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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Orono, Maine » National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #330138
Title: Opportunistic bacterial infection in wild caught Lumpfish

Author
item Pietrak, Michael
item GIRAY, CEM - Kennebec River Biosciences
item Peterson, Brian

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/14/2016
Publication Date: 9/19/2016
Citation: Pietrak, M.R., Giray, C., Peterson, B.C. 2016. Opportunistic bacterial infection in wild caught Lumpfish. Aquaculture Canada Meeting Abstract. p. 9-10.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sea lice are likely the most economically costly pathogen that has faced the salmon farming industry over the past 40 years. Recent economic estimates put the annual cost of sea lice at $742 million USD in 2012. With the rise of resistance to multiple drugs used to treat sea lice, there has been a significant shift in sea lice management away from a dependence on drugs and towards an approach utilizing multiple non-drug and drug based control methods, such as the use of cleaner fish. The USDA-ARS National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center began new investigational research to develop a native based Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) breeding and husbandry program in the spring of 2016. Initial research will focus on spawning methods, husbandry techniques, development of captive broodstock lines, and larval and broodstock nutrition. The first group of 12 wild caught fish experienced significant mortality. Preliminary diagnostic work revealed systemic infections of Pseudomonas anguilliseptica. P. anguilliseptica was isolated from kidney, liver, spleen, brain, and other tissues. The infection was seen in multiple moribund fish sampled over a week that experienced unusually warm water temperatures. P. anguilliseptica was not found in apparently healthy fish that were sampled at the same time.