ARCH-UK projects
Snapshot of projects in £5.1 million academic and industry initiative
THE Aquaculture Research Collaborative Hub (ARCH-UK), recently released details of eight out of 12 new research projects announced a year ago, with total funding of £5.1 million. The projects, presented below, include studying genetics and breeding patterns, looking at how shellfish can be more sustainable, immunising trout against kidney disease, examining fish vaccines made from algae, and exploring how robust salmon are and how susceptible to disease they are at sea.
The work aims to bridge the gap between academics, industry members and policy makers across the UK, to support the sustainable growth of the aquaculture sector.
The UK Aquaculture Initiative studies are funded by the Biotechnology & Biological
Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and NERC, with contributions from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) and the Centre for Environments, Fisheries and Aquaculture (Cefas), along with industry support.
ALGAL VACCINES FOR AQUACULTURE Evaluation of an algal based oral vaccine against salmonid alphavirus
The challenge:
Viral diseases are responsible for severe economic losses in global salmonid aquaculture. Current vaccination methods involve injection of anaesthetised fish which is expensive, labour intensive and stressful to the fish. An oral delivery route therefore represents an attractive low-tech, low-stress alternative to injection or immersion vaccination. To date, there have been few examples of successful oral vaccines for aquaculture. This project will investigate the use of the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a host for scalable production of a recombinant oral salmonid alphavirus (SAV) vaccine and increase understanding of fish immunisation efficiency via an oral route.
The objective:
The aim of this proof-of-concept project is to generate a transgenic line of C. reinhardtii expressing the structural proteins of salmonid alphavirus and determine whether the dried algal biomass can serve as an effective oral vaccine against the virus when formulated into fish feed. 1. Design and construct the transgenic alga,
and determine yield of the SAV antigen. 2. Optimise algal biomass production and
the drying process. 3. Carry out fish vaccination and challenge
trials. 4. Carry out virological, histopathological
and immunological analysis. 5. Undertake a techno-economic analysis of
fish vaccination using algal oral vaccines.
Industry relevant outputs:
Oral vaccines have the potential to reduce costs, simplify vaccine delivery and storage, as well as provide animal welfare benefits. Tackling this disease will save money and protect livelihoods and food sources.
Strains expressing the SAV antigen will be produced at UCL using established techniques for genetically engineering the alga. In order to enhance the process economics, we will investigate the influences of cultivation, harvesting and drying strategies.
The algal vaccine will then be tested in animal trials to establish how effective this may be in comparison to the established injection method of vaccination. The effectiveness of the oral vaccine will depend on the digestion and immune response elicited by the microalgae within the gut of the fish. Following the scale up of cultivation and the resulting animal trials, we will perform an economic assessment to understand the commercial viability of algal based oral vaccines. ( Coordinator: Dr Brenda Parker Dept. Biochemical Eng, UCL)
SALMON ANAEMIA The development of diagnostic techniques to assess anaemia in aquaculture reared Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
The challenge:
Anaemia is a relatively new health challenge for the Scottish salmon industry. Farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) show clinical signs of anaemia through gill discoloration and micro-haemorrhages, resulting in severely low haematocrit (HCT) counts. The cause and form of anaemia in Atlantic salmon is unknown, and acquiring preventative strategies is difficult. Cases of anaemia in farmed salmon have resulted in reduced growth through reduced feeding, leading to overall production loss which bares an economic cost to the producer. Current estimates, based on a typical farm production cycle of 250,000 fish, could potentially lose around £150,000 due to health issues associated with anaemia.
Objectives:
This project aims to establish a user friendly haematology monitoring programme, developing and integrating an effective diagnostic protocol into current salmon aquaculture fish health management practice. 1. Re-purpose and validate laboratory and point of care instruments
for haematological analysis of salmon blood in aquaculture. 2. Use these techniques for the characterisation of anaemia in salm
on. 3. Investigate the relationship between anaemia and other stressors in salmon aquaculture and their impact on fish health and immunology. 4. Develop a haematology monitoring programme integrated into the
work streams of our aquaculture partners.
Industry relevant outputs:
Early identification and management of anaemia resulting in improved fish health and welfare.
Reduction in mortality, food wastage, medical intervention and use of specialised feeds, while improving growth rate and productivity.
Easy-to-use diagnostic technique can be carried out by company health teams/site personnel throughout generation as part of a more robust surveillance standard operating procedure.
Results can be used to inform health management decisions to enable best practice and ensure optimal conditions for livestock.
( Coordinator: Prof Brian Quinn, University of the West of Scotland)
AQUALEAP Innovation in Genetics and Breeding to Advance UK Aquaculture Production
The challenge:
Productive and sustainable UK aquaculture systems require a reliable supply of high quality stock. Well managed programmes of domestication and selective breeding have huge potential for cumulative gains in production.
However, the level of technology used for breeding and production is wide ranging across aquatic species. Reliance on wild or near wild stock creates vulnerability and limits profitability via impaired ability to improve stock performance and to combat emerging challenges. As such, a key research challenge for UK aquaculture is to enable selective breeding. Current barriers to this include knowledge gaps in the genetic basis of economically important traits, and a lack of molecular tools and quantitative genetics expertise.
“There have been few examples of successful oral vaccines for aquaculture”
Objectives:
AquaLeap aims to improve genetics and breeding for four UK aquaculture sectors including a large, advanced industry (salmon), and smaller or emerging industries (lobster, flat oyster and lumpfish). 1. To develop and apply a range of novel genomic tools and resources to underpin domestication and genetic improvement for four species of commercial importance or potential in UK aquaculture. 2. To investigate the genetic and epigenetic basis of variation in key commercial production traits, with a focus on growth, robustness and disease resistance. 3. To improve gene editing techniques in aquaculture species, and use gene editing approaches to identify the causative factors underlying a major locus affecting disease resistance in salmon. 4. To address skill gaps in key areas defined by the ARCH-UK network,
including quantitative genetics, bioinformatics and gene editing. 5. To engage societal stakeholders in aquaculture genetics, including
future uses of advanced genetic technology.
Industry relevant outputs:
New genomic tools to assist selective breeding of several UK aquaculture species. Improved knowledge of the genetic and epigenetic basis of traits of importance to the aquaculture production industry. Improvements in gene editing which has future potential to tackle production barriers for the industry, including disease resistance. Addressing gaps in skills that are lacking, including quantitative genetics and bioinformatics. Improved engagement of the public and other stakeholders in the use of genetics technology in aquaculture.
( Coordinator: Prof Ross Houston, University of Edinburgh) IMMUNISATION Passive and active immunisation against novel vaccine targets to protect trout against proliferative kidney disease (PKD)
The challenge:
Rainbow trout farming is a key component of the UK aquaculture sector. Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) is one of the most important diseases impacting production. Currently no treatments exist to control PKD, caused by Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae (Myxozoa - Cnidaria), that is transmitted to susceptible fish species from infected bryozoans (a colonial invertebrate).
Objectives:
The objective of this proposal is to translate previous research to test the hypothesis, ‘It is possible to protect farmed rainbow trout against PKD using passive or active immunisation against recently identified novel vaccine targets’.
Our past studies have allowed us to identify some promising vaccine candidates that will be tested for their ability to reduce kidney pathology and pathogen load in trout.
Industry relevant outputs:
Demonstration that anti-parasite vaccines for fish can be effective.
Validating the methodological approach taken to identify vaccine candidates.
Confirmation of promising vaccine candidates to take forwards.
Verifying the effectiveness of using passive immunisation as a means to reduce pathology by antigen-blocking.
( Coordinator: Prof Chris Secombes, University of Aberdeen)
OFFSHORE Evaluating the Environmental Conditions Required for the Development of Offshore Aquaculture
The challenge:
Currently, most Scottish aquaculture production occurs in fjordic sea lochs that provide relatively sheltered conditions for farms. The development of aquaculture in offshore environments outside of sea lochs offers a potential route for the sustainable expansion of the industry. More dispersive open environments offer the potential for larger farms with reduced inter-connectivity and lower environmental impact. However, these more exposed environments will carry their own risks, for example in terms of potential storm damage. To proceed with the development of offshore aquaculture a better scientific understanding of its potential benefits is required.
Objectives: 1. To evaluate experimentally the physical
“To proceed with offshore aquaculture a better scientific understanding of its benefits is required”
characteristics that distinguish contrasting potential fish farm locations (sheltered/restricted exchange, open sheltered, open exposed). 2. To evaluate the ability of existing regional hydrodynamic models to represent and characterise the differences between sites/conditions. 3. To develop higher resolution local hydrodynamic models to better represent processes that cannot be adequately represented by the regional models. 4. To incorporate a high resolution wave model within the above regional model structures. 5. To improve existing physical/biological models of sea lice dispersal/behaviour/ connectivity and HAB risk and evaluate the impact of these biological challenges in contrasting environments. 6. To undertake risk analysis of equipment failure in more exposed locations allowing identification of suitable mitigation measures. 7. To evaluate the effects of more energetic offshore environments on salmon health, welfare and general performance.
Industry relevant outputs: An evaluation of the benefits/risks of developing offshore aquaculture operations on the Scottish west coast. Development of modelling tools that allow the management of sea lice, the understanding of sea lice transfer from aquaculture to wild salmonids, and the evaluation of HAB risk. Scientific understanding of risks limiting the ability of insurers to set realistic premiums.
( Coordinator: Prof Keith Davidson, SAMS)
PHYTOPLANKTON PhytoMOPS - Phytoplankton Morphology & Optical Properties Sensor
The challenge:
The species and concentrations of algae in a body of water vary in response to changing environmental conditions and yet these algae are currently very sparsely monitored and inadequately understood. Monitoring algal species dynamics can help provide early warning of harmful algal blooms (HABs), which cause environmental and economic damage through largescale light absorption, deoxygenation of the water, and the production of hazardous biotoxins. Monitoring of phytoplankton and of the toxins they produce has been undertaken in various forms in the UK for some decades but manual sampling and subsequent off-site analysis can be slow to identify areas with upcoming or existing problems.
Objectives:
The overall objective of the PhytoMOPS project is to decrease the economic losses and health risks caused by the formation of harmful algae blooms (HABs) in aquaculture environments by developing a new technological tool to decrease the costs of frequently monitoring phytoplankton growth. This technology will complement existing monitoring techniques by providing low-cost, high resolution independent data. This will be achieved by combining a novel microfluidic technique which has been proven in the lab with the NOC’s (National Oceanography Centre) autonomous chemical sensing hardware which has been proven to reliably work in the field.
Industry relevant outputs:
A novel low-cost microfluidic based sensor system which forms the core system for algae counting and classification.
Development of methods for data handling and analysis based on this device.
Early field trials comparing the PhytoMOPS device to a commercial fluorimeter and to manual sampling and analysis.
Dissemination of the data and results to partners and other potential end users, and publication of the results to industry, academic, and government bodies.
( Coordinator: Dr Allison Schaap, National Oceanography Centre)
ROBUST SMOLT Impact of early life history in freshwater recirculation aquaculture systems on Atlantic salmon robustness and susceptibility to disease at sea
The challenge:
The rapid global expansion of the salmon industry has been made possible through the adoption of new farming technologies (including contained recirculation aquaculture systems or RAS) and husbandry regimes to manipulate the fish’s physiology (e.g. time to seawater transfer and early maturation). RAS have clear advantages over land based flow through and freshwater (FW) loch systems, for example, salmon parr/ smolts produced in RAS under manipulated regimes (constant high temperature and light) reach larger sizes and can be transferred to seawater (SW) earlier than ever before. However, our knowledge of the impact these new rearing systems have on salmon physiology is very limited. The impact of differing microbiota, water chemistry and altered photo-ther
mal regimes on fish disease resistance at sea, immune function and the microbiome have not been characterised. Further research in these areas may help us to better understand the key drivers behind farmed stock performance.
Objectives:
Provide knowledge and tools to monitor and enhance: farming system efficiency, reliability, fish robustness, fish health, sector productivity and overall sustainability. 1. To characterise and understand microbiomes on mucosal surfaces and their interactions with health at early life stages, plus, the impact of different production regimes on microbiomes and lifelong immune competence. 2. To establish the interrelationships between FW chemistry (especially CO2) in RAS and health and growth performances during early life. 3. To establish the effects of photoperiod, diet, vaccine and rearing
system on immune function. 4. To establish the relationship between FW development in RAS and its impact upon performance and disease susceptibility in seawater (SW). 5. To study genotype-environment interaction by measuring the impact of FW environments on genetic control of performance traits in SW. 6. To facilitate and support ECRs in aquaculture interdisciplinary
research through training and engagement with industry.
Industry relevant outputs: Identify RAS impacts on immune barriers (mainly gill, gut and skin). Compare the impacts of early FW environmental conditions (water chemistry, temperature, photoperiod and nutrition) on fish performance and overall health at sea in both RAS and open water loch systems.
New tools, knowledge and protocols to improve RAS, fish performance, health, welfare and overall robustness of farmed stocks leading to enhanced productivity, sustainability and sector growth.
Inform policy and decision making for health management, practices for farmed stock monitoring and identified risk factors.
( Coordinator: Prof Herve Migaud, Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling)
SUSTAINABLE SHELLFISH Introducing local testing and management solutions
The challenge: Shellfish are an essential commodity for the UK, employing more than 3,000 people and producing a revenue in producing a revenue in excess of £40 million per annum. However, as filter feeders they are susceptible to accumulation of the biotoxins produced by some algae, presenting a hazard to human health.
To protect public health, certain toxins are regulated in shellfish as part of the official control programme administered by FSS/FSA. But shellfish growers need improved management tools to minimise closure and loss of revenue. The aim of this project is to develop effective rapid biotoxin testing of shellfish, supported by early forecasting through remote sensing and phytoplankton analysis. This, combined with the deployment of a photocatalytic curtain to protect harvesting sites, will ensure that the impact of biotoxins on shellfish production areas will be mitigated, supporting expansion of this important industry.
Objectives: 1. Trial multi-toxin tests (eMice). 2. Link to monitoring and remote sensing
data (ShellEye). 3. Development of photocatalytic curtain
for destruction of HABs and their toxins.
Industry relevant outputs:
Rapid, quantitative, validated local test for multiple biotoxins. An essential new range of biotoxin standards. Data set combining project, regulatory and ShellEye data.
Protective barrier technology.
( Coordinator: Prof Christine Edwards, Robert Gordon University).