New Ohio Sea Grant Twine Line now available

May 102012
 

Twin Line MagazineTwine Line is the printed voice of Ohio Sea Grant. The award-winning, quarterly newsletter covers issues, events, and research related to Lake Erie and the Great Lakes. Geared toward the public, agencies, media and elected officials, each 12-page issue includes three pages devoted to Stone Laboratory information provided by the Friends of Stone Lab.

In the latest issue, the seven issues facing Lake Erie:

  • Sea Grant Leadership Academy Trains Local Officials
  • Recycling Trash into Treasure
  • Is Nitrogen Another Concern for Lake Erie?
  • Preparing Great Lakes Communities for Climate Change
  • Climate-Proofing Science Education in the Great Lakes
  • Add Lake Erie Science to Your Vacation Plans
  • Student Spotlight: Lisa Bowerz

Recirculating Aquaculture Forum and International Conference

Apr 132012
 

Now’s the time to begin planning to attend AES Issues Forum August 23, 2012 And 9th International Conference on Recirculating Aquaculture August 24 – 26, 2012 At The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, Roanoke, Virginia, USA.

Early Registration is now open

You are invited to participate in the AES Issues Forum (August 23, 2012) and the 9th International Conference on Recirculating Aquaculture (ICRA) (August 24-26, 2012), both taking place at The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center in Roanoke, Virginia.

The AES Issues Forum focuses on engineering solutions to specific aquaculture challenges.  The biennial International Conference on Recirculating Aquaculture offers a wider scope of aquaculture-related topics including research, enterprise, and discovery; unique opportunities for discussion; and the chance to explore new products and technologies in our trade show.

The two meetings have been scheduled back-to-back to maximize the efficiency of your travel budget.  Join your colleagues in industry, government, and academia to share your successes and learn all about the latest advancements in the field.

Have you considered being an exhibitor at the trade show or becoming a conference sponsor?  For more information go to http://www.recircaqua.com/tradeshow.html.

For complete details on the conference and online registration, go to http://www.recircaqua.com.

Also for aquaculture – 2012 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Foundational Program Request for Applications

Apr 132012
 

Please note that the grant program referenced below provides funding opportunities for aquaculture projects in numerous science areas.

USDA NIFA logoThe National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has determined that it is in the best interest of all concerned to combine  the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 and FY 2013 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Foundational Program Request for Applications (RFA).  This consolidated RFA will combine appropriated FY 2012 and FY 2013 Foundational Program funds and will be called the FY 2013 AFRI Foundational Program RFA.  The anticipated publication date is August 15, 2012.  In subsequent years, NIFA would release the AFRI Foundational Program RFA just prior to the start of the fiscal year.

As you are aware, the Foundational Program is the portion of AFRI that specifically addresses fundamental research.  The AFRI Foundational Program RFA seeks to create a foundation of knowledge in fundamental and applied food and agricultural sciences critical for solving current and future societal challenges.  Stakeholder feedback associated with previous AFRI offerings include comments that insufficient funds were allocated to the Foundational Program, some of the priority statements within the RFA were too narrowly written, and important areas of science had been omitted from the Foundational Program RFA.

This decision will enable NIFA to:

Adjust and normalize the annual business cycle for the AFRI Foundational Program so that the RFA is published before the start of a new fiscal year allowing the agency to conduct peer review panels, process awards, and obligate funds within the targeted fiscal year as was done in the past.

Provide applicants with a more consistent and predictable schedule for the release of the RFA enhancing the preparation and timely submission of applications.

Improve administrative efficiencies in managing the AFRI Foundational Program during the upcoming fiscal year by optimizing peer panel costs and reducing staff workloads.

Effectively incorporate recent stakeholder input into the development of the combined RFA.

Because the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s six (6) priority areas are broad, we anticipate no significant changes to the program during its reauthorization in the next Farm Bill.  However, we will keep you updated on any program implementation adjustments that may become necessary with passage of the Farm Bill.

Questions may be directed to Effie Baldwin, Management Resource Officer and AFRI Coordinator, at ebaldwin@nifa.usda.gov

Chavonda Jacobs-Young , Ph.D.
Acting Director
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
USDA
1400 Independence Ave, SW
305A Whitten Bldg
Washington, DC  20250
E-mail: CJacobs-Young@nifa.usda.gov

18th Annual Shortcourse on Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS)

Apr 122012
 

The 18th Annual Shortcourse on Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) will INCLUDE 1 day on commercial hydroponics and 1 day on aquaponics and business management. The course is being hosted by Mount Saint Mary’s College (which is in Newburg NY, and is only about 1 hour by car from JFK and Laguardia airports).  And, is being hosted by Continental Organics, which is a 100,000 lb/yr tilapia system and 2 acre greenhouse practicing hydro and aquaponics.

For more details, go to www.bee.cornell.edu/aqua, or contact:

Michael B. Timmons, P.E., PhD
Professor
Biological & Environmental Engineering
Riley Robb Hall, Wing Drive
Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853
Phone: 607-255-1630 (office), 607-227-5638 (cell)
Fax: 607-255-4449 (fax)

The course is Monday-Friday July 16-20, 2012. 18th Annual Shortcourse on Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS).

FDA Announces the Approval of Two New Indications for Aquaflor

Apr 102012
 

USDA NIFA logoAquaculture drug is first conditionally approved drug to transition to full approval

April 9, 2012

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today the approval of Aquaflor (florfenicol) Type A medicated article and the end of the 5-year marketing period for the conditionally approved Aquaflor-CA1 (florfenicol) Type A medicated article. The approval of Aquaflor adds two new indications, increases the maximum florfenicol dose for a previously approved indication, and establishes a single withdrawal period for all approved uses. The new indications are:

  • Freshwater-reared warmwater finfish: For the control of mortality due to streptococcal septicemia associated withStreptococcus iniae
  • Freshwater-reared finfish: For the control of mortality due to columnaris disease associated with Flavobacterium columnare

Both diseases are associated with significant losses in U.S. aquaculture.

This approval marks the first transition of a conditionally approved indication to a fully approved product. The conditionally approved indication for columnaris disease in catfish is a subset of the columnaris disease indication for freshwater-reared finfish that is now fully approved.

With this approval, the maximum florfenicol dose that may be administered to catfish for the previously approved enteric septicemia of catfish indication has increased to 15 mg/kg body weight/day providing a dose range of 10-15 mg/kg body weight/day. With the increase in the maximum florfenicol dose that may be administered to catfish and the addition of the new indications, the withdrawal period for catfish has been lengthened from 12 days to 15 days. Aquaflor now has a single withdrawal period of 15 days for all approved uses.

Aquaflor is a veterinary feed directive drug, which means that the medicated feed can only be fed on the order of a licensed veterinarian. The extra-label use of medicated feed manufactured with Aquaflor is strictly prohibited.

FDA reviewed extensive data to ensure the product met all necessary effectiveness, target animal safety, human food safety, environmental safety, and manufacturing standards. FDA has concluded that freshwater-reared finfish fed florfenicol according to the label directions are safe for human consumption.

Commercially available feeds are commonly used to prepare medicated feeds for use in freshwater-reared finfish species. Consequently, in current practice, feeds having the same or similar composition as salmonid or catfish feeds are often used to deliver an approved new animal drug to non-salmonid and non-catfish freshwater-reared finfish species while meeting the nutritional requirements of these finfish species. Because the nutritional composition of feeds may affect characteristics such as the mixing, stability, and accuracy of assay of drugs they contain, an evaluation of these characteristics was performed. The evaluation of florfenicol for use in freshwater-reared finfish was performed on catfish and salmonid feeds that varied in some common nutritional parameters; lipids and protein ranged from 5 to 25% and from 28.5 to 55%, respectively.

This approval of Aquaflor is the result of cooperation between the pharmaceutical company, Intervet, Inc., and public sector researchers. The following government groups generated and contributed data for the approval: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aquatic Animal Drug Approval Partnership Program, Bozeman, MT; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center, Stuttgart, AR; U.S. Geologic Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Bass Conservation Center, Webster, FL; Mississippi State University, Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center, Stoneville, MS; and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bellingham State Fish Hatchery, Bellingham, WA.

Aquaflor is a product of Intervet, Inc., Summit, New Jersey. For certain indications, Aquaflor is designated under the Minor Use and Minor Species Animal Health Act of 2004, which entitles Intervet, Inc. to seven years of exclusive marketing rights for these indications beginning on the date of approval.

Additional Information

Contact FDA:
Phone: 240-276-9300
Fax: 240-276-9115

Issued by:
FDA, Center for Veterinary Medicine
Communications Staff, HFV-12
7519 Standish Place
Rockville, MD 20855

New label for AQUAFLOR® offers more options, flexibility to US fish farmers

Apr 102012
 

Summit, New Jersey, April 9, 2012 — New indications for AQUAFLOR® (florfenicol) Type A Medicated Article have given more U.S. fish farmers additional options for using the broad-spectrum, in-feed antibiotic in all freshwater-reared finfish.

The major changes:

·       AQUAFLOR can now be used in catfish, tilapia, striped bass, trout and all other freshwater-reared finfish at dose rates of 10 to 15 mg/kg bodyweight/day for the control of mortality due to columnaris disease associated withFlavobacterium columnare.

·       AQUAFLOR is approved for use in all freshwater-reared warmwater finfish at a dose rate of 15 mg/kg for the control of mortality due to streptococcal septicemia associated with Streptococcus iniae, an organism known to cause significant economic losses in farm-raised tilapia and some other species.

“The new claims for AQUAFLOR reflect our ongoing investment in our aquatic animal health product line, as well as our commitment to this rapidly growing industry,” said Palma Jordan, global marketing director for aquatic animal health products, Merck Animal Health.

As before, Jordan said, AQUAFLOR is also approved for the control of mortality due to enteric septicemia (ESC) associated with Edwardsiella ictaluri in catfish, as well as for the control of mortality due to furunculosis associated withAeromonas salmonicida and coldwater disease associated with Flavobacterium psychrophilum in freshwater-reared salmonids.

Added convenience

While the new “all freshwater-reared finfish” claim for columnaris disease — a widespread bacterial disease common in many species — is expected to benefit several public and commercial segments of U.S. aquaculture, it will be particularly helpful to catfish producers and feed mills serving that industry, according to Richard Endris, PhD, aquaculture research program manager for Merck Animal Health.

Previously, Endris explained, catfish producers treating for columnaris disease needed to use a separate product — AQUAFLOR®-CA1 (florfenicol) — which contained the same active ingredient as AQUAFLOR but was conditionally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the control of mortality in catfish due to columnaris disease associated with Flavobacterium columnare. The new label for AQUAFLOR allows feed mills and producers to use the same product for both columnaris and ESC, the two leading bacterial diseases of farmed catfish.  Merck Animal Health has since discontinued AQUAFLOR-CA1.

Consistent withdrawal times

Merck Animal Health also announced that the withdrawal time is now 15 days prior to slaughter for all species and indications. Previously, the withdrawal time for fish that received 10 mg/kg was 12 days for catfish and 15 days for freshwater-reared salmonids.  The company emphasized that the new withdrawal time was established to facilitate compliance across all species and dose rates without any change in the high safety profile of the AQUAFLOR.

AQUAFLOR, which can be top-coated or incorporated in both floating and sinking feeds, has been shown to be highly stable following high-temperature extrusion at feed mills.  It is also highly palatable, which helps to optimize antibiotic intake.  AQUAFLOR medicated feed should be administered as the sole ration for 10 consecutive days. AQUAFLOR is not approved for use in breeding stock or for use in recirculating aquaculture systems.

VFD status

AQUAFLOR is classified by FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine as a Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) drug, a category established in 1999 to help the agency more closely control new in-feed therapeutic products, primarily antimicrobials, and their use in food animals. Producers may obtain VFD drugs through normal feed distribution channels, but they do require a signed Veterinary Feed Directive from a licensed veterinarian. (See accompanying article.)

AQUAFLOR was developed specifically for aquaculture use; its active ingredient, florfenicol, is not used in human medicine.  Its sister product, NUFLOR® (florfenicol) has been used successful for treating respiratory disease in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle since 1996 and in swine since 2007.

For more information about AQUAFLOR and VFD protocols, producers should contact their extension specialist, veterinarian, diagnostician or feed company representative.  Information also may be obtained at aquaflor-usa.com or by calling Merck Animal Health at 1-800-521-5767.

Understanding the VFD process

U.S. fish farmers using AQUAFLOR (florfenicol) for the first time need to become familiar with the FDA guidelines for Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) drugs.  Here’s how the process works:

·      The producer contacts his or her veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.

·      The veterinarian makes a determination that a VFD medicated feed is necessary within the veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

·      The veterinarian issues a signed VFD order by including all of the information needed for a valid VFD or by filling out the drug supplier’s preprinted form (if available) and giving it to the producer.

·      The producer uses the VFD to order the feed from a feed supplier. A VFD feed may not be distributed to a producer without a signed VFD form.

·      Licensed feed manufacturers and distributors that ship a VFD feed to a downstream distributor or retailermust receive and retain a copy of written acknowledgement stating that the VFD feed will be further distributed only in accordance with FDA requirements.

·      The veterinarian who issues the VFD, the producer and the person or company supplying the VFD feed must retain copies of the signed VFD form for a minimum of 2 years.


For more information on the VFD process, go to aquaflor-usa.com.

CAUTION:  Federal law limits this drug to use under the professional supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Animal feed bearing or containing this veterinary feed directive drug shall be fed to animals only by or upon a lawful Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) issued by a licensed veterinarian in the course of the veterinarian’s professional practice.

About Merck Animal Health

Today’s Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments the widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com <http://www.merck-animal-health.com> .

Legal Notes

This press release contains information on veterinary products based on international registration dossiers and may refer to products that are either not available in your country or are marketed under a different trade name. In addition, the approved indications as well as safety and efficacy data for a specific product may be different depending on local regulations and approvals. For more information, read the product labeling that applies to your country or contact your local Merck Animal Health representative.

Two new fact sheets

Apr 102012
 

Two brand new, hot off the press, fact sheets have been made available from the University of Missouri Extension and Southern Regional Aquaculture Center.

University of Missouri Extension: “Bluegill Guide Sheet”

Southern Regional Aquaculture Center: How to start a biofilter (SRAC)

Water use for intensive fish culture training

Mar 152012
 

Recirculating Aquaculture Systems: Water Reuse for intensive Fish Culture is a four-day course presented by The Conservation Fund´s Freshwater Institute staff and will cover the fundamentals of design and management of water reuse systems. The course will be taught at Ball State University in Munice, Indiana, May 29-June 1, 2012. It will include a site visit to a local commercial perch operation employing new, state-of-the-art water recirculation technologies.

The course will cover subject such as:

- Carrying Capacity
- Culture Tank Design
- Solids Control
- Water Quality Considerations
- Design Case Studies: Partial Reuse & Fully-Recycle Systems
- Gas Conditioning
- Biofiltration
- Fishe Health& Ciosecurity
- Ozonation and UV
To register, click here!

Michigan Aquaculture Association President appointed to AIS Advisory Council

Feb 272012
 

Michigan Aquaculture Association President, Dan Vogler, has been appointed to the newly created Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Advisory Council as a representative of a state-wide association of aquaculture businesses.  Vogler was appointed on February 8, 2012 by Speaker of the House, Jase Bolger.

The Council will advise the Department of Environmental Quality on issues related to Aquatic Invasive Species through 2015.

25th Michigan Aquaculture Assn Annual Meeting on 7 February 2012

Jan 172012
 

The 25th Annual Association Meeting is scheduled for 7 February 2012 at the Kettunen Center in Tustin, MI.

For an update on what we have been doing lately, see our December 2011 Newsletter posted on our Newsletter page.

See you in Tustin on the 7th of February!