Introduction to Aquaculture, MST 10

Saddleback College - Aquarium & Aquaculture Science

Instructor: Paul A. Curtis M.Sc.

Email: pcurtis@saddleback.edu

Course Description:

Introduction to the science of rearing marine and freshwater organisms used for fisheries enhancement, ornamental trade and food production. Organisms, culture systems and the basic knowledge used to culture them will be explored. The impact of technology and conservation issues will be covered.Labs will focus on techniques that are standard in the industry. Labs and field trip(s)

Required Textbook:

Recirculating Aquaculture Systems. M.B.Timmons, J.M. Ebeling, F.W. Wheaton, S.T. Summerfelt and B.J. Vinci.2002.2nd Edition, USDA NRAC, publication No. 01-002.ISBN #: 0-9712646-1-9.

LECTURE Schedule and Textbook Reading Assignments:

Week 1, Jan 13      Chapters 1, 15.4

I.Introduction and history 

1.Definitions

2.Patterns and practices

3.Future

IIPermitting and Responsibility

1.Federal, State and international agencies involved in regulations

2.Agencies and their respective responsibilities

III.Aquatic plants and animals

1.Species

2.Characteristics of aquatic species

3.Structure and function

4.Species Selection

a.Finfish

b.Mollusks

c.Crustaceans

 

 Week 2, Jan 20  

IV. Site Selection

1.Location

a.Markets

b.Access

2.Water Source

a.Surface

b.Ground

c.development

3.Land Characteristics

4.Structures and goals

Week 3 and 4, Jan 27 and Feb 3  Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8.0-8.3, 12

V. System Requirements and Design

1.Holding Systems

a.Ponds

b.Tanks and Raceways

c.Net Pens

2.Recirculating and Single pass systems

3.Aeration and oxygenation

3.Feeder Systems

4.Water Sterilization

a.UV

b.Ozone

5. Effluent Treatment

 Week 5, Feb 10, Off for Kent Seafarms Field Trip

Saturday February 7th

 Week 6, Feb 17   Chapter 16 

VI.Nutrition fundamentals

1.Fish nutrition

2.Diet formulation and processing

3.Feeding

4.First feeds

5.Feed calculations

 Week 7, Feb 24                    Chapters 4, 5.1

VII.Management practices

1.Species, goals and requirements

2.Broodstock and Gamete management

i.Genetics

ii.Spawning, Natural and Induced

iii.Incubation, Transfer and Transport

 Week 8, Mar 2, Class Dismissed in lieu of all day, Kent Seafarms Field Trip

Saturday February 7th

Week 9, Mar 9Chapters 4, 5.1, 9, 11

VIII.Production Techniques and requirements

iv.Density and handling

v.Feeding methods

vi.Modeling

vii.Monitoring systems and technology

viiiMaintenance and cleaning

3.Harvesting, Grading and Transport

4.Record Keeping

5.Midterm Exam

 Week 10, Mar 16, Spring Break – No Class

 Week 11, Mar 23    Chapters 2, 6, 8, 12

VII.Water Quality Maintenance

1.Water Quality Parameters

a.From Fish

b.From Water Supply

2.Measurements and alterations

3.Filtration and circulation

4.Other factors

 Week 12, 13, Mar 30 and Apr 6   Chapter 13

VIII.Health and Disease

1.Stress and disease

2.Types of diseases

3.Recognition, Identification and Treatment methods

 Week 14, Egg Development and Production cycles

1.Trout Cycle

2.White Seabass Cycle

 Week 15 and 16, Apr 20 and 27 Hubbs Practicum

Off for Saturday Practicum at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institutes Marine Fish Hatchery.April 17 or 24

 Week 17, May 4   Chapters 15

IX. Financials and Marketing

1.Basics

2.Production and Consumption

X.Career opportunities

1.General skills and knowledge

2.Jobs in aquaculture

3.Education and experience

Week 18, May 11, Product Review, Material Review and Questions

1.Lets Eat!

2.Project Hand in

3.Review of the semester and questions

Week 19, May 18, Lecture and Lab Finals

Laboratory Outline

 

Week 1, Jan 13, And first you must…….      

IPermitting and Responsibility

3.Establish Projects and Discuss

a.Offshore net pen site, submersible, 10 pens, commercial

b.Trout farm in mountains, ground water, 1000 gpm

c. Abalone farm, bodega bay area, land based, 500-1000 gpm

d.Any ideas?

4.Class species discussion, what would you do and why

 

Week 2, Jan 20, Site Selection and Farm design  

5.Design class farm, class pick

6.Assign farm design assignment

a.Must ok initial plan with Paul prior to start

Week 3 and 4, Jan 27 and Feb 3, Systems  

5.Kent Video

6.Recirculating and Single pass system design

Week 5, Feb 10, Off for Kent Seafarms Field Trip

Saturday February 7th, Hopefully Catfish and Tilapia farms as well

Week 6, Feb 17, Nutrition and Feeding  

1.Live food demonstration Artemia, rotifers and enrichments

2.Frozen food demonstration

3.Prepared food demonstration, ingredients

4.Feeders demo, catalogues

5.Feed calculations, FCR, daily ration, costs

Week 7, Feb 24, Management Practices 

1.Assign species research project

2.Gamete demonstration

3.White seabass eggs and larvae

4.Trout Eggs and Larvae and Project

Week 8, Mar 2, Class Dismissed in lieu of Kent Seafarm Field Trip, 2/7/04

Week 9, Mar 9

1.Review

2.Midterm Exam

Week 10, Mar 16, Spring Break – No Class

Week 11, Mar 23, Water Quality  

1. Water Quality Measurement HACH/LaMotte kits

a.From Fish System

b.From Ozonated Water Supply

2.Electronic Measurements, YSI, Royce, Hydrolab

3.Refractometer

4.Compare results and speculate on why different between water types

Week 12, 13, Mar 30 and Apr 6 Health and Disease 

1.Microscope use

2.Anesthesia and euthanasia

3.Normal Dissection

4.Blood drawing, hematocrit and blood smear

5.Goldfish Scrapes

6.Basic bacteriology

7.Drug demonstration

Week 14, Apr 13, Egg Development and Production cycles

1.Trout eggs hatch, describe fry

2.White Seabass larvae and compare

Week 15 and 16, Apr 20 and 27 Hubbs Practicum

Off for Saturday Practicum at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institutes Marine Fish Hatchery.April 17 or 24

Week 17, May 4, Aquaculture Math

1.Tank volume estimate

2.Calculating flow rates

5.Calculating flushing rates and turnover times

6.Calculating feeding amounts and feed conversion ratios

7.Calculating drug doses

8.Calculating dress out percentages

Week 18, May 11, Product Review, Material Review and Questions

1.Lets Eat!

2.Hand in Projects

3.Review of the semester and questions

Week 19, May 18, Lecture and Lab Finals

Assignments, Due Dates, Grading and % Value

 

 Assignment Description   Assigned Due  Value (%)

1) Permitting and Responsibility   Jan 13  Jan 20  5 

As a group, determine what permits are required from different agencies governing aquaculture in California

2) Aquaculture Facility Design  Jan 20  May 11 20

Design an aquaculture facility and include possible markets distribution.Paul must approve facility idea before you start.

3) Trout Egg Development and First feeding Feb 24  Apr 13  5

Trout eggs will be reared and cared for in the aquarium lab and development will be monitored.

4)Report on both trips to Kent SeaTech Inc.Feb 7Feb 175

Fill out worksheet: White Water Trout Farms and Kent SeaTech

5)Midterm, Weeks 1-9 with Lab questionsMar 9Mar 920

6)Hubbs-SeaWorld Practicum ReportApr 17/24May 145

Keep journal on day at Hubbs describing what you did and why.

7) Final Exam, Lectures 1 to 17May 18        May 1825

8)Laboratory Exam, Labs 1 to 17May 18May 1815

     Total  100