Agricultural Research ServiceU.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA ARS AQUACULTURE RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT OF AQUATIC GENETIC RESOURCES

Caird Rexroad (caird.rexroadiii@ars.usda.gov)Office of National Programs, Aquaculture National Program LeaderUS Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service

Aquaculture Challenges Science and Technology

Develop new aquatic animal health management tools

Identify and culture “new” species already adapted to production environments

Define nutrient requirements for “new” species that can be met with available and sustainable feed ingredients

Improve genetics, management practices and production systems to enhance production efficiency, product quality, healthfulness, animal welfare and reduce impacts on environments

USDA ARSRole

Work with stakeholders to identify constraints to improving production, production efficiency, product quality, healthfulness, sustainability and/or animal welfare that we have the resources to address

Develop science based approaches that complement industry efforts and capacity for problem solving

Conduct Research and Technology Transfer

Priorities Presidential Initiatives

Congress

Stakeholders

ARS AQUACULTURE

• 18 projects• 47 scientists• Critical partnerships with

~40 funded collaborators• 10 laboratory sites• Budget: ~$28 Million• Freshwater and Marine

Systems

Mission: To conduct high quality, relevant, fundamental, and applied aquaculture research, to improve the systems for raising domesticated aquaculture species, and to transfer technology to enhance the productivity and efficiency of U.S. producers and the quality of seafood and other aquatic animal products.

Species

Catfish and hybrids

Striped bass and hybrids

Rainbow trout

Atlantic salmon

Pacific oyster

Eastern oyster

Tilapia

…

Program Components

1) Selective Breeding, Directed Reproduction, and Development of Genomic Tools

2) Nutrient Requirements and Alternative Sources of Protein and Lipid

3) Health of Aquatic Animals

4) Sustainable Production Systems

5) Product Quality and New Products

GxExMxP Genetics – domestication, selective breeding,

chromosome set manipulation, monosex …

Environment – production system, RAS, pond, raceway, water quality …

Management Practices – biosecurity and animal health, stocking density, nutrition …

Post Harvest – product quality, healthfulness …

Social factors – Consumer Values, Economics, Marketing …

2016 ARS Select Accomplishment TopicsSalmonids

Using genomics to improve disease resistance in rainbow trout

A DNA-based tool for managing trout production

Evaluation of algal sources of omega-3 fatty acids to replace fish oil in trout feeds

New feed processing technology results in better water quality for fish farms

Improving resistance to sea lice in Atlantic salmon

Genetic diversity of Flavobacterium psychrophilumisolates from the United States determined by multilocus sequence typing

Yersinia ruckeri lipopolysaccharide is necessary and sufficient for eliciting a protective immune response in rainbow trout

Genome sequencing of Lactococcus garvieae strain PAQ102015-99, an outbreak strain identified from cultured rainbow trout in the northwestern United States

Atlantic salmon can be raised to market weight in land-based systems using sustainable diets

Catfish

Sire strain affects blue × channel catfish progeny performance in commercial settings

Cryopreservation of catfish sperm

Improving the diet of commercial catfish

Development of cost-effective feeding strategies to maintain body weight of market-size hybrid catfish during harvest delays

Evaluation of processing yield in catfish fed alternative protein sources

Impact of grading hybrid catfish fingerlings on processing

Molecular immune response of channel catfish following immunization with live Ichthyophthirius

Developed in vitro methods to screen parasiticides against Ich

Reproducible waterborne disease model for virulent Aeromonas hydrophila

An oral vaccine for enteric septicemia of catfish increases profitability

Improving the shelf life of fresh catfish fillets

Where best to check for off-flavor in catfish fillets

2016 Select ARS Accomplishment TopicsOyster

Using genetics to improve the eastern oyster for commercial production

Models of burrowing shrimp population dynamics can be used to advance integrated pest management

Shrimp

Insect meal is a viable protein ingredient for white shrimp diets

Hybrid Striped Bass

Fish meal in hybrid striped bass diets can be replaced with high-protein, low-antigen soy varieties

Taurine supplementation is not needed to support growth of hybrid striped bass fed all-plant-protein diets

Tilapia

Tilapia whole-body amino acid profile is a robust nutrient target for optimizing commercial diets

Utilization of distiller’s dried grains with solubles(DDGS) as a potential replacement for fish meal in tilapia diets

Selective breeding in Nile tilapia for disease resistance

https://www.ars.usda.gov/animal-production-and-protection/aquaculture/

Thirteenth Regular Session, FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture noted the need for a State of the World's Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Given our interests in aquaculture, genetics, genomics, and reproductive biology, Department of State requested that USDA take the lead in preparing the US Country Report

Committee set up under the IWGA to answer survey

Answers based on Federal Documents and members’ professional knowledge of AqGR

State of the worlds aquatic genetic resources for food and agriculture

State of the Worlds Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Tools for improving the conservation, sustainable use and development of aquatic genetic resources for food and agriculture, at national and regional levels;

identify threats to aquatic genetic resources, gaps in information about aquatic genetic resources and needs for the strengthening of national capacity to manage aquatic genetic resources effectively;

inform the development of national policies, legislation, research and development, education, training and extension concerning the conservation, sustainable use and development of aquatic genetic resources for food and agriculture;

Country Reports50 Survey Questions Chapter 1. The Use and Exchange of Aquatic Genetic Resources of Farmed

Aquatic Species and their Wild Relatives within National Jurisdiction

Chapter 2. Drivers and Trends in Aquaculture: Consequences for Aquatic Genetic Resources within National Jurisdiction

Chapter 3. In Situ Conservation of Aquatic Genetic Resources of Farmed Aquatic Species and their wild Relatives within National Jurisdiction

Chapter 4. Ex Situ Conservation of Aquatic Genetic Resources of Farmed Aquatic Species and their Wild Relatives within National Jurisdiction

Country Reports50 Survey Questions continued

Chapter 5. Stakeholders with Interests in Aquatic Genetic Resources of Farmed Aquatic Species and their Wild Relatives within National Jurisdiction

Chapter 6. National Policies and Legislation for Aquatic Genetic Resources of Farmed Aquatic Species and their Wild Relatives within National Jurisdiction

Chapter 7. Research, Education, Training and Extension on Aquatic Genetic Resources within National Jurisdiction: Coordination, Networking and Information

Chapter 8. International Collaboration on Aquatic Genetic Resources of Farmed Aquatic Species and Their Wild Relatives

IWGA AqGR Committee

Caird Rexroad, USDA ARS Gene Kim, USDA NIFA Kristen Gruenthal, NOAA Paul Zajicek, NAA Nathan Wilke, USFWS Harvey Blackburn, USDA ARS Eric Silberhorn, FDA Eric Landis, FDA Charles Brinkman, DOS

Approach Members attempted individual chapters Reviewed by committee for consensus answers Requested specific information from other colleagues Completed the DRAFT May 1 request for comments from stakeholders:

Aquacontacts

IWGA

NAA

NRSP8

ARS, NIFA, NOAA

Final review and Agency clearance Submission by end of June 2017

Supporting Documentation Fourth Annual Report on Aquaculture and Policy in the United States of

America for the 2016 United States-Japan Natural Resources Panel on Aquaculture (UJNR). Office of Aquaculture, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service.

Fisheries of the United States 2015, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Census of Aquaculture 2013, Volume 3, Special Studies Part 2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agriculture Statistics Service.

The 2015 – 2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/table-of-contents/.

The National Aquaculture Association http://thenaa.net/.

Aquaculture genomics, genetics and breeding in the United States: current status, challenges, and priorities for future research. BMC Genomics 2017 18:191

• 100 page DRAFT

• 3 comments received to date

• Describes US freshwater and marine genetic resources related to food production

• Majority of questions answered Trade, exchange, domestic

species farmed in other countries but not US.

• Aquaculture Trends

• Information on species specific broodstock technologies

• Major species in production

• Species with potential

• Conservation efforts

• Relevant legislation

• Interested stakeholders and communities

• Training and workforce development

Status – ready to submit