Welcome   Sponsored By
Subscribe | Register | Advertise | Newsletter | About us | Contact us
   


Photo: NOAA/FIS

NOAA: 'What’s in the Water Might Be A New Way to Measure the Amount of Fish Present'

Click on the flag for more information about United States UNITED STATES
Monday, November 04, 2024, 05:00 (GMT + 9)

Novel approach to study fish DNA collected from water samples enables researchers to estimate biomass of multiple Alaska fish species simultaneously.

Around the world, standard ways to measure fish abundance and biomass to manage commercial, recreational and subsistence fisheries rely heavily on deriving estimates from fish caught in research surveys and commercial fishing nets and other collected biological data. In a new study, NOAA Fisheries scientists, in partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, show that it is possible to estimate fish biomass for more than one species at the same time, using environmental DNA (eDNA). They found they can estimate the abundance of ecologically and commercially-important Alaska fish species—Arctic cod, walleye pollock, and Pacific cod—which are difficult to distinguish in eDNA samples.

Alaska pollock swimming in tank. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.

eDNA is the genetic material shed by organisms into the surrounding environment. For example, as a fish swims through the ocean, its DNA is shed and accumulates in the water around it. Some sources of eDNA include scales, skin cells, mucus, feces, and gametes. This genetic material can be recovered from environmental samples. 

“Through our laboratory studies, we learned that we could accurately quantify species compositions and estimate biomass for different species of cod and pollock at the same time using eDNA,” said Kimberly Ledger, lead author and research biologist with Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Auke Bay Laboratories. “It is possible to apply these methods to other species to improve the quantitative utility of eDNA.” 

Benefits of Using eDNA Studies for Stock Assessments

A central goal of managing species is understanding where they live (their distribution) and how many of them exist (their biomass or abundance). Accurately estimating this information is difficult. It relies on making inferences about an entire community based on observations of a subset of individuals. NOAA Fisheries gets this information from fish collected in nets during research surveys and from data collected by fishery observers on commercial fishing boats and in processing plants. 

With eDNA scientists are able to detect and quantify fish DNA from the environment to help estimate species abundance and biomass from just a sample of water. This revolutionary new method that relies on eDNA is highly versatile, capable of detecting and identifying a wide range of species, and minimally disruptive to sensitive species. 

Mary Beth Hicks at the laboratory

Scientists caution that it doesn’t replace standard trawl surveys or actual sampling by fisheries observers. We we still need to collect important biological data including size, age, sex, sexual maturity and diet information, which is important for stock assessments. 

However, eDNA researchers are actively working to identify ways to use this information to support management decisions with the help of stock assessment authors and quantitative ecologists.

The Key to Distinguishing Among Closely-Related Alaska Cod Species

A genetic marker is a gene or a short segment of DNA that has a distinctive location on a specific chromosome that can be used for the identification of a species or an organism. 

In this study, scientists identified a new genetic marker, a specific segment of DNA, to detect and differentiate eDNA from six closely-related cod species in the North Pacific and the Arctic.

Scientist recording acoustic data with hydrophone of Arctic cod in a holding tank. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Scientists demonstrated that they could 

  • Detect different species of cod and pollock 
  • Accurately determine their biomass proportion 
  • Detect not just the most abundant species in the samples, but also species at low relative abundances 

This genetic research also shows promise for estimating the absolute abundance of these fish from eDNA samples. 

Tank Studies Validate Geneticists’ Findings

Fishery biologist and co-author Mary Beth Rew Hicks kept live Pacific cod, walleye pollock, and Arctic cod in various combinations and abundances in holding tanks at the Center’s Newport Laboratory. She collected water samples from the tanks with known biomass (based on the numbers and weights of each species of fish). This experimental design enabled comparison of eDNA-derived species compositions with true compositions within a group of closely-related species with overlapping habitats and distributions.

Environmental DNA Collection & Sampling in the Laboratory: Mary Beth Hicks collects and filters water from experimental tanks at our lab in Newport, Oregon to extract environmental DNA samples. Our scientists are testing this method for detecting and quantifying what's present in a controlled body of water.

“We’ve moved the dial in the use of eDNA beyond merely being able to provide a measure of presence and absence of species to providing meaningful data to estimate abundance and better reflect underlying community composition in real-world environments,” said Ledger. 

With the warming of the Arctic, fish are moving around to find ideal conditions for their survival—food and the right temperatures to spawn. These dynamic shifts are posing new challenges for resource management and the scientists who conduct long-term research surveys in traditional areas where these fish have been found. 

“This new tool will help us efficiently track these shifts in distribution to complement our standard methods of assessing fish stocks,” added Wes Larson, co-author and manager for the Genetics Program at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. 

[email protected]
www.seafood.media


 Print


Click to know how to advertise in FIS
MORE NEWS
Norway
Dec 11, 04:40 (GMT + 9):
Shipowner Receives Over 3.5 Million NOK in Compensation for 'Seismic Fishing Disruption'
Viet Nam
Dec 11, 03:30 (GMT + 9):
Vietnam’s Canned Tuna Gains Market Share in the US
Brazil
Dec 11, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
Seminar 'O Futuro do Bacalhau Brasil' Achieves Resounding Success in São Paulo
Argentina
Dec 11, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
'We must celebrate: it’s the first time quotas have been assigned without paying bribes'
Russian Federation
Dec 11, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
Norebo Group Expands Focus on the Russian Domestic Market
South Korea
Dec 11, 00:00 (GMT + 9):
IN BRIEF - South Korean Imports of Norwegian Seafood: November Rise Amid 5% Year-to-Date Decline
Japan
Dec 10, 09:00 (GMT + 9):
Highlights of Japan's 2024 Pacific Saury Fishing Season
Russian Federation
Dec 10, 06:00 (GMT + 9):
IN BRIEF - Russian fishermen set record for catching Iwashi sardines
Viet Nam
Dec 10, 06:00 (GMT + 9):
Soaring Shrimp Demand in Southern Europe, stable in other regions
Norway
Dec 10, 05:10 (GMT + 9):
The Norwegian Pelagic Fishing Course in Week 49
Argentina
Dec 10, 02:00 (GMT + 9):
Emotive Ceremony Marks Astillero Contessi's 150th Launch
Germany
Dec 10, 02:00 (GMT + 9):
A different approach to aquaculture: SEAWATER Cubes, winner of the BlueInvest Award 2024
United Kingdom
Dec 10, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
Ocean 14 Capital Fund teams up with KIME Akva to drive growth of farmed cod as a sustainable supplement to wild fishery
Peru
Dec 10, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
A Poor Squid Season in the Pacific Ends as Expectations Build for Illex in the South Atlantic
Spain
Dec 10, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
Growth of Cooke's Spanish business: 23% increase to nearly 200 million euros, in the year it rejected acquiring Nueva Pescanova.



Lenguaje
FEATURED EVENTS
  
TOP STORIES
Southwest Atlantic Squid Index: Illex Squid (Illex Argentinus)
China In order to continuously enhance the ability to control squid resources and price influence, and conduct more accurate resource assessment and forecasting, the China Ocean Fisheries Association&n...
Continued Investment Despite Challenging Environment
Falkland Is. The early closure and non-opening of the second Loligo fishing season in the last two years has served as a timely reminder to the Government of the need to prioritize ideas that would seek to fur...
Key decision: Argentina renews common hake quotas until 2039
Argentina "No winners, no losers." The famous phrase that marked the end of Argentina's 1852 Battle of Caseros and brought closure to a bloody conflict between Unitarians and Federalists seems to reso...
Ayelén dreams of an all-female shrimping crew
Argentina Ayelén Lecumbarry, who comes from a long line of fishermen in Rawson, Chubut, is the one behind this innovative proposal Ayelén has submitted a study she designed herself to obtain the ...
 

Maruha Nichiro Corporation
Nichirei Corporation - Headquarters
Pesquera El Golfo S.A.
Ventisqueros - Productos del Mar Ventisqueros S.A
Wärtsilä Corporation - Wartsila Group Headquarters
ITOCHU Corporation - Headquarters
BAADER - Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH+Co.KG (Head Office)
Inmarsat plc - Global Headquarters
Marks & Spencer
Tesco PLC (Supermarket) - Headquarters
Sea Harvest Corporation (PTY) Ltd. - Group Headquarters
I&J - Irvin & Johnson Holding Company (Pty) Ltd.
AquaChile S.A. - Group Headquarters
Pesquera San Jose S.A.
Nutreco N.V. - Head Office
CNFC China National Fisheries Corporation - Group Headquarters
W. van der Zwan & Zn. B.V.
SMMI - Sunderland Marine Mutual Insurance Co., Ltd. - Headquarters
Icicle Seafoods, Inc
Starkist Seafood Co. - Headquearters
Trident Seafoods Corp.
American Seafoods Group LLC - Head Office
Marel - Group Headquarters
SalMar ASA - Group Headquarters
Sajo Industries Co., Ltd
Hansung Enterprise Co.,Ltd.
BIM - Irish Sea Fisheries Board (An Bord Iascaigh Mhara)
CEFAS - Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science
COPEINCA ASA - Corporacion Pesquera Inca S.A.C.
Chun Cheng Fishery Enterprise Pte Ltd.
VASEP - Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters & Producers
Gomes da Costa
Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. (Headquarters)
NISSUI - Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. - Group Headquarters
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization - Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (Headquarter)
Hagoromo Foods Co., Ltd.
Koden Electronics Co., Ltd. (Headquarters)
A.P. Møller - Maersk A/S - Headquarters
BVQI - Bureau Veritas Quality International (Head Office)
UPS - United Parcel Service, Inc. - Headquarters
Brim ehf (formerly HB Grandi Ltd) - Headquarters
Hamburg Süd Group - (Headquearters)
Armadora Pereira S.A. - Grupo Pereira Headquarters
Costa Meeresspezialitäten GmbH & Co. KG
NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Headquarters)
Mowi ASA (formerly Marine Harvest ASA) - Headquarters
Marubeni Europe Plc -UK-
Findus Ltd
Icom Inc. (Headquarter)
WWF Centroamerica
Oceana Group Limited
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. - Headquarters
Friosur S.A. - Headquarters
Cargill, Incorporated - Global Headquarters
Benihana Inc.
Leardini Pescados Ltda
CJ Corporation  - Group Headquarters
Greenpeace International - The Netherlands | Headquarters
David Suzuki Foundation
Fisheries and Oceans Canada -Communications Branch-
Mitsui & Co.,Ltd - Headquarters
NOREBO Group (former Ocean Trawlers Group)
Natori Co., Ltd.
Carrefour Supermarket - Headquarters
FedEx Corporation - Headquarters
Cooke Inc. - Group Headquarters
AKBM - Aker BioMarine ASA
Seafood Choices Alliance -Headquarter-
Austevoll Seafood ASA
Walmart | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Supermarket) - Headquarters
New Japan Radio Co.Ltd (JRC) -Head Office-
Gulfstream JSC
Marine Stewardship Council - MSC Worldwide Headquarters
Royal Dutch Shell plc (Headquarter)
Genki Sushi Co.,Ltd -Headquarter-
Iceland Pelagic ehf
AXA Assistance Argentina S.A.
Caterpillar Inc. - Headquarters
Tiger Brands Limited
SeaChoice
National Geographic Society
AmazonFresh, LLC - AmazonFresh

Copyright 1995 - 2024 Seafood Media Group Ltd.| All Rights Reserved.   DISCLAIMER