AQUACULTURE FOOD AND MARKETING DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT: FY 2002-2003 Funding
Project Description
There is urgent need for economic development in West Virginia, particularly in rural communities where traditional economic activities (principally coal and timber) have been in decline. Rural economic development has been and remains a principal objective of the Aquaculture Food and Marketing Development Project (AFMDP). Investigators with the Project have identified two areas of focus where aquaculture can significantly impact economic development in West Virginia and adjacent states: (1) Development of the mine water resource for commercial production of foodfish, and (2) Use of farm raised fish in recreation. Conducting work in both of these areas will encourage development of a dual market for growers in the region strengthening both components of the industry.
Four years of funding have been approved for this Project. Work has been completed for the first year’s funding. Work proposed in other portions of the project are in varying stages of completion. This proposal is designed to complement and extend work presently underway.
Objectives: (FY 02-03 Proposal)
Characterize the impact of varying CO2 and O2 levels on growth efficiency, nutrient utilization, and fillet attributes of Rainbow Trout and Arctic Charr.
Evaluate alternative “cold set” technologies for production of value-added trout products.
Conduct economic analyses to evaluate costs and benefits of using impaired water for the production of fish for food and recreation.
Optimize performance and minimize costs of honeycomb fiber-reinforced polymer (HFRP) raceway systems to enhance profitability of trout production.
Develop designs for increasing the efficiency for removal of solid wastes from the quiescent zone in raceway systems producing trout.
Assess demand and develop marketing strategies for recreational fee fishing packages as complementary recreational activities.
Identify and quantify the impact of management variables on costs, revenues and profitability of food and recreational fishing enterprises.
Developing the Mine Water Resource
Flooded and abandoned coal mines, which exist throughout West Virginia (but are concentrated in the most economically depressed areas), provide an extensive source of constant temperature water, much of it suited for year-round, cold water aquaculture. The topography of the state is suited to low cost, gravity flow production systems. Much of the research supported by the Aquaculture Food and Marketing Development project has involved production and processing of cool water food fish. (Page limitations in this proposal allow only highlights to be covered in this section.)
An analysis of costs and returns from tank and raceway production systems for trout showed significant economies of scale and generally lower cost and greater efficiency for raceways. Detailed, farm-level trout enterprise budgets were developed for both tanks and raceways. Production of trout for consumption was found generally to be profitable in West Virginia under current market conditions but break-even volumes for processing facilities were relatively large, suggesting the need to develop value added products. The economics of trout processing at two facilities in West Virginia was analyzed and documented. An assessment of high volume mine water sources has been completed.
In concert with cooperating coal mine operators, a test site utilizing treated mine water has been established, which will allow construction of a pilot-scale raceway system with continual monitoring of water and fish quality. Research was conducted to design a modular raceway easily installed in remote locations, yet more durable than existing fiberglass products. The resulting system will be constructed of a novel honeycomb fiber-reinforced polymer (HFRP).
Waste from concentrated fish operations is an additional water quality concern. Baseline data will be collected when the raceway system is installed. Baseline effluent data are being collected from commercial trout facilities. This information will assist with research designed to efficiently manage effluents.
Total mean growth (average weight gain over 3 months) of rainbow trout exposed to high carbon dioxide levels (45?5 mg/L) were significantly less (p-value < 0.001) than fish exposed to either intermediate (35?5) or low (<25) levels. As CO2 increased, both growth rates and fillet weights decreased, and shear force for fillets increased.
In a health survey, sampling fish from 15 sources showed a low prevalence of common pathogenic organisms in the West Virginia salmonid industry. This survey may result in certification of some West Virginia trout hatcheries such that live fish can be legally transported across state lines.
In a yield verification trial, use of a high protein (48% vs. 38% standard) and energy (18% fat vs. 11% standard) ration yielded a 50% increase in fish weight harvested per tank. Data collected in this project indicate that CO2 concentrations at a production facility utilizing mine water are high enough to impact growth (>30 mg/l). Production capacity ranged from 83 to 138 lb/gpm flow when data were converted on an annual basis.
Consistent products of the highest quality are critical to a budding West Virginia foodfish industry. Data obtained from fish obtained at six farms show that raising the same fish and feeding the same feed does not guarantee product consistency. Fish muscle is particularly susceptible to deterioration of quality resulting from frozen storage. Sodium lactate and sucrose/sorbitol, alone or in combination with food-grade phosphates or MgCl2, were shown to be effective cryoprotectants which significantly increased quality of frozen trout fillets. Stress likewise can cause significant loss of quality in fish. The use of Aqua-S? to enhance quality by reducing the stress at harvest was not successful. Analysis of fish from eight producers growing the same strain of trout and using identical feed, showed substantial variation in measures of quality. Water characteristics are being examined as a possible cause. Federal regulations require at least 3.5% water-phase salt (WPS) in refrigerated, vacuum packaged smoked fish. Previously frozen rainbow trout fillets were brined at 8.7 or 17.4% sodium chloride solution for 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes. An 8.7% brine concentration and 90-minute brining time yielded maximum texture development while achieving WPS exceeding 3.5%. Five alternative brining protocols (combinations of direct salting, brining, and tumbling) failed to reach the target 3.5%, but direct salting yielded a product closest to the target (3.2%) and with the greatest consistency of quality measures. Additionl product quality work measured the effect of vacuum tumbling with direct salting or brining on smoked fillets, and the effect of time, sodium tripolyphosphate, and sodium chloride on model trout batters.
Technology Transfer Research from the Aquaculture Food and Marketing Development project has resulted in numerous presentations and publications ranging from extension bulletins to refereed manuscripts. The Project has sponsored field trips to five states for producers and potential producers and has partially funded four major educational meetings. Attendance at the annual Aquaculture Forum, established by the Project, has increased each year to approximately 100 participants in 2002. Evaluations of the programs by attendees has been uniformly excellent. The Project also has produced economic analyses and enterprise budgets for both producers and processors, has supported the establishment of an aquaculture web site (http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/aquaculture/index.htm), and has responded to approximately 700 requests for information.
Use of Farm Raised Fish in Recreation
Three surveys were used to determine the potential to develop a recreational fee fishing market in West Virginia (Ponzurick et al., 2001) from people possessing a West Virginia fishing license. Responses were received from nearly 850 individuals from 15 states including West Virginia. Characteristics of fee fishing enterprises most important to customers were determined for both fishing related (species of fish, size of fish, frequency of catch, pricing level and method, equipment rentals, etc.) and non-fishing related features (visual surroundings, site cleanliness, parking, rest rooms, picnic area, hours of operation, etc.). Operating plans and marketing strategies for fee fishing operations were developed and made available to potential operators. Responses from out-of-state residents indicated excellent potential to develop and market fishing packages through resorts, motels and state parks (non-state residents travel a median distance of 250 miles to fish in West Virginia; 95% stay overnight; 78% stay two or more days; 64 % combine fishing with other activities; customers are relatively affluent).
Developing
the Mine Water Resource
The mine water resource is central to development of a commercial foodfish
industry in West Virginia. Research activities outlined below relate to
development of this industry segment and the associated resource base.
Optimal Feeding Regimes Under Elevated CO2: We will investigate feeding regimes to maximize growth of rainbow trout during chronic exposure to elevated free CO2 and assess the effect on efficiency of nutrient use and product quality. Rainbow trout (250 grams per fish; 150 fish per tank) will be stocked into twelve, 1200-L fiberglass tanks equipped with flow-through, oxygen-injected spring water. Fish will be pit tagged immediately after stocking and at least 4 weeks prior to the start of the study. Three feeding regimens will be tested; fish will have access to allotted feed for 1 hour, 4 hours, or 24 hours. Feed will be dispersed at a rate of 1.2% body weight/day with a 1% increase of feed per day. Additionally, a low (20 ppm) and high (50 ppm) CO2 concentration will be imposed yielding six treatments which will be replicated twice.
Fish will be grown to harvest size, approximately 350-400 grams. Previous studies suggest a trial period of approximately 4 months including 1 month acclimation and 3 months for growth. All fish will be sampled every 14 days throughout the study. Sampled fish will be individually weighed, lengths measured, and pit tag codes identified. Ten fish will be removed from each tank at the beginning and end of the study, days 0 and 84, respectively, for fillet quality and texture analyses. An additional ten fish will be removed from each tank for biochemical analysis (i.e. nutrient use) at days 0 and 84.
Water
temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen will be measured daily with hand-held
meters. Carbon dioxide, alkalinity, hardness, total ammonia nitrogen,
nitrite, and nitrate will be measured weekly throughout the experiment.
Water flow will be measured weekly and adjusted as needed to maintain
dissolved oxygen levels above 80% saturation. Fish will be fed a standard
commercial trout feed (Zeigler) dispensed by automatic feeders.
During sampling, fish will be anesthetized with MS-222 to minimize handling
stress. Measurements obtained from each sample day will be used to calculate
the thermal growth coefficient, standard growth rate, condition factor,
and feed conversion ratio.
Plasma will be analyzed for cortisol, osmolality, chloride, glucose and
lactate.
Nutrient use: Diets and fish will be analyzed for crude protein, amino acids, ash, fat and percent dry weight at time 0 and at 84d. Feed intake data will be used to estimate intake for the tank. Crude protein will be measured via Kjeldahl analysis. Amino acid analysis will be performed on delipidated, hydrochloric acid digested fish and feed. The fish will have their gastrointestinal contents removed before analysis. Amino acid composition will be determined on a Waters Breeze system after the hydrolyzed amino acids are derivatized with phenylisothiocyanate. Ash will be determined in the standard manner using a muffle furnace. Fat will be estimated via ether extract. Percent dry weight will be estimated after drying. Additionally, muscle and liver will be used to assess changes in amino acid (lysine) oxidation that occur under the different feeding regimes and CO2 concentrations.
Product Quality: Fish will be filleted within 6 h of harvest for each of the treatment combinations. Fillet yield will be calculated for each fish, and fillets will be graded according to the Code of Federal Register (50 CFR, Ch. 11, Part 260) . Fresh fillet color will be measured using a Minolta chromameter when graded following 0, 24, 48, and 72 h of aerobic storage at 2 °C. Thiobarbituric reactive substances will be measured as an indication of lipid oxidation (McDonald and Hultin, 1987) following each storage period. Expressible moisture of fresh fillets will be measured according to procedures of Jauregui et al. (1981). This trait will indicate the water retention ability of postharvest trout muscle. Color, cook yields, instrumental texture, protein-water interactions and proximate analyses will be evaluated in fresh and value-added products.
Postmortem changes in muscle are modulated by muscles’ attempts to maintain ATP levels and cell viability. Hence, ATP/IMP ratios will be determined according to the procedure of Khan and Frey (1971). ATP/IMP measurements will be taken every 0.25 h for 1.5 h and then at 6, 12, and 24 h post sampling. Sampling will be conducted as described by Korhonen et al. (1990). Tissue will be collected from an anatomical location near the site of measurement for pH and temperature. Absorbance will be measured using a Shimadzu UV-1201 spectrophotometer at 250 and 280 nm. Samples will be blended with perchloric acid and then analyzed. K-value (Lowe et al., 1993) will be calculated following determination of ATP and its catabolites.
A mixture of two parts salt and 1 part brown sugar will be prepared A sufficient amount of this mixture will be added to achieve a target water-phase salt content of 3.5%. Muscle pH of fresh and brined fillets will be measured at the cranial, middle, and caudal third of each fish using a surface probe. Prior to thermal processing, a sample will be removed from one fish for protein solubility determination and myosin and actin quantification using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The remaining fish will be weighed to determine cook yield. Fish fillets will be placed on smoke racks and thermally processed in a microprocessor-controlled smokeoven (Model CVU-490; Enviro-Pak, Inc.;Clackamas, OR). Following thermal processing to an internal temperature of 65 ºC, fish fillets will be weighed and vacuum packed for texture analyses. Texture analyses will be performed on a Texture Analyzer using a Kramer-Shear attachment.
Proximate analyses will be conducted for fresh and smoked trout fillets using standard AOAC (1990) procedures. The pH measurements will be carried out using a pH/Ion analyzer (Corning, Inc.; Corning, NY). Proteins will be extracted using 2% NaCl, and extract pH will subsequently measured using the procedure described by Nayak et al. (1996). Characterization of soluble proteins will be carried out by SDS-PAGE, and actin and myosin will be quantified as described in an earlier report (Nayak et al., 1996) using video-image analysis of gels. Percent NaCl will be determined using QUANTAB Chloride Titrators (Environment Test Systems, Inc., Elkhart, IN). Cook yields will be determined based on weights prior to and following thermal processing.
A trout mince will be prepared from 5 fish per treatment combination. Either 2.0% NaCl or 2.0% NaCl and 0.4% sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) will be added to 300 g of ground trout muscle. Following chopping, preblends will be vacuum packaged and held for 12 h at 4?C. After 12 h, each batch will be packed into three, 2.8 cm polypropylene centrifuge tubes and heated to an internal temperature of 65 ºC. Internal temperature will be recorded at one minute intervals. Gels will be cooled to room temperature, and 3, 12.7 mm thick X 19.1 mm diameter cores will be removed from each cooked trout gel. Using a Texture Analyzer? each core will be axially compressed at 127 mm/min to 50% of its original height for two cycles. Gel hardness and cohesiveness will be determined. A portion of the raw batters will be extracted with either a 2.0% NaCl or 2.0% NaCl and 0.4% STPP solution that mimics the concentration of these ingredients in the aqueous phase of the raw batter. Total soluble protein and myosin will be determined (Nayak et al., 1996). Myosin will be separated from total soluble protein using SDS-PAGE. Gels will be stained with Coomassie blue, and following destaining, the gel image will be captured for evaluation by the Optimas image analysis system (Optimas Inc., Edmonds, WA). The gels will be scanned and individual bands of myosin quantified against a standard amount of myosin loaded in a reference lane. Differential scanning calorimetry will be used to develop endothermic peaks for soluble proteins.
Exposure of Artic charr to varying levels of CO2 and O2: We will determine the interaction between CO2 and O2 for growth, physiological stress responses, nutrient use and product quality. Arctic charr (250 grams per fish; 100 fish per tank) will be stocked into eighteen, 500-L fiberglass tanks equipped with flow-through, oxygen-injected spring water. Fish will be acclimated for 2 weeks prior to the start of the study. Three free CO2 concentrations [control (20-25 mg/L), medium (30-40 mg/L) and high (40-50 mg/L)] and three O2 concentrations will be tested [low (50-60% saturation), medium (70-80% saturation) and high (90-100% saturation)]. These CO2 concentrations are typical of waters used for aquaculture in West Virginia. Carbon dioxide and O2 treatments will be initiated on the day following the first fish sampling, and maintained throughout the study. Three levels of O2 and CO2 constituting nine treatment combinations, will be replicated four times requiring 36 tanks. Because 18 tanks are available, this will necessitate repeating the experiment two times where 3 O2 levels X 3 CO2 levels X 2 replications will be considered for each repetition.
Fish will be grown to harvest size, approximately 350-400 grams. It is anticipated that Arctic charr will grow at a similar rate as rainbow trout, so the length of the study will be approximately 4 months. Ten fish from each tank will be sampled every 28 days. Sampled fish will be weighed, lengths measured, and blood samples obtained for physiological assessment before the fish are packed and transported from the Freshwater Institute to West Virginia University for fillet quality and texture analyses. Carbon dioxide treatments will be maintained by diffusing liquid CO2 directly into the experimental tanks via micropore diffusers. Gas flow for each tank will be adjusted as needed through a remote flow meter, to maintain treatment concentrations. Dissolved O2 treatments will be maintained by diffusing liquid O2 directly into the experimental tanks via micropore diffusers. Gas flow for each tank will be adjusted as needed through a remote flow meter, to maintain treatment concentrations. Treatment CO2 levels will be measured daily using a standard nomogram, pH, and water temperature. Carbon dioxide concentrations also will be measured weekly using a sodium hydroxide titration technique to verify results of the nomogram. Temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen will be measured daily; alkalinity, hardness, total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate, acidity, and flow will be measured weekly throughout the experiment. Water flow will be adjusted as needed to maintain dissolved oxygen levels above 80% saturation. Fish will be fed twice daily at 2% body weight per day using standard commercial trout feed dispensed by automatic feeders. Fish weights and lengths will be used to calculate the thermal growth coefficient, standard growth rate, condition factor, and feed conversion ratio. Blood plasma will be analyzed for cortisol, osmolality, chloride glucose and lactate. Fillet and product attributes and nutrient analyses will be performed as described in the previous section.
Evaluation of “cold set” technologies: Heat-induced gelation of myofibrillar proteins for texture development is common in the production of value-added meat products from low cost inputs. Limitations of heat-induced gelation have spurred the development of alternative, “cold set” technologies which use enzymatic reactions to link meat fibers for acceptable texture. Two “cold set” binding agents (Activa? - uses the enzyme transglutaminase; and Fibermex? - uses normal blood clotting mechanisms) will be evaluated with two harvest methods (mechanical stun and chill kill), and two 5? C storage times (2 and 48 hrs), replicated three times. Following harvest, fish fillets will be chunked, mixed with binding agent, and formed into blocks (approx 50 mm thick). Following storage, 1.27cm sections will be evaluated for fillet and manufacturing yield, moisture, fat protein ash, color, and texture (Kramer shear). A sample of the blocks prepared will be further processed in either 8.7% or 17.4% brine concentrations and used to produce smoked trout strips. Proximate composition will be determined for the raw block; brined and smoked samples will be evaluated for water phase salt, texture and smokehouse yields.
Economics: We will build upon the results from previous economic analyses to provide a more comprehensive understanding of various aspects of a growing aquaculture industry. Data for these analyses will come from ongoing and planned investigations by other disciplines involved in this project, and from published sources. Our efforts are aimed at both, providing analytical support for the other disciplines involved in the study, as well as generating baseline information and identifying strategies or policies that will contribute to the sustainable development of a food- and recreation based aquaculture industry. We will evaluate costs and benefits (economic and environmental) of using impaired mine water for the production of fish for either recreational or food purposes. Data collected across the state at several mine water treatment plants operated by cooperating coal companies include fish survival and growth rates, bioassay of fish tissues, and water quality data in addition to normal production management data. A mathematical programming approach (Lindsey, 1997; Engle, 2001; Shang, 1981) will compare fish rearing in impaired mine waters with standard commercial production and as an alternative mine reclamation method. Trout budgets initiated in previous phases (and documented in San et al., 2001) will be refined based on production data collected from operating farms (one raceway - spring water, one round tanks - mine water) participating in the yield verification portion of the Project.
Raceway Production System Design: Opportunities exist to enhance production efficiency by improving performance of the HRFP raceway system. Most important are opportunities to reduce system costs through altered geometry, use of less constituent material, simplification of manufacture, and design to facilitate transportation and installation (including relocation). The work will consist of (1) surveying presently available fish culture tanks made of different materials and (2) evaluating the performance of HFRP materials and raceways designed and constructed previously.
A survey of existing systems will be required to optimize the HFRP system and make them more commercially competitive. This work will evaluate system types, advantages and disadvantages, initial and long-term cost, efficiency and longevity, transportation and installation costs, potential for relocation and reuse, modular construction features, maintenance requirements and costs. Field performance of previously designed and installed raceway units will be summarized and examined for future improvements. Results of laboratory testing of HFRP systems currently underway will document material performance in terms of stiffness and strength. Opportunities to modify core geometry, face-sheet fiber architecture and volume fraction of the HFRP raceway will be determined. The method of joining panels will be evaluated and appropriate modifications made to improve efficiency and longevity while reducing costs. Alternative designs which minimize costs of transportation and field installation will also be evaluated. An analytical multi-objective optimization method will be used to concurrently optimize the geometry, fiber architecture, manufacturing, and installation; the objective function will be the weight of the raceway in order to minimize material cost. After completing the optimization study, a prototype design will be produced and evaluated experimentally in the WVU-CEE structures lab.
Water
Quality: The modular composite HFRP raceway being designed
and field tested is equipped with a quiescent zone modeled on typical
industry design. Enhancement of this design to increase the margin of
solid waste removed will improve water quality in the system and its effluent.
Enhanced solids removal will be critical to industry sustainability given
the impending promulgation of National Pollution Elimination Discharge
Standards and corresponding best management practices. In order to conduct
a practical assessment and enhancement of quiescent zone design, a scale
model (approximately 1:6 scale) of the modular raceway system with a removable
quiescent zone will be constructed. Using the scale model of the raceway
system, the following two-fold approach will be used to assess the performance
of quiescent zones.
Flow patterns will be established using tracer dye based on a matrix of
typical system operating parameters (e.g., water velocity, head loss between
raceway cells; longitudinal cross-section below). Water height in each
raceway will be adjusted in 0.5’ increments up to a maximum water
height of 3’ by adding/removing dam boards yielding a water head
loss between raceway segments ranging from 1 to 6’. A water velocity
of 0.1 ft/s is recommended to facilitate solids removal from raceway systems
(Soderberg 1995),. Thus, water velocities ranging from 0.05 to 0.2 ft/s
will be studied using the scale model raceway. Experimental parameters
will initially be selected relative to the capacities of the pilot-scale
composite material raceway and will be adjusted based on the outcomes
of experiments.
Solids removal will be assessed by measuring the removal of a polydisperse slurry of solids in the laboratory scale raceway system. Data presented by Wong and Piedrahita (2000) will be used as a preliminary guideline for settling velocities, where a median settling velocity of 1.7 cm/s was reported for settleable solids from a commercial trout production system. A solids slurry of calibrated silica spheres will be characteristic of typical aquaculture effluents. Characterization of solids and removal efficiencies will be determined using a Coulter LS 230 laser scattering particle size analysis instrument in the WVU-CEE Environmental Engineering Laboratories.
Based on flow patterns and solids removal in the “baseline” quiescent zone, improved designs will be postulated, fabricated, and tested on the scale model. It will also be necessary to collect data on solids production and to characterize nutrient and oxygen demand loading in the raceway system, as part of the development of baseline performance. Thus, routine testing of aquaculture effluents will be conducted for five-day biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, ammonia nitrogen, settleble solids, dissolved oxygen, and pH. Further, effluent data collected in previous effluent assessment will be incorporated into the formulation of typical solids concentrations used in laboratory testing.
Fabrication and design optimization will be conducted in close collaboration between environmental engineering, structural engineering researchers as well as Dr. Jerry Plunkett of Kansas Structural Composites, Inc., the manufacturer of the composite material raceway system. In the case of each proposed quiescent zone design, a sheet metal model will be fabricated and fitted onto the scale raceway model. The use of the scale model provides a cost advantage and ease of construction and testing new quiescent zone designs under varying conditions prior to recommending any design(s) for larger scale implementation. The outcome of this work will be a quiescent zone design, which will enable the technically efficient and cost–effective removal of solids in raceway systems. Such an approach may be used industry-wide in the construction of modular raceway systems as well as new poured (or retrofitted) concrete structures.
Technology Transfer: On-going technology transfer activities have successfully engaged as cooperators two large coal companies controlling multiple mine sites. We will continue to work with coal companies and economic development agencies in the process of site assessment and education required for development of the mine water resource. We also will coordinate with processing plants and others to assist with determination of production capacity and appropriate facility design once a site has been chosen for development. This work will continue to share a research associate position working half time with Technology Transfer and half time with Agricultural and Resource Economics. The individual responsible for this area of work will coordinate with various investigators to develop workshops and publications useful for development of the mine water resource. Efforts will also be coordinated with the aquaculture programs at Bluefield State College and West Virginia State College
Use of Farm Raised fish in Recreation
Market Assessment: We propose to analyze the demand and assess the opportunity for marketing recreational fee fishing in West Virginia to travelers and tourists who do not have a West Virginia fishing license and would view fishing in their overall travel and tourism experience as a complementary/secondary recreational activity rather than as a primary recreational activity. Previous results (Ponzurick et al., 2001) suggests an opportunity to develop a significant recreational fee fishing industry, which caters to non-holders of state fishing licenses; i.e., travelers / tourists who view fishing as a complementary activity supporting a trip rather than the primary reason for a trip. A questionnaire will be designed to ascertain respondents’ interest in participating in fee fishing activities as a part of their travel and tourism plans. The questionnaire design will be similar to that used previously (Ponzurick, et al., 2001) and will include questions to determine expectations and outcomes desired by respondents as they relate to recreational fee fishing activities.
A sample frame from the West Virginia Department of Economic Development and the Division of Travel and Tourism traveler database will be generated in consultation with cooperating representatives of these two state agencies. The completed questionnaire will be pre-tested using a sample of approximately 30 individuals from the overall sample frame. Both pre-test and test groups will be surveyed by mail (Dillman, 2001) with the latter sample size sufficient to obtain completed interviews that represent a 95 percent confidence interval with a sampling error of ? 5 percent. Pre-test results will be used to adjust the questionnaire as needed prior to the final test. Mailings to the test population will include a single follow-up mailing to all individuals failing to respond. Survey responses will be analyzed using SPSS software to assess demand for recreational fee fishing as a secondary activity in the travel and tourism plans of West Virginia visitors. Preferences of potential clients will be used to develop a strategic marketing plan to guide potential operators of fee fishing facilities and complement marketing activities used by the West Virginia Division of Travel and Tourism.
Production Economics: Data collected from the hybrid bluegill production study to be conducted in 2002 under a previous proposal will be used to identify management options which maximize profitability. Data collected include stocking density, alternative rations (high vs. average fat and protein content), feed conversion, capital investment and labor utilization. Enterprise budget analysis (with partial budgeting technique to quantify the impact of incremental changes in farm operation on farm profitability) will be used to explain variation in profitability. The impacts of risk will be analyzed using the software package @RISK (Winston, 2000). This analysis will provide current and potential aquaculture producers with information on the risk-return characteristics of alternative species especially relevant to the recreational market.
Technology Transfer: Most fish farmers in West Virginia currently sell their fish in the recreational market with approximately 300,000 lb sold to fee fishing businesses around the state. In addition, live fish are sold to fishing clubs, large companies, housing associations, and private individuals for recreational use in both private and public waters. Building upon the data developed by Logar and Ponzurick (Ponzurick, et al., 2001) in this and previous grants, and the ongoing work by Schuett and Pierskalla (unpublished), it is timely that this information be combined with the experiences of fish farmers serving the recreational industry and extend it to a wide variety of recreational stakeholders. Such stakeholders would include resorts, attractions, fishing clubs, communities developing strategies to enhance tourism, and the general public. There is a need to develop materials which describe how farm raised fish can be utilized in recreational activities. There is opportunity to develop partnerships between segments of the tourism industry, fish farmers, fisheries managers, and the resource base to respond to the recreational opportunities described by marketing research.
A newly created Research Associate position will focus on the use of farm raised fish in recreation, and will coordinate development and use of a demonstration project at the Reymann Memorial Farm, part of the West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, near Wardensville, WV. The demonstration facility (obtained with state funds) will consist of a composite modular raceway system gravity fed by spring water. The facility will focus on effluent management and production of farm raised fish for use in recreation. Geographic area of emphasis will be the eastern panhandle and southward along the eastern edge of the state.
Aquaculture
has significant potential to improve economic conditions in West Virginia
and surrounding areas in Appalachia. The supply-demand balance for seafood
is, and promises to remain, favorable from the producer’s viewpoint.
Additionally, West Virginia and Central Appalachia possess water resources
which confer meaningful competitive advantages in the practice of cool
and cold water aquaculture by virtue of their being abundant, near constant
temperature and gravity fed. It also is important that many of these water
resources occur in areas most in need of economic development.
Although growing, the aquaculture industry in Central Appalachia has limited
infrastructure and is not well organized. There are a variety of constraints
to industry growth and sustainability. Those targeted for remediation
by this project include:
1)
Lack of information on efficient cool water production systems including
use of mine water resources;
2) Need for economically priced raceway systems easily transported to
and constructed in isolated areas, adaptable to slight
and severe slopes;
3) Absence of a strategic marketing plans for fee fishing operations;
4) Lack of technical assistance and an operating facility to advise on
and demonstrate appropriate application of current technology
Optimal Feeding Regimes Under Elevated CO2: Elevated free carbon dioxide is a common occurrence in West Virginia waters and can cause negative effects in aquaculture including suppressed physiological responses and decreased growth. From a fillet quality standpoint, elevated CO2 decreased fillet weight and increased shear force values for smoked fillets. Increased shear force may be associated with different heating rates attributable to the different size fillets. We have shown previously that rainbow trout exposed to elevated free CO2 (up to 49 mg/L free CO2) have decreased growth rates. Behavioral observations also showed that fish feeding activity in the high CO2 tended to be aggressive for only the first few minutes, then quickly diminished to passive, intermittent feeding compared to fish in the control tanks. Lethargic, intermittent feeding behavior of high CO2-exposed trout likely resulted from oxygen depravation, or hypoxemia. Less feed per dispersal offered more frequently throughout the day may allow fish to consume more food overall by minimizing oxygen demands associated with each individual feeding event. Additionally, approximately two-thirds of any animal agriculture enterprise cost is animal feed and the most expensive component of feed is protein. This is especially true for aquatic species since they have a much higher protein requirement than most terrestrial species. This protein requirement is for the most part a requirement for amino acids. Understanding factors affecting the efficiency with which fish use amino acids for protein synthesis could decrease diet cost as well as decrease the outflow of fish waste products, especially nitrogen and phosphorus.
Exposure of Artic Charr to Varying Levels of CO2 and O2: Rainbow trout are the primary coldwater species produced in West Virginia, representing 99% of the coldwater production total for 2000. Development and healthy expansion of coldwater aquaculture in West Virginia requires diversification of cultured species. Product diversification provides buffering against market saturation, disease-associated losses, and fluctuating product value. Coldwater culture conditions in West Virginia show potential for promising new aquaculture species such as Arctic charr. This fish has received less research attention and shows high morphologic, behavioral, and dietary variation under culture conditions due to their more recent appearance in aquaculture. However, the newness of the cultured species creates an opportunity for development of new markets with minimal competition. West Virginia aquaculture farms are challenged by water sources high in free CO2. Previous work with rainbow trout grown under chronic, elevated carbon dioxide exposure showed decreased growth rates, suppressed physiological stress responses, decreased fillet weight and increased shear force values for smoked fillets.
It has also been shown that rainbow trout grow optimally when dissolved oxygen concentrations are maintained at 80% saturation or higher. Charr may show higher tolerances to elevated CO2 compared to their rainbow trout counterparts; however, no information is available for this specie that addresses the relationship between CO2 and O2. Increased tolerance to elevated CO2 would make Arctic charr a highly suitable coldwater aquaculture species for culture in West Virginia. Furthermore, determination of how O2 concentration affects tolerance of CO2 would enhance our understanding of this component of the environment and provide the industry the basis for optimizing the production environment.
Water Quality: According to Hinrichs (1994), approximately 80% of dry weight feed added to aquaculture systems will eventually be released as fish excretion products. In aquaculture systems, organic particulate matter is derived from uneaten feed residuals, fish metabolites, and bacteria that grow in the system. Consequently, the effective removal of particulate matter from aquaculture waters is of paramount importance in order to maintain sufficient dissolved oxygen, minimize the effects of ammonia loading and thus, maximize productivity. (Kristiansen and Cripps, 1996; Bullock et al, 1994)
Limited experimentation has been reported for the removal of aquacultural solids in raceway systems. In comparison, several investigators have studied the application of advanced unit operations such as microscreen sieves, rotary drum filters, or rotary disc screens for the removal of solids from recirculating aquaculture systems (Summerfelt, 1996;Chen et al. 1993; Hinrichs, 1994). However, a notable study of pollutant removal from raceways was conducted by Boardman et al. (1998) in Virginia. In the study, the investigators studied effluent characteristics and treatment alternatives at three sites in which a raceway configuration was utilized to rear various species of trout (rainbow, brook, and brown). Unfortunately, the sites studied by Boardman et al. had a broad range of average production (27,200 – 113,400 kg/yr), with 3 to 24 raceway “drops” with concrete and earthen linings. Further, study of solids removal reported by Boardman et al. was limited to a three-week trial. In general, it was noted that quiescent zones in the three raceway systems contained insufficient area for settling, insufficient detention time, and lacked appropriate upkeep needed to ensure efficient operation. The authors also noted that the guidelines for quiescent zone design presented by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (1998) are too broad. Consequently, it is necessary to conduct experiments under controlled conditions to develop baseline characteristics of settling zones, followed by rigorous design and experimentation with novel quiescent zones, in order to optimize performance of settling zones in raceway systems.
Marketing Assessment: Travelers interested in fishing as a primary activity have been shown to be willing to travel several hours to fish during a single day outing (Vaughn, 1982; Cichra, 1988; Mims, 1989) and to create a total economic output exceeding $300 million (Maharaj and Carpenter, 1996). Ponzurick, et al. (2001) found a similar willingness to travel among both residents and non-residents who fish in West Virginia and, additionally, that nearly 90 percent of non-residents fish with family or friends while more than 95 percent stay one or more nights during fishing trips. It also was found that nearly 2/3rd of non-residents traveling to West Virginia for the primary purpose of fishing, participate in other recreational activities while on their trips. It seems reasonable to hypothesize that the reverse is true and that there is therefore potential to attract a substantial fraction of the annual 6.6 million visitors to West Virginia (West Virginia 1998 Domestic Travel Report, 1999) to participate in recreational fishing activities. This hypothesis is supported by a typically enthusiastic customer response to fee fishing (Tidwell, 2001), by an above average interest in hunting and fishing among West Virginia visitors (West Virginia 1998 Domestic Travel Report, 1999), by the general acceptance of fishing as a “family” activity (Ross and Loomis, 2001) and by an above average percentage of “family unit” visitors to West Virginia (West Virginia 1998 Domestic Travel Report, 1999). From the viewpoint of an aquaculture producer, fee fishing offers significant value-added opportunities relative to the wholesale food market for fish (Ray, 2001).
Given the common association of West Virginia with outdoor recreational activities, the ability and willingness of visitors to stay several days (average 3.6, Ponzurick, et al, 2001), and the growing view of fishing as a family activity, it seems reasonable to expect opportunities exist to develop recreational packages which would link fee fishing with overnight lodging at motels, resorts and state parks. Marketing fee fishing as an activity complementary and additional to other forms of recreation tremendously increases the potential customer and economic resource base for fee fishing while adding recreational options for travelers and tourists.
In cooperation with two different coal companies, we are conducting bioassays at three acid mine drainage (AMD) plants in West Virginia. This work complements impaired water research supported in the Aquaculture Food and Market Development Project and meshes well with the technology transfer component of this project. This work is supported by a grant from the Northeast Regional Aquaculture Center, a grant obtained by the Tucker County Economic Development Authority, and support from the Water Resources Research Institute at WVU. This work will provide data on water quality, as well as survival of rainbow trout in cages at three AMD treatment plants in addition to the work outlined in this grant proposal.
Additional work relating to this project includes the trout genome project, a study conducted by Drs. Logar and Ponzurick regarding fee fishing at Ogleby Park funded by the Benedum Foundation, and a “Partnerships For Innovation” grant from the National Science Foundation to Dr. Davalos for development of novel HFRP materials for industrial applications such as bridge decks and aquaculture raceways.
The physical facilities of West Virginia University will be utilized for developing, analyzing and reporting the study. Facilities of the Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences will draw upon resources from the three divisions of Animal and Veterinary Science, Forestry (Recreation and Parks), and Resource Management (Economics). The Department of he Civil and Environmental Engineering, in the College of Engineering, the College of Business and Economics, the West Virginia Extension Service and the Cooperative Fishery Research Unit at WVU will provide additional resources. Personal computers and software provided by the institution will be used in implementing this process.
The Division of Animal and Veterinary Sciences maintains a meat processing laboratory (1100 ft²), meat chemistry laboratory (750 ft²), coolers (940 ft²), and a walk-in freezer (150 ft²). The meat processing laboratory is equipped with a grinder, meat stuffer, band saws, mixers, and stuffers. A Griffith mincemaster emulsion mill, Hobart bowl mixer, and microprocessor controlled smokehouse are available. Additionally, an Instron Universal testing machine (Model TM), interfaced with data acquisition hardware and signal processing software is available for texture analysis. The meat chemistry lab is equipped with water baths, Beckman spectrophotometer, Minolta chromometer, drying oven, vertical slab gel electrophoresis unit, Goldfisch and Soxhlet fat extractors, and an ashing oven. A Tecator digestion and distillation unit for Kjehdahl nitrogen determinations is also accessible.
All biochemical analyses will be conducted in the laboratory managed by Dr. Blemings. This laboratory is equipped with a spectrophotometer (Beckman DU 640), a fluorometer (Turner Designs -700) and a liquid scintillation counter (Beckman LS 1800). The laboratory also has electrophoresis equipment, a computer for data analysis, shaking water baths, water baths, tissue grinders, homogenizers and an HPLC with in-line radioactivity detection. Within the Division of Animal and Veterinary Sciences there is access to pH meters, gamma counters, centrifuges (nano, micro, clinical, superspeed, and ultra), light microscopes, speed-vac, sonicating waterbath, autoclave, fume hoods, refrigerators and freezers, film developer, and a water purification system. There is also a cell culture facility including a laminar flow hood, orbital shakers, and several incubators including a water-jacketed CO2 incubator. A chloride analyzer, spectrophotometer, and Gamma counter are available for blood (stress) analysis.
Engineering. Facilities of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources contains in excess of 5000 ft2 of laboratory space. Analytical equipment includes: one atomic absorption spectrophotometer; three gas chromatographs with multiple detector arrays (PID and FID) and a purge and trap apparatus; two total organic carbon analyzers; three automated pH titrators; one scanning electron microscope; and one UV-visual light absorbence spectrophotometer. The National Research Center for Coal and Energy (NRCCE) located adjacent to the engineering facilities will conduct water quality analyses. The laboratory is EPA certified for performing analysis under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System of the Clean Water Act. All analytical methods are EPA approved and have a standard Quality Assurance/Quality Control protocol.
Analysis of the market potential for including fee fishing in standard vacation packages will require two years. Surveys will be designed and conducted during the first year; results will be analyzed and strategic marketing plans developed in year two. Identification and quantification of management variables responsible for variation in profitability in the production of fish for recreational and food markets will require two years to complete data collection and analysis. Evaluations of CO2 and O2 impact on growth and quality of trout and charr will require two years due to limitations on numbers of research tanks. Product quality assessment and evaluation of "cold-set" technologies will occur simultaneously with assessment of growth and stress response. The development and evaluation of alternative HFRP raceway designs which more efficiently remove solid wastes will be completed in year one. Tasks associated with the technology transfer objective are ongoing and will continue in both years of this proposal. A demonstration production facility will be a new program element with construction in year one and program support use in year two.
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Kenneth J. Semmens. Dr. Semmens, is State Extension Specialist for Aquaculture and specializes in aquaculture with twenty years of experience producing and marketing a wide variety of warm, cool and coldwater fish species. He holds a joint appointment with the Cooperative Extension Service and the West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. He will oversee the execution of the project’s activities, assist the co-investigators with problems and issues that arise, facilitate resource allocation, help assure that the project is carried out in a timely manner and integrate project activities in support of the aquaculture industry in West Virginia.
Kenneth P. Blemings is an assistant professor of nutritional biochemistry in the Division of Animal and Veterinary Sciences and a member of the Genetics and Developmental Biology Program at West Virginia University. His research interests are in the efficiency of nutrient utilization, gene-nutrient interactions, and regulation of growth. He will supervise a graduate student who will do the protein and amino acid metabolism studies.
Julio
Davalos is C.W. Benedum Distinguished Teaching Professor, Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering and Mineral
Resources, West Virginia University. His primary research interests are
analytical and applied mechanics, characterization of wood and fiber-reinforced
polymer composites, structural and bridge engineering, and effective teaching
methods. Dr. Davalos has produced design manuals and taught courses on
composite materials. He will lead the task which makes structural evaluation
of the modular raceway.
Gerard E. D'Souza. Dr. D'Souza will have primary responsibility
for developing economic analysis of variables associated with variations
in profitability of food and recreational fish enterprises. He will collaborate
with the other agricultural and resource economists and the marketing
specialists on the team, assisting in development of enterprise budgets
and performing related farm-level analysis of costs and returns.
P. Brett Kenney. Dr. Kenney will coordinate work to determine optimal feeding regimes under elevated CO2 levels. He will collaborate on studies exposing artic charr to varying levels of O2 and CO2. His current research projects involve the effect of management practices on quality of fresh and smoked trout products.
P. Brett Kenney. Dr. Kenney will coordinate fillet collection and analysis of fillet quality attributes for work designed to optimize feeding regimen of trout under elevated CO2 levels. He will collaborate on studies exposing artic charr to varying levels of O2 and CO2. Addtionally he will coordinate design of experiments for evaluation of cold-set technologies. His current research projects involve the effect of management practices on quality of fresh and smoked trout products.
Cyril M. Logar. Dr. Logar (along with Dr. Ponzurick) will coordinate and conduct the study of potential demand for fishing opportunities as a part of vacation packages offered by hotels, motels, resorts, parks, etc. Responsibilities include survey design, administration and analysis and development of marketing plans based on survey results.
Patricia M. Mazik. Dr. Mazik will coordinate work to determine optimal feeding regimes under elevated CO2 levels. She will coordinate and manage the fish sampling for stress and contaminants. She will coordinate overall fish sampling and will supervise data interpretation and information dissemination through scientific and popular press. Dr. Mazik has previously performed fish biology and aquaculture research.
Patricia M. Mazik. Dr. Mazik will coordinate and manage the fish sampling for stress and contaminants. She will coordinate overall fish sampling and will supervise data interpretation and information dissemination through scientific and popular press. Dr. Mazik has previously performed fish biology and aquaculture research.
Thomas G. Ponzurick. Dr. Ponzurick (along with Dr. Logar) will coordinate and conduct the study of potential demand for fishing opportunities as a part of vacation packages offered by hotels, motels, resorts, parks, etc. Responsibilities include survey design, administration and analysis and development of marketing plans based on survey results.
Dennis K. Smith, Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, will collaborate on the economic analysis of variables associated with variations in profitability of food and recreational fish enterprises. Dr. Smith has extensive research experience in rural development and enterprise analysis.
Roger C. Viadero, Jr., Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering will conduct HFRP raceway design and improvement for greater efficiency of solid waste removal. Dr. Viadero has previously led research on engineering aspects of water treatment in recirculating aquaculture systems used to raise yellow perch. Dr. Viadero is a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture’s Effluents Task Force.
Ronald
H. Fortney, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering will
work with Dr. Viadero in developing environmentally responsible methods
of managing solid waste in aquaculture systems. Dr. Fortney’s expertise
is in the construction, management and maintenance of wetlands.