Tag: Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences School of Forest Resources and Conservation

Design and Operation of Egg Collectors for Pelagic Spawning Marine Fishes

An upwelling pre-filter egg collector

As aquaculture production techniques streamline, interest in captive breeding for marine fish species increases. The food, ornamental, and bait industries all benefit from expanding the development of aquaculture techniques for desirable marine fish species. A significant limitation in developing aquaculture protocols for marine fish species is an adequate understanding of viable egg production and larval development. The first step in that process is to efficiently collect fertilized embryos, usually referred to as eggs, for examination and further development. This 6-page fact sheet written by Cortney Ohs, John Marcellus, Eric Cassiano, and Jason Broach and published by the UF/IFAS Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences of the School of Forest Resources and Conservation includes directions for construction and operation of two types of pelagic egg collectors: pre-filter and floating airlift.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa211

A Guide to Common Stony Corals of Florida

A close-up photo of a coral colony, showing several individual coral animals. Jellyfish-like tentacles extend from each animal’s body.

Shallow-water coral reefs have seen large declines in coral cover over the last 40 years. This 19-page guide written by Joseph A. Henry, Roy P. E. Yanong, Maia P. McGuire, and Joshua T. Patterson and published by the UF/IFAS Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences of the School of Forest Resources and Conservation describes Scleractinian (stony) corals that were once prevalent on reefs in Florida. The Coral Reef Protection Act in Florida prohibits damaging coral reef habitats in any way, and several of these species are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act. In their natural environment, these corals should never be handled or touched. Although several of the species discussed here are growing more numerous due to their wide tolerance, the overall condition of coral reefs along our coastline is declining, and the reefs are highly threatened because the most important reef-building corals are in a state of decline.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa210