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The pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus duorarum) has been selected as an ecological indicator to assess ecological effects on estuaries of implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan that seeks to restore historical freshwater flows and nearshore salinity regimes in southern Florida. Concern over altered freshwater delivery impacts on pink shrimp productivity was expressed as early as the 1960s. The present review assessed pink shrimp scientific literature of the past 75+ years (>500 publications) to glean information relevant to understanding potential influence of freshwater management on pink shrimp productivity. The review was organized around “Essential Fish Habitat” metrics concerning abundance, growth, survival, distribution, productivity, and behavior. It summarizes previous pink shrimp field, laboratory, and modeling studies. Where possible, statistical analyses and meta-analyses of previously published data were performed to investigate consistency among independent findings. Pink shrimp occur in a wide range of salinities (0.5–67 ppt). A majority of studies (53.3%) reported maximal abundance between ∼20 to 35 ppt salinities. One laboratory study reported maximal growth at 30 ppt. Meta-analysis of reported growth rates did not yield results due to non-convergence of regression models. Reported survival was maximal at ∼30 ppt and remained high (>80% survival) across salinities of ∼15 to 40 ppt. A regression model that combined survival data across studies confirmed a previously reported parabolic relationship between salinity and survival; in this regression, 35 ppt maximized survival. Productivity, conditional upon survival and growth, was maximized at polyhaline (18–30 ppt) conditions. Inshore hypersalinity (>40 ppt) may elicit young pink shrimp behavioral cues counterproductive to settlement in nearshore areas. Virtually no information exists regarding postlarval pink shrimp movement or preference relative to salinity gradients. Realization and preservation of nearshore polyhaline conditions and elimination of hypersalinity should maximize growth, survival, and density, thus improving pink shrimp productivity. New and updated statistical models predicting pink shrimp distribution, abundance, growth, survival, and productivity relative to salinity conditions are needed to better guide freshwater management decisions.

The effects of adding a probiotic Bacillus spp. blend on shipping bag water quality and survival of yolk sac larvae of yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares during a 24-h mock shipment were investigated. To better detect effects on water quality, the trial was designed without the utilization of available chemical water quality or temperature modulators. Shipping water salinity (30.7–31.0‰) and temperature (24.0–26.7°C) reflected conditions utilized during larval rearing. Probiotic incorporation (15 mL/L, about 1.5 × 106 colony-forming units/mL) resulted in significantly lower final concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen and un-ionized ammonia in comparison with the control. Significantly higher final mean dissolved oxygen concentration observed in the probiotic treatment could have resulted from stress reduction. Although no statistical difference was detected in larval survival upon termination of the trial, improvements in water quality (reduced total ammonia nitrogen and increased dissolved oxyg...

Methods and results of two larval rearing trials of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) are presented. These trials were designed to test the efficacy of protocols developed over several years of research in cobia larviculture at the UMEH. The protocols incorporate the use of probiotics and prophylaxis, minimize microalgae use, and include commercially available ingredients for live feed enrichment. During the trials, fertilized eggs were stocked at 400/L and incubated in 1000-L cylinder-conical tanks with flow-through seawater at 500% daily exchange rate. Moderate aeration and pure oxygen were used to maintain dissolved oxygen concentrations above saturation (6.5 mg/L at 26 °C). Hatching occurred at 22–24 h post fertilization. Two day-post-hatch (dph) yolk-sac larvae were stocked in four 12,000-L cylinder-conical tanks at 5 and 10 larvae/L. Beginning on 3 dph, larvae were fed microalgae (Isochyrsis galbana C-strain) at low concentrations (5–10,000 cell/ml) and enriched rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) at 3–5/mL through 9 dph. Beginning on 7 dph, enriched Artemia (Artemia franciscana GSL Strain) nauplii were fed to larvae at 0.1–1/mL. Cobia larvae were reared at water temperatures ranging from 24.3 to 31.8 °C. Water quality parameters were within normal ranges for seawater: salinity 26–34 ppt, pH 7.92–8.16, and NH3

This paper describes advances in hatchery and growout technology of cobia (Rachycentron canadum, Linnaeus). In 2007, methods for capture, transport, acclimation, sampling, conditioned spawning, larval rearing, ¢ngerling production, nursery, shipping and grow-out have been perfected. Survival rates ranging from 17.5% to 35% were achieved from egg to shipping size ¢ngerlings (1.0 g) in 2007 at the University of Miami Experimental Fish Hatchery, with production of approximately 20 000 ¢ngerlings per 12000 L tank. Wild and F1 broodstock cobia have been conditioned to spawn through temperature manipulation producing viable eggs for experimental and production level larval rearing trials in several hatcheries. Brood ¢sh have also been induced to spawn using hormones. Cobia appear to be susceptible to infestations by parasitic protozoa such as Amyloodinium ocellatum and to infections caused by deleterious bacteria such as Photobacterium spp. and Vibrio spp. Prophylactic methods used to prevent and control epizootic diseases at the hatchery are summarized. Improved techniques for cage management were implemented, and both novel designs of submerged cages deployed in exposed areas and traditional gravity cages in protected areas have been used for commercial ongrowing of cobia in the Americas and the Caribbean region.

An investigation was conducted of the combined effect of salinity and temperature on growth, survival, and biomass productivity of postlarval and early juvenile pink shrimp Farfantepenaeus duorarum (Burkenroad 1939) produced from a single spawning event. The study used a factorial block design consisting of three salinity treatments (15, 35, and 55), each replicated, within three temperature treatment (22°C, 27°C, and 32°C) water baths. The study was divided into two phases: postlarval (first 28 days) and early juvenile (second 28 days). Growth was assessed every 7 days throughout the experiment by measuring carapace length (CL) and wet weight (WWT) of 15 randomly selected shrimp from each temperature/salinity replicate tank. After the first study phase, survival was assessed and experimental aquaria were reset with 30 randomly selected shrimp from the same temperature—salinity replicates. Survival was assessed again at the end of the early juvenile phase. The effect of treatments was evaluated b...