per~ons and industry interested in becoming involved in the culture of salmonids.

Everyone agrees, I am sure, that Dr. MacKelvie and his associates of the Canadian Committee on Fish Diseases have come up with a practical set of recommendations which can become part of the regulations concerning the culture of salmbnids. However, before these recommendations become regula­ tions, I would strongly suggest that the Resource Development Branch, Fisheries and Marirte Service select an existing fish culture station in the Maritimes that is free from specific diseases and convert it to a brood stock station tha t could supply eyed eggs and perhaps some fingerlings to government and private f i sh culture farms.

I am concerned about t he recommendation that fiRh farms have the capability to disinfect the waste water if it discharges into streams, etc., containing species of commercial or recreational importance. I do not recall that the full im l ications of what t his involved in equipment and costs wa s spelled out at the workshop.

Th e f ederal Fisheries and Marine Service should, I believe, establish courses i n the diagnosis and remed i a l treatment of common fish diseases in one of our universities - perhaps the University of Guelph. Qualified persons attending these cdurses could form a nucleus of an extension service in assisting and advising fish farmers in matters pertaining to fish diseases.

If we can agree that "the egg comes before the chicken", then I t h ink we can agree that we must have reasonably priced fish food before we shall have any great expansion in t he culture of salmonids in the Maritimes. I recommend that a study be i nitia ted of the sources of supply of materials available in the Maritimes with a view to establishing either a government operated fish food plant or the subsidization of a privately owned plant unt il the volume of food used will support its operation. 62

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Finally I would like to see support for an experimental salt water salmon farm as envisaged by Mr. Ray MacDonald for a period of say three years to examine its colll1\ercial viability.

I trust that these comments will be helpful in the development of policies regarding the future of the farming of salmonids.

Yours very truly,

J. Stuart MacPhail Dire6tor of Resource Development

JSMacPh:MLE CC: Mr. Lincoln MacLeod Mr. Roy Drinnan Dr. Ian Pritchard