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Background: The Temengor Reservoir is the second largest reservoir in Peninsular Malaysia. Located in the northwestern state of Perak, it was selected to develop a large-scale tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) aquaculture facility within the Aquaculture Industrial Zone (AIZ) in 2008 due to its favourable environmental conditions. No record of tilapia has ever been reported in the natural waters prior to this. However, a post-establishment study recorded tilapia sightings in the natural waters of this lake. The cultured tilapia was easily recognizable with the elongated mouth and body, and long caudal fin. It is postulated that these were escapees from the floating cages that had invaded the natural waters and would negatively impact the native fish species. To test our hypothesis, we investigated the impact of the aquaculture facility on native fish diversity through a spatial design. Methods: The study was focused on assessing the impact of tilapia culture at sites nearer to the AIZ vs more distant sites, the former with a greater likelihood of receiving escapees. Two major sites were chosen; within 5 km (near-cage) and within 5-15 km (far-cage) radii from the AIZ. Fish sampling was conducted using multiple mesh sizes of gill nets (3.7, 5.1, 6.5, 7.6, and 10.2 cm) deployed at the littoral zone of the sampling points. Species diversity, abundance, dietary habits, and habitat preference were investigated. Results: The CPUE (individual/hour) of native fish species at the far-cage site of the AIZ Reservoir was found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that at the near-cage site. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on diet and habitat preferences showed that the tilapia, O. niloticus had almost overlapping diet resources and habitat with native fish species. Conclusion: We conclude that there is a correlation between the reduced catches of native species (based on CPUE) and the high presence of tilapia. Thus, appropriate actions must be implemented for strategic and effective planning in terms of native fish conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Temengor Reservoir is the second largest reservoir in Peninsular Malaysia. Located in the northwestern state of Perak, it was selected to develop a large-scale tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) aquaculture facility within the Aquaculture Industrial Zone (AIZ) in 2008 due to its favourable environmental conditions. No record of tilapia has ever been reported in the natural waters prior to this. However, a post-establishment study recorded tilapia sightings in the natural waters of this lake. The cultured tilapia was easily recognizable with the elongated mouth and body, and long caudal fin. It is postulated that these were escapees from the floating cages that had invaded the natural waters and would negatively impact the native fish species. To test our hypothesis, we investigated the impact of the aquaculture facility on native fish diversity through a spatial design. Methods The study was focused on assessing the impact of tilapia culture at sites nearer to the AIZ vs more distant sites, the former with a greater likelihood of receiving escapees. Two major sites were chosen; within 5 km (near-cage) and within 5–15 km (far-cage) radii from the AIZ. Fish sampling was conducted using multiple mesh sizes of gill nets (3.7, 5.1, 6.5, 7.6, and 10.2 cm) deployed at the littoral zone of the sampling points. Species diversity, abundance, dietary habits, and habitat preference were investigated. Results The CPUE (individual/hour) of native fish species at the far-cage site of the AIZ Reservoir was found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that at the near-cage site. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on diet and habitat preferences showed that the tilapia, O. niloticus had almost overlapping diet resources and habitat with native fish species. Conclusion We conclude that there is a correlation between the reduced catches of native species (based on CPUE) and the high presence of tilapia. Thus, appropriate actions must be implemented for strategic and effective planning in terms of native fish conservation.

Background: The Temengor Reservoir is the second largest reservoir in Peninsular Malaysia. Located in the northwestern state of Perak, it was selected to develop a large-scale tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) aquaculture facility within the Aquaculture Industrial Zone (AIZ) in 2008 due to its favourable environmental conditions. No record of tilapia has ever been reported in the natural waters prior to this. However, a post-establishment study recorded tilapia sightings in the natural waters of this lake. The cultured tilapia was easily recognizable with the elongated mouth and body, and long caudal fin. It is postulated that these were escapees from the floating cages that had invaded the natural waters and would negatively impact the native fish species. To test our hypothesis, we investigated the impact of the aquaculture facility on native fish diversity through a spatial design., Methods: The study was focused on assessing the impact of tilapia culture at sites nearer to the AIZ vs more distant sites, the former with a greater likelihood of receiving escapees. Two major sites were chosen; within 5 km (near-cage) and within 5-15 km (far-cage) radii from the AIZ. Fish sampling was conducted using multiple mesh sizes of gill nets (3.7, 5.1, 6.5, 7.6, and 10.2 cm) deployed at the littoral zone of the sampling points. Species diversity, abundance, dietary habits, and habitat preference were investigated., Results: The CPUE (individual/hour) of native fish species at the far-cage site of the AIZ Reservoir was found to be significantly higher ( p < 0.05) than that at the near-cage site. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on diet and habitat preferences showed that the tilapia, O. niloticus had almost overlapping diet resources and habitat with native fish species., Conclusion: We conclude that there is a correlation between the reduced catches of native species (based on CPUE) and the high presence of tilapia. Thus, appropriate actions must be implemented for strategic and effective planning in terms of native fish conservation., Competing Interests: Izwandy Idris is an Academic Editor for PeerJ. The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2023 Abd Hamid et al.)

A large number of farmed red sea bream (Pagrus major) and their gametes have escaped and dispersed into the wild from net-cage aquaculture since the advent of the technology in the mid-20th century. These escapees have likely been recruited into wild populations, affecting their genetic diversity. In this study, we used assignment methods with microsatellite markers to assess the frequency of escapee farmed red sea bream within the wild populations in a major aquaculture production region (UWJ) and in two regions with relatively lower production (IWG and SIJ) in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The frequency of escapees in UWJ ranged from 14.1% to 30.2%, as shown by three methods of assignment. Escapees were frequently identified among specimens caught by angling (ranging from 26.7% to 46.7%), suggesting that they stay in the same area even after escape or are less cautious than wild individuals. No escapee was found in IWG and SIJ, areas with less extensive aquaculture. Some wild-caught fish appeared to have hybridized with farmed fish, as indicated by the threshold of membership coefficients obtained by simulation. These results clearly indicate that large numbers of farmed individuals have escaped from UWJ, a major aquaculture area, since the inception of red sea bream farming in Japan. Genetic reshuffle has possibly occurred following hybridization of wild and farmed individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tribute to Mary Lyon was held in October 2016. Many remarked about Lyon's foresight regarding many intricacies of the X-chromosome inactivation process. One such example is that a year after her original 1961 hypothesis she proposed that genes with Y homologues should escape from X inactivation to achieve dosage compensation between males and females. Fifty-five years later we have learned many details about these escapees that we attempt to summarize in this review, with a particular focus on recent findings. We now know that escapees are not rare, particularly on the human X, and that most lack functionally equivalent Y homologues, leading to their increasingly recognized role in sexually dimorphic traits. Newer sequencing technologies have expanded profiling of primary tissues that will better enable connections to sex-biased disorders as well as provide additional insights into the X-inactivation process. Chromosome organization, nuclear location and chromatin environments distinguish escapees from other X-inactivated genes. Nevertheless, several big questions remain, including what dictates their distinct epigenetic environment, the underlying basis of species differences in escapee regulation, how different classes of escapees are distinguished, and the roles that local sequences and chromosome ultrastructure play in escapee regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar) dominates aquaculture production in its native North Atlantic range, raising concerns about the impacts of escaped farmed fish on wild populations. While physical confinement and operational management practices have improved steadily with the development of this industry, some escapes are inevitable. In the absence of effective measures for the rapid recapture of escaped fish, the only practical method currently available to minimize their impacts on wild populations is to ensure that they are female triploids and therefore reproductively sterile. The technology for producing all-female triploid populations of Atlantic salmon is simple and easily applied on a commercial scale, and routinely results in populations that are entirely female and >98% triploid. Aside from sterility, there are no population-wide phenotypic effects of triploidy, although triploids do tend to perform less well than diploids with respect to commercial culture characteristics and are also less likely than escaped diploids to outcompete or displace native salmon. Some uncertainties exist with respect to their disease resistance and their potential to become reservoirs for the spread of pathogens to wild populations. If the spawning potential of escaped farmed Atlantic salmon is deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to native populations, then all-female triploid populations could be used as an alternative to reduce risk. Research should continue to focus on improving triploid performance through breeding programmes and optimization of husbandry conditions (including nutrition, environmental conditions and fish health), with the goal of making triploids an attractive option for fish farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern Lake Huron ( Ontario, Canada) supports the largest concentration of freshwater salmonid cage culture farms in Canada and receives inputs of domestic-strain rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) through escapement. We assessed the potential effects of these domestic fish on the naturalised rainbow trout of this ecosystem by comparing their respective ecologies. Mature adults were sampled from spawning tributaries, primarily in spring, and to a lesser extent in fall. Fish of domestic origin comprised ~80% of rainbow trout sampled from sites near cage culture facilities but <20% of rainbow trout sampled from more distant sites. Domestic adults in spawning condition (gametes free-flowing) were present in the spawning tributaries in both spring and fall sampling seasons, whereas naturalised fish in spawning condition were only observed in the spring. Domestic adults were younger and smaller (in length), appeared to have shorter lifespan and had a higher male to female ratio compared with their naturalised counterparts. Growth rates (change in length with age) of naturalised and domestic females in the wild were similar, but domestic males grew more slowly than naturalised males. Domestic females also produced smaller eggs than naturalised females. Food web positions (inferred from δ13 C and δ15 N) of domestic and naturalised fish were very similar but varied more strongly with body size in the former. Domestic-strain rainbow trout of cage culture origin can survive, grow and attempt to spawn in northern Lake Huron and have the potential to compete for food, mates and spawning habitat with naturalised rainbow trout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escape or release of cultured and domesticated organisms into the wild poses a threat to the genetic integrity of natural populations. Based on data from 17 microsatellite loci, the genetic differentiation between wild and hatchery Oujiang color common carp Cyprinus carpio var. color was investigated, and its potential application for identifying the escapees of hatchery strains was assessed using Bayesian genetic assignment. No significant differences were observed between pooled hatchery and pooled wild populations in terms of allelic richness ( A), observed heterozygosity ( H), and inbreeding coefficient ( F). Analysis of molecular variance and pairwise F comparisons suggested significant genetic differentiation between hatchery strains and between hatchery and wild populations, which was further confirmed by principal components analysis and Bayesian clustering analysis. Bayesian genetic alignment showed high self-assignment accuracy (ranging from 86.0 to 96.0%) in the original populations, demonstrating the ability of this technique to identify hatchery Oujiang color common carp escapees in the wild population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a molecular genetic characterization of Atlantic cod reared in commercial marine farms. Samples consisted of approximately 47 fish collected from nine cages located on four farms throughout Norway. In addition, 28 farmed escapees were recaptured in the sea (443 fish in total). Nine microsatellite loci and the Pan I gene were analysed, revealing a total of 181 alleles. Each sample contained 43–63% of total allelic variation. Comparing variation with published data for wild cod indicates that lower genetic variation exists within single cages than in wild populations. Significant linkage disequilibrium was observed amongst pairs of loci in all samples, suggesting a low number of contributing parental fish. Global FST was 0.049, and the highest pairwise FST value (pooled loci) was 0.085. For single loci, the Pan I gene was the most diagnostic, displaying a global FST of 0.203. Simulations amongst the samples collected on farms revealed an overall correct self-assignment percentage of 75%, demonstrating a high probability of identifying individuals to their farm of origin. Identification of the 28 escapees revealed a single cage as the most likely source of origin for half of the escapees, whilst the remaining fish were assigned to a mixture of samples, suggesting more than one source of escapees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Farmed Atlantic salmon escapees represent a significant threat to the genetic integrity of natural populations. Not all escapement events are reported, and consequently, there is a need to develop an effective tool for the identification of escapees. In this study, >2200 salmon were collected from 44 cages located on 26 farms in the Hardangerfjord, western Norway. This fjord represents one of the major salmon farming areas in Norway, with a production of 57,000 t in 2007. Based upon genetic data from 17 microsatellite markers, significant but highly variable differentiation was observed among the 44 samples (cages), with pair-wise F ST values ranging between 0.000 and 0.185. Bayesian clustering of the samples revealed five major genetic groups, into which the 44 samples were re-organised. Bayesian clustering also identified two samples consisting of fish with mixed genetic background. Performing self-assignment simulations with the data divided into different sub-sets, overall accuracy of assignment was 44% within the entire material (44 samples), 44% for the 28 spring samples, 59% for the 16 autumn samples, and 70% for 8 autumn samples collected from a geographically restricted area. Accuracy of assignment varied greatly among the individual samples. For the Bayesian clustered data set consisting of five genetic groups, overall accuracy of self-assignment was 99%, demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy to significantly increase accuracy of assignment, albeit at the expense of precision. This study demonstrates the potential to identify the farm of origin for escapees in a region with a large number of salmon farms. The approaches described here will be of relevance to a range of other species reared in culture where identification of escapees may be required. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An inevitable consequence of the development of the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., farming industry in coastal waters of the British Isles has been the loss of farmed salmon to the wild, their occurrence in inshore waters and rivers, and their appearance in coastal and freshwater fisheries. Monitoring programmes have been developed throughout the British Isles, variously using scientific sampling, catch records from coastal or freshwater fisheries or both, and scientific sampling of catches from in-river traps. We compare the results of these monitoring programmes with regional production and the numbers of escapees reported from marine fish farms. We also consider the effectiveness of the programmes for assessing the prevalence of farmed salmon that escape from marine cages. Finally, we make recommendations for improvements to these programmes and for the development of best practice, including the scientific sampling of in-river spawning stocks through fishery-independent sources, identification of fish origin based on at least two methods, assessment of the degree of incorrect classification, and the timely and accurate reporting of all escapes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Two mariculture escapee specimens, the West Atlantic Southern Flounder Paralichthys lethostigma and the Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus, were collected from the Mediterranean coast of Israel. The former was reported for the first time from the Mediterranean, while the latter for the second time. A single aquarium escapee or released specimen of the Giant Snakehead Channa micropeltes was collected for the first time from Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]