Sponge Fishery and Aquaculture in Cuba: Impacts and Challenges

Sponges are very primitive multicellular organisms that belong to phylum Porifera; they are sessile and live attached to different types of hard and soft substrates. Sponges have different shapes and colours and very varied sizes, from a few millimetres to more than 2 m in height. They inhabit mainly in the marine environment at different depths. This chapter describes the general biological characteristics of sponges, their properties, uses and applications. Moreover, this study discusses a commercial fishery analysis of this natural resource in Cuba during the period 1970–2017, as well as the different characteristics of their natural populations subjected to commercial extraction. The applied techniques for aquaculture, harvest and postharvest processing are reviewed, including those procedures adapted from other countries or locally developed by Cuban fishermen. Finally, this study examines the challenges and perspectives of this productive activity with a long-term eco-sustainable approach

Evaluación de medicamentos homeopáticos en la supervivencia y respuesta antioxidante del camarón blanco Litopenaeus vannamei infectado con Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Objective. Evaluating the effect of homeopathic medicines on survival and activity of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme in white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei subjected to infection with the pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Materials and methods. The average lethal dosage (LD50) was determined for the pathogen strain in L. vannamei juveniles under immersion (Imm), injection (Inj) and incision + immersion (Inc+Imm) methods.Four treatments were applied: (1) Mix CIB®-HOM Heel-Mix (TH1), constituted by equal v/v ratio, of Cyme-Heel®, Gal-Heel®, Hepa-Heel®, Mucs-Heel® and Chol-Heel®; (2) Mix CIB®-HOM Pav-Mix (TH2), constituted by the same v/v ratio of Passiflora incarnata, Valeriana officinalis, Zincum valerianicum and Ignatia amara (Similia®); (3) Heel-Mix/Pav-Mix (TH3) consisting of a 1:1 v/v combination of the TH1 and TH2 treatments, and (4) ViT-Mix (TH4), constituted by Vidatox®, and a control (not treated/infected). Results. While applying the methods Imm, Inj and Inc+Imm, LD50 was 0.9 x 106; 0.6 x 106 and 0.5 x 106 UFC.mL-1, respectively. At the end of the challenge, the groups treated with TH2, TH3 and TH4 had a greater survival rate to that of the control group (p<0.05). Moreover, these two last treatments showed a greater SOD activity with respect to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions. The homeopathic treatments (TH3 and TH4) increased survival and SOD activity in L. vannamei juveniles challenged with V. parahaemolyticus, which suggests that the homeopathic treatments employed had the potential as an alternative for the control of V. parahaemolyticus and its associated diseases, including the early mortality syndrome in shrimp farming.Objetivo. Evaluar el efecto de medicamentos homeopáticos sobre la supervivencia y actividad de la enzima superóxido dismutasa (SOD) del camarón Litopenaeus vannamei sometido a infección con Vibrio parahamolyticus. Materiales y Métodos. Se determinó la dosis letal media (DL50) para la cepa patógena en juveniles de L. vannamei, bajo los método de inmersión (Inm), inyección (Iny) e incisión + inmersión (Inc+Inm).Luego el efecto de cuatro medicamentos homeopáticos sobre juveniles de L. vannamei retados con Vibrio parahaemolyticus fue evaluado usando el índice la supervivencia y la actividad SOD. Se aplicaron cuatro tratamientos: (1) Mezcla CIB®-HOM Heel-Mix (TH1), constituido por igual proporción v/v, de Cyme-Heel®, Gal-Heel®, Hepa-Heel®, Mucs-Heel® y Chol-Heel®; (2) Mezcla CIB®-HOM Pav-Mix (TH2), constituido por igual proporción v/v de Passiflora incarnata, Valeriana officinalis, Zincum valerianicum e Ignatia amara (Similia®); (3) Heel-Mix/Pav-Mix (TH3) constituido por una combinación 1:1 v/v de los tratamientos TH1 y TH2, y (4) ViT-Mix (TH4), constituido por Vidatox®, y un control (no tratado/infectado). Resultados. Al aplicar los método Inm, Iny e Inc+Inm la DL50 fue de 0.9 x 106; 0.6 x 106 y 0.5 x 106 UFC.mL-1, respectivamente. Los camarones tratados con TH3 y TH4 presentaron una mayor actividad de SOD con respecto al grupo control (p<0.05). Al final del reto, los grupos TH2, TH3 y TH4 tuvieron una supervivencia mayor a la del grupo control (p<0.05). Conclusiones. Los tratamientos homeopáticos (TH3 y TH4), aumentaron la actividad de la enzima SOD y la supervivencia en juveniles de L. vannamei, retados con V. parahaemolyticus. Esto sugiere que los tratamientos homeopáticos empleados tienen potencial como alternativa para el control de V. parahaemolyticus y sus enfermedades asociadas, incluido el síndrome de mortalidad temprana en el cultivo del camaró

Agricultural Homoeopathy: A New Insight into Organics

At present, agricultural homoeopathy is being increasingly implemented worldwide to mitigate the negative effects caused by the indiscriminate use of chemical products in conventional agricultural practices. It is a viable alternative to improve organic agriculture, since homoeopathic medicines are innocuous substances with a capability to activate measurable response mechanisms when used in plants, animals and humans. Experimental research results allow us to conclude in this chapter that agricultural homoeopathy is able to stimulate favourable biological and even genetic responses in plants (basil Ocimum basilicum L., bean Phaseolus vulgaris L., cucumber Cucumis sativus L., tomato Solanum lycopersicum L.), which shows a novelty insight for organic agriculture

Aquacultural Homoeopathy: A Focus on Marine Species

Homoeopathy is an alternative medical system proposed by Samuel Hahnemann in the eighteenth century. It uses highly diluted and agitated substances that derived from plants, minerals or animals, which have shown to be effective in human medicine, agronomy, veterinary, and as a novelty, in marine aquaculture. Aquacultural homoeopathy has developed rapidly in recent years, partially motivated by the misuse of powerful drugs (hormones, antibiotics, disinfectants) that when solving a problem generate undesirable side effects. In the last 10 years, scientific articles have been published on its application in freshwater fish native to Brazil, obtaining beneficial effects on growth, survival, hepatosomatic index, development of muscle fibres and lipid content in muscle. At Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR, Mexico: www.cibnor.mx), we have studied the effects of homoeopathy to improve the culture of economically important marine species of molluscs, fish and shrimp. In this chapter, we show a selection of different research with preliminary or advanced results, related to the use of homoeopathy and its impact on zootechnic, biochemical, genomic and transcriptomic parameters in marine molluscs, fish and crustaceans. The results obtained suggest that homoeopathy is an eco-friendly alternative applicable in aquaculture industry to improve various productive and health aspects

Crecimiento de la almeja catarina (Argopecten circulares) en función del alimento, con anotaciones sobre su biología y desarrollo.

impreso y digita

Calidad de huevos y larvas según manejo de reproductores de la cabrilla arenera ("Paralabrax maculatofasciatus", Steindachner, 1868)

[spa] El presente estudio caracteriza la población de la cabrilla Paralabrax maculatofasciatus en Bahía de La Paz,(B.C.S., México) como un reproductor asincrónico, con un largo periodo de desove que se prolonga de Enero a Junio cuando la temperatura se mantiene en rangos de 20 a 23ºC y el fotoperiodo en 12,25 a 14,25 horas-luz/día. La población estudiada se distinguió por mostrar algunos caracteres que la identifican como una especies hermafrodita protogínico: las hembras son más pequeñas (167 ± 28,3 mm de Ls) que los machos (189 ± 27.,9 mm de Ls); presenta individuos en transición, con proliferación de tejido testicular y regresión de tejido ovárico y machos que presentan testículos con un lumen central no utilizado en el transporte de espermatozoides, tejido germinal en lamelas, con bordes de epitelio columnar y criptas espermáticas en donde se realiza la espermatogénesis. La inversión sexual mostró una temporalidad marcada a los meses de Julio a Noviembre, cuando se presenta la menor actividad sexual y mayor temperatura (27-29ºC). En la evaluación de la calidad de los huevos y larvas de los reproductores de esta especie, se compararon tres dietas en los reproductores: A)- una dieta semihúmeda, con contenido de 53.9% de proteína, 9.5% de lípidos y 11.5 de carbohidratos, B)- una dieta contiendo lisa descongelada y C)- una mezcla de lisa y calamar descongelados con 67.6% de proteína, 16.3 de lípidos y 7.1% de carbohidratos. Los resultados indicaron que los peces tratados con la dieta semihúmeda (A), produjeron el mayor porcentaje de huevos viables con el tamaño más grande (880-887 µ); la producción de 206-284,000 huevos por desove, por kg., de hembra no fue significativamente diferente entre los grupos estudiados y sus réplicas, como tampoco hubo diferencias entre el índice de mortalidad por inanición, mostrando que las larvas de los tres grupos estudiados murieron entre el sexto y séptimo día después de la eclosión. Las larvas, de los tres grupos de reproductores, admitieron el cambio de alimentación a la misma edad (25-30 dde), con un crecimiento larval de 2,8 a 3,5 cm de longitud total a los 40 dde y una supervivencia del 4,2%. Los juveniles se engordaron en jaulas flotantes a dos densidades (1,5 y 2,0 kg.m-3) durante diez meses, alcanzando un peso final de 430g, con una tasa de crecimiento de 2,83 cm.mes-1 ,un incremento de peso de 58,35 g. mes-1 y una supervivencia de 93,5%, en condiciones de 24 a 30ºC, 35,5 ups y niveles de oxígeno disuelto superiores a 5 mg.L-1. Obteniéndose un factor de condición de 21,57, una tasa de conversión alimenticia de 1,22:1 y una eficiencia alimenticia de 71,04%. Con estos resultados se pretende mostrar a Paralabrax maculatofasciatus como una "especie modelo" para aplicar en el desarrollo del cultivo de esta especie y otras afines en los estados con litoral en el Golfo de California.[eng] The present study shows a characteristic reproductive pattern of the population of the "Paralabrax maculatofasciatus" in La Paz Bay (B.C.S., Mexico), that behaves as an asynchronous brooder. The period of spawn is long, and extends of January to June when the temperature remains in ranks of 20 to 23ºC and the photoperiod in 12.25 to 14.25 hours/daylight. This population present some features of protogynous hermaphrodite species, being females (167 ± 28.3 mm of Ls) smaller that the males (189 ± 27.9 mm of Ls). The transitional individuals shows developing testicular tissue and regressing ovarian tissue, and males testis with a central lumen which is not used for spermatozoa transportation, the germinal tissue being located in lamellae with crypts in where the spermatogenesis takes place. The sexual transformation was observed in the months of July to November, when the sexual activity is minor and the temperature is 27-29ºC. They had been evaluated three diets according to the quality of eggs and larvae of the broodstock of P. maculatofasciatus: A) - a moist diet, with content of 53.9% of protein, 9.5% of lipids and 11.5 of carbohydrates, B) - a fresh diet content grey mullet defrosted and C) - a mixture of squid and grey mullet defrosted content of 67.6% of protein, 16.3 of lipids and 7.1% of carbohydrates. The results shows that the moist diet (A) in broodstock fishes produces the greater percentage of viable eggs with the big size (880-887 µ), whereas the number of eggs produced/kg/female (206-284,000) was not significantly different among the studied groups and their replies, neither the index of mortality by starvation, showing that the larvae of the three studied groups died between the sixth and seventh day after the hatching. The larvae of the three groups of broodstock presented the same age (25-30 dah) for the change of feeding as well as a larval growth of 2.8 to 3.5 cm in total length at 40 dah with a survival of the 4.2%. The young fish were cultured in floating cages with two densities (1,5 and 2,0 kg.m-3) for ten months, reaching a final weight of 430g, with a growth factor of 2,83 cm.mes-1, 58,35 g/month and a survival of 93.5% in conditions of 24 to 30ºC, 35,5 ups and levels of dissolved oxygen of 5 mg.L-1, obtaining a factor of condition of 21,57, a food conversion ratio of 1.22:1 and a nutritional efficiency of 71.04%. With these results we propose "P. maculatofasciatus" as a "species model" to apply in the aquaculture development of this species and other relatives in the coastal states of the Gulf of California