Research

CURRENT MARICULTURE PROGRAM RESEARCH PROJECTS AND FUNDING

National Sea Grant Gulf Oyster Industry Initiative: "Gulf Oyster Industry Initiative evaluation of probiotic bacteria in depuration of oysters against Vibrio vulnificus." Objectives of this study are to 1) identify species/strains of probiotic bacteria to which V. vulnificus is sensitive; 2) evaluate probiotic depuration of oysters artificially infected with V. vulnificus; 3) compare this induced depuration to that of oysters having natural or inherent colonization; 4) evaluate semi-commercial depuration of oysters using criteria developed from the previous trials; and 5) make recommendations to the industry regarding appropriate depuration guidelines. Co-principal Investigators: J.M. Fox, J.B. Mott, and T.M. Samocha. Project duration: 9/1/99 - 8/31/01. Total funding: $165,660.

United States Department of Agriculture Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants Program #00-38422-9208: The objective of this research is to increase experiential learning of minority or disadvantaged high school students in Corpus Christi high schools via exposure to the coastal environment. Exposure to the coastal environment will be achieved through a summertime internship program focusing on aquaculture, recognized as one of the top five jobs for the new millennium. Potential program participants will be pre-screened from local high schools via categorization as "at-risk" individuals who express an interest in pursuing degrees in higher education. These students will attend two instructional programs, one on crustaceans and one on finfish, each lasting one week. Each inquiry session portion of the programs will be followed by three weeks of hands-on experiential activity at local aquaculture institutions (Texas Parks and Wildlife Marine Development Center and Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Shrimp Mariculture Research Project). Project Director: Dr. Joe M. Fox; Co-principal Investigators: D.A. McKee, R. Vega and T.M. Samocha. Project duration: 9/1/00 - 9/30/2002. Total funding: $161,000.

Proposed: State of Texas Advanced Technology Proposal: Denitrification vs. dissimilatory NO3- reduction to NH4+ (DNRA) in aquaculture: salinity effects. Objectives of the proposed project will be to examine and compare N transformations in variable salinity recirculating and pond culture systems. We hypothesize that mariculture systems will exhibit lower denitrification and higher DNRA rates than similar freshwater systems. Principal Investigators: Dr. Wayne Gardner (UTMSI), Mr. Mark McCarthy (UTMSI) and Dr. Joe Fox (TAMU-CC). Total funding: $150,000.

Proposed: State of Texas Advanced Technology Proposal: Optimal feed and feed management technology for aquaculture to minimize environmental damage. The project goal is to determine optimum feed and feed management practices to minimize environmental damage and support the development of a sustainable aquaculture industry. Principal Investigators: Dr. Addison Lawrence (TAES), Dr. Delbert Gatlin (TAMU-CS), Dr. Bill Neill (TAMU-CS) and Dr. Joe Fox (TAMU-CC). Total funding: $250,000.

Current Graduate Research Projects

Austin, Johnny - Intensive grow-out of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei in greenhouse enclosed raceways with limited water discharge.
Adams, Leslie - Amino acid concentration of common feed ingredients offered to marine penaeid shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.
Briggs, Brendan - A report on environmental presence of catastrophic shrimp siruses and Necrotizing Hepatopancreatitus in south Texas shrimp farms and other environments post-2004.
Berger, Josh - Use of molasses as a source of carbon in nursery and grow-out of the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, in limited discharge systems.
Gamez, Rodney - Feed level and stocking density comparisons of juvenile spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus reared in brackishwater ponds.
Humes, Melisa - The role of methionine in development of environmentally sustainable aquaculture feeds.
Morris, Tim - Optimization of zero fishmeal diets for the culture of Litopenaeus vannamei under practical conditions.
Rabinovich, Geoffrey - Post stocking survival in predator free enclosures vs. direct stocking for hatchery reared red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) in the Upper Laguna Madre of Texas.
Rawlinson, Lindsay - Survival of larval cobia, Rachycentron canadum, in brackish waters.
Simmons, Ashlie - Apparent dry matter digestibility and concentration after a period of starvation of selected minerals from common feed ingredients offered to marine penaeid shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.