Application for Aquaculture CRSP San Antonio Pre-conference Awards

ACRSP Annual Meeting February 25-26 and WAS February 26-March 2, 2007

This award is open to all individuals who will be presenting research historically or currently funded by the Aquaculture CRSP. It is open to those students, researchers, producers, and others who are principal authors of an accepted WAS presentation regarding CRSP research.

All applications should be returned to Kevin Fitzsimmons at by end of day October 31, 2006. Evaluations will be completed and awardees notified by December 1, 2006. Criteria to be used will be 1) scientific quality, 2) financial need and 3) regional representation. In an effort to simplify the application, please complete the four sections below.

1. Applicant Information

Name: Marta Jaroszewska

Highest degree: Dr.

Current title: Lecturer

Institution: Nicolaus Copernicus University

Mailing Address: Gagarina 9 PL 87100 Torun

Email:

Telephone: 00480606983312

2. Past/Present role as an Aquaculture CRSP participant:

I joined one of the Aquaculture CRSP-related projects “Use of Phytochemicals as a New Method to Sex-Reverse Nile Tilapia and Tropical Garfish. Part II: Initiation of feeding and gonad differentiation in longnose garfish”, Fish Nutrition and Feed Technology (12FNF3)/Experiment/Mexico/ led by Dr. Konrad Dabrowski from The Ohio State University, in May 2006. I have been involved in planning experiments, samples collection and analysis (histology) as well as in the data analysis and manuscript preparation. I have co-authored two conference presentations during “The First International Meeting on Lepisosteid Fish” in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico, August 6-9, 2006, organized by Dr. Wilfrido Contreras. Contribution during San Antonio WAS meeting will be the third contribution. During the meeting in Villahermiosa I became the Founding Member of the International Network for Lepisosteid Fish Research and Management under the auspices of CRSP. I have contributed a conference report to Polish journal “Communications in Fisheries” that describes scientific agenda of the meeting in Tabasco.

I am listed as the USA Co-PI in the next application for A-CRSP funding for 2006-2007 entitled “Reproduction of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) and surubim (Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum) and new paradigm in nutrition of tropical fishes” and if successful, I will continue my collaboration with Dr. Wilfrido Contreras and Dr. Arlette Hernandez-Franyutti from UJAT in regard to tropical garfish aquaculture.

3. Attach an electronic copy of your presentation abstract or insert below (follow instructions for ‘a’ or ‘b’ but not both).

a)If your presentation has already been accepted by WAS, please provide the title and session below. Please attach a copy of your submitted abstract as part of your completed application.

Title: STRUCTURE OF ALIMENTARY TRACT OF LONGNOSE GAR Lepisosteus osseus FED ON LIVE AND COMMERCIAL DIETS

Session: Ancient Fish (organized by Allyse Ferrara)

Abstract: The study of the alimentary tract and liver in garfish raised on live food and commercial, formulated diets has not been carried out. Second, the effect of masculinization by methyltestosterone (MT) on a condition of garfish digestive tract was not analysed. In the present study, the longnose gar was used as a surrogate species for tropical gar Atractosteus tropicus, thespeciesof aquaculture potential in Mexico. Longnose gar broodstock was obtained from Sandusky River, OH in March, 2005. After the acclimation to the laboratory conditions (feeding with live fish prey), gars were injected with a priming dose followed by a resolving dose of OVAPRIM® 8 hours later to induce the final maturation. Eggs were released by only one female and sperm was obtained from 2 males. After incubation for 6 days at 18ºC, larvae were hatched. A feeding trial was setup with 11 day old larvae (initial weight 37.3 mg, length 23.5 mm) where fish were distributed in nine 35 L glass aquaria with 11 fish/tank. Control groups were fed with live Artemia nauplii. In two other treatments we attempted to provide a formulated, commercial diet (AgloNorse Ewos, Norway; 59% protein 16% lipids) for 2 days. However, no feeding was observed, therefore all groups were offered live Artemia nauplii for the following 4 days. The second attempt of weaning from live food into a commercial diet (3 tanks) was carried out when fish were 37.4 mm total lenght. At the same time, a feed (AgloNorse) with 60 mg/kg 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) was offered to other 3 replicate groups of fish. Fish were fed ad libitum in 1-2 h intervals, 12 h daily, for 26 days. After the AgloNorse (MT and no MT) treatment completion (20 days), two experimental groups received a commercial diet (Silver Cup 42-15%) provided with a belt feeder for 12 h a day, and the live food group was offered live tilapia juveniles. Fish were then combined into a single group for each dietary treatment, and stocked into three 400 l-tanks. Several fish were fixed for histological analyses at the time of completion of the first phase of the experiment (26 days of feeding): the live food group, 0.6 g (mean weight, MW) and 75 mm of total body length (TL), and 0.5±0.2 g (62±8.5 mm TL) and 0.7±0.3 g (70±9.9 mm TL), for no MT and MT groups, respectively. The next samples were taken after 5 months. The MW and TL of the fish were: 19.7 g and 24 cm for live food and 11.6 g (20 cm TL) and 9.0 g (18 cm TL) for no MT and MT groups. After 13 months of rearing the size sampled fish was: 27.1± 4.0 g and 26.5±1.6 cm (live food), and 19.9±1.6 g and 24.1±0.8 cm (MT diet). Upcoming activities will be focused on description of the differentiation and morphology of the alimentary tract of longnose gar by histological methods. The following characteristic of tissues of the stomach and intestine will be described: height of the enterocytes and brush border, the number of Goblet cells, the thickness of lamina propria and the muscularis, and vacuolization of enterocytes. The differences in structure of hepatocytes of liver in all of experimental groups will be also studied.

b) If you have not yet submitted an abstract to WAS, you unfortunately missed the deadline for general sessions. In this case, immediately submit your abstract to WAS through the WAS website. Specify that you wish the paper to be accepted in the special “tilapia session.” Provide a duplicate of your abstract for evaluation for this competitive pre-conference award.

Title:

Session:

Abstract:

4. Please provide a statement outlining your specific need for conference preparation funds to the WAS annual conference in San Antonio.

Conference fee / $445
Travel / $1,000
Accommodation / $800
Total / $2,245

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Recipients of Aquaculture CRSP pre-conference awards are required to attend the Technical Committee meeting on Sunday, February 25 and Monday February 26, 2007. If you receive an Aquaculture CRSP pre-conference award then you are expected to make your travel plans to attend this TC meeting. Not attending the ACRSP meeting will invalidate your travel award.

Recipients of Aquaculture CRSP pre-conference awards are expected to obtain VISAS for travel to the US. Verifying visa status with Kevin Fitzsimmons is necessary prior to acceptance of awards.