Bioethics and biotechnology

This paper examines the practice and products of biotechnology from the viewpoint of bioethics, looking at four cases where aquatic biotechnology and bioethics intersect. The four cases applied are: Case 1. Genetic modification of animals; Case 2. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) as food; Case 3. Environmental applications of GMOs; Case 4. Intellectual property production for GMOs and DNA sequences.

The review of recent advances in fish genetics and biotechnology

Great advances have been, and are being made in our knowledge of the genetics and molecular biology (including genomics, proteomics and structural biology). Global molecular profiling technologies such as microassays using DNA or oligonucleotide chip, and protein and lipid chips are being developed. The application of such biotechnological advances are inevitable in aquaculture in the areas of improvement of aquaculture stocks where many molecular markers such as RFLPs, AFLDs and RAPD are now available for genome analysis, finger printing and genetic linkage mapping. Transgenic technology has been developed in a number of fish species and research is being pursed to produce transgenic fish carrying genes that encode antimicrobial peptides such as lysozyme thereby achieving disease resistance in fish. Also it is a short cut to achieving genetic change for fast growth and other desirable traits like early sexual maturity, temperature tolerance and feed conversion efficiency. KEYWORDS: Fish genetics, transgenesis, monoploidy, diploidy, polyploidy,gynogenesis, androgenesis, cryopreservation.

Aquaculture Asia, Vol.13, No.4, pp.1-51, October-December 2008

Editorial An increasingly secure future for wastewater-fed aquaculture in Kolkata, India? by Peter Edwards. First culture-based fisheries growth cycle in Lao PDR is overwhelmingly encouraging, by Sena De Silva. Revival of abandoned shrimp farms in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh, by National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA). Growth of forward and backward industries linked with aquaculture in Kolleru Lake area, Andhra Pradesh, India, by A. K. Roy, G. S. Saha, P. Kumaraiah and N. Sarangi Effective marketing strategies for economic viability of prawn farming in Kuttanad, India, by Ranjeet K. and B. Madhusoodana Kurup. Applications of nutritional biotechnology in aquaculture, by S.D. Singh, S.K. Nayak, M. Sekar and B.K. Behera. Some technical and management aspects of catfish hatcheries in Hong Ngu district, Dong Thap province, Vietnam, by H. P. Hung, N. T. T. An, N. V. Trieu, D. T. Yen, U. Na-Nakorn, Thuy T. T. Nguyen. Nodavirus: An emerging threat to freshwater prawn farming, by Biju Sam Kamalam, J., Saravanan, S. and Ajith Stalin, J.L. Asia-Pacific Marine Finfish Aquaculture Network Magazine: Asian seabass farming: Brainstorming workshop and training in India. Comparative study for broodstock management of grey mullet (Mugil cephalus L.) in cages and earthen ponds with hormone treatment, by Nani Gopal Das, Md. Shahadat Hossain, Sushanta Bhattacharjee and Prabal Barua. Cultivation of gilthead sea bream (Sparus auratus L.) in low saline inland water of the southern part of Israel desert, by Samuel Appelbaum and A. Jesu Arockia Raj. Mariculture development opportunities in SE Sulawesi, Indonesia, by La Ode M. Aslan, Hotman Hutauruk, Armen Zulham,Irwan Effendy, Mhummaed Atid, Michael Phillips, Lars Olsen, Brendan Larkin, Sena S De Silva, Geoff Gooley. Improved hatchery and grow-out technology for marine finfish. NACA Newsletter

31. Jahrestagung der "West European Fish Technologit´s Association" in Espoo, Finnland

Vom 27.-31. Mai 2001 fand in Espoo, Finnland, die 31. Jahrestagung der WEFTA (West European FishTechnologist’s Association) statt. 75 Teilnehmer aus15 europäischen Ländern, der FAO und der Europäischen Kommission sowie aus den USA und Kanadawaren der Einladung des VTT Biotechnology, eines großen finnischen Forschungsinstituts auf dem Gebiete der Biotechnologie und biologischer Materialien, zu dieser Tagung gefolgt. Die Durchführung in einemKongresszentrum in Espoo, nahe der finnische Hauptstadt Helsinki direkt am Bottnischen Meerbusen gelegen, ermöglichte einen straffen organisatorischen Ablauf und die Einhaltung des Zeitplanes der mit 41 Vorträgen und 18 Postern recht umfangreichen Veranstaltung, die in 7 Themenkomplexe gegliedert war. Nachfolgend werden wesentliche Ergebnisse der einzelnen Beiträge zusammengefasst

Yellow (Perca flavescens) and Eurasian (P. fluviatilis) perch distinguished in fried fish samples by DNA analysis

DNA techniques are increasingly used as diagnostic tools in many fields and venues. In particular, a relatively new application is its use as a check for proper advertisement in markets and on restaurant menus. The identification of fish from markets and restaurants is a growing problem because economic practices often render it cost-effective to substitute one species for another. DNA sequences that are diagnostic for many commercially important fishes are now documented on public databases, such as the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s (NCBI) GenBank.1 It is now possible for most genetics laboratories to identify the species from which a tissue sample was taken without sequencing all the possible taxa it might represent.

Antibacterial activity of a marine bacterium against pathogenic and environmental isolates of vibrio species

The marine environment covers three quarters of the surface of the planet is estimated to be home to more than 80% of life and yet it remains largely unexplored. The rich diversity of marine flora and fauna and its adaptation to the harsh marine environment coupled with new developments in biotechnology, has opened up a new exciting vista for extraction of bioactive products of use in medicine. In this study inhibitory activity of a marine bacterium isolated from gut of ribbonfish was studied against pathogenic and environmental isolates of Vibrio species. This strain was identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri and it was found active against V. harveyi (luminescent bacteria), V. cholerae, V. alginolyticus, V. damseal, V. fluvialis. The antibacterial substance produced by Pseudomonas stutzeri was soluble in organic solvent and closely bound to external surface of bacterial cells. Reduction of the absorbance of the V. cholera cell suspension was observed when log phase cells of V. cholerae were treated with MIC and 4xMIC concentration of crude extract of Pseudomonas stutzeri.

Endosulfan: a hidden menace

A clean and healthy environment is paramount to human existence. While pesticide use has successfully sustained agricultural and food production in our lifetime as well as safeguarded human health by controlling insect pests, it has also caused many tragedies including population declines in our wildlife, fatalities in workers exposed to pesticides in its manufacture and use, and the increasing incidence of dreaded human illnesses such as cancer. A delicate balance should be achieved to mitigate the adverse impact of pesticide use to the environment and at the same time ensuring short- and long-term agricultural productivity. Endosulfan has been effectively used as a pesticide, but much evidence on its chronic and sub-lethal effects on humans and wildlife have been gathered in recent years. More research still needs to be done to determine its effects from long-term exposure at very low levels. Endosulfan is highly toxic to fish and other aquatic animals and, thus, not recommended for use in aquatic ecosystems. However, in some countries, it has been incorrectly used as a molluscicide in rice paddies, which could have an adverse impact on the rice-fish farming systems and on other surrounding aquatic ecosystems. It is clear that such practices should be stopped and users must strictly observe the recommended application methods. Agricultural productivity should be achieved with less pesticide by using integrated pest management programs which make use of biological, cultural, and physical control agents and lower doses of safer pesticide on a need only basis. The benefits of biotechnology should also be used to develop more effective and safer products and techniques. This is a valid approach and one that will require a unified and concerted effort among suppliers and users of pesticides in order to ensure that resources are used to our best advantage with minimal risk.