Molecular genetic variation in Galaxias maculatus (Osteichthys: Galaxiidae)

The "common jollytail", Galaxias maculatus, is a freshwater minnow-like fish that is distributed across the Southern Hemisphere and occurs abundantly in inland waterways of south-eastern Australia. Molecular genetic data were collected from samples of this species throughout western Victoria to evaluate hypotheses concerning the taxonomy and evolution of this ecologically important fish.

An evaluation of the role and impacts of alien finfish in Asian inland aquaculture

Asia dominates global aquaculture production accounting for over 80% of the total and the mainstay in Asian aquaculture is finfish. Over the years, Asia has experienced a number of inter-continental and intra-continental transfers/introductions/translocation of finfish species, between nations and watersheds, beyond their natural range of distribution, primarily for aquaculture development. In this article all such species are referred to as alien species. An attempt is made to evaluate the importance of the production of alien species in selected Asian nations, using statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organization. Also, negative effects, if any, based on literature surveys, of alien species in relation to displacement of indigenous species, and on biodiversity and/or genetic diversity together with associated pathogen transfers are evaluated. The major alien species, based on their significance to Asian inland aquaculture considered, are the tilapias, catfish, Chinese and Indian major carps and common carp. It is estimated that currently alien species account for nearly 12% of the cultured finfish production (2.6 million tonnes) in Asia, valued at US$ 2.59 billion, and the contribution exceeds 40% when Asian countries excluding China are taken into consideration. Inland finfish aquaculture in some Asian nations, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, is predominated by alien species, and in some others, e.g. Bangladesh and India, the contribution from alien species has been increasing steadily. It is suggested that overall alien finfish species have done little ecological harm to native flora and fauna. However, in the wake of increasing anthropogenic development taking place in watersheds the resulting environments are often made unconducive to indigenous species but not to some alien species, thereby potentially and indirectly making the latter invasive.

A review of stock enhancement practices in the inland water fisheries of Asia

Inland fisheries contribute only about ten percent to global fish production. Asia is the leading producer of inland fish, accounting for over 80 percent of the total production. Until recently, the inland fisheries sector had taken back stage in fisheries development plans, particularly so, given the emphasis being placed on aquaculture development throughout the world, including Asia. This report evaluates the inland fishery practices in a number of Asian countries according to habitat type, role in overall foodfish supplies and development trends. Special emphasis is laid on stock enhancement in inland fisheries in Asia, and only those fisheries in which some form of stock enhancement is practised are considered in this report.

In Asia, inland fisheries are mostly rural, artisanal activities catering to rural populations and providing an affordable source of animal protein, employment and household income. Stock enhancement is an integral component of many inland fisheries. With recent developments in
artificial propagation techniques for fast-growing and desirable fish species and the consequent increased availability of seed stock, such activities are beginning to affect inland fishery production in most Asian countries. Indeed, new avenues of production such as culture-based fisheries are increasingly adopted and seen as a way forward in most countries. Inland fishery activities also have a distinct advantage in that their development is usually less resource intensive than is aquaculture.

The economic viability of stock enhancement of large lacustrine waterbodies and rivers has not been demonstrated in any of the Asian countries, the fisheries of such waterbodies being dependent on naturally recruited stocks. The most successful stock enhancements in Asia are in floodplain beels and oxbow lakes in Bangladesh where the use of small waterbodies that are not capable of supporting natural fisheries has led to culture-based fisheries having stock and recapture rates that are very high. Culture-based fisheries are not resource intensive and are community-based activities. However, their success requires major institutional changes, and these are affected by national and local governments. In general, they can be considered to have the greatest potential for further development.

A major concern related to stock enhancements in inland waters is their possible effects on biodiversity. This is for two reasons: firstly, most countries depend wholly or partially on exotic species for stock enhancement and secondly, freshwater fishes are known to be among the most threatened of vertebrates. Major studies should be undertaken to evaluate the current situation so that remedial steps can be taken, if needed, without causing serious harm to some of the stock enhancement practices that are gaining momentum.

Bio-economical and ethical impacts of alien finfish culture in European inland waters

Since 1989, and in comparison to the global trend, inland aquaculture production of European finfish has declined. To date, the yearly European freshwater aquaculture production is 371,727 tons, valued at over US$1 billion. Indigenous species accounted for less than one-third of the production, whereas alien species (a species that has been moved beyond its natural range of distribution) accounts for the remainder. However, in general, indigenous species command a higher market price. Currently, food quality and food safety are leading concerns of consumers, and European consumers are also becoming alert to environmentally detrimental practices. Therefore, to aim at economic sustainability, the sector needs to satisfy consumer expectations of environmentally friendly practices. It is believed that farming alien finfish species can threaten local biodiversity through escapes, and this represents a current environmental concern relative to aquaculture. In this context, an attempt is made in this paper to understand and quantify the impacts of alien finfish cultivation in European inland waters, and to suggest remedial measures.

Manual on application of molecular tools in aquaculture and inland fisheries management. Part I : conceptual basis of population genetic approaches

The aim of this manual is to provide a comprehensive practical tool for the generation and analysis of genetic data for subsequent application in aquatic resources management in relation to genetic stock identification in inland fisheries and aquaculture. The material only covers general background on genetics in relation to aquaculture and fisheries resource management, the techniques and relevant methods of data analysis that are commonly used to address questions relating to genetic resource characterisation and population genetic analyses. No attempt is made to include applications of genetic improvement techniques e.g. selective breeding or producing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The manual includes two ‘stand-alone’ parts, of which this is the first volume: Part 1 – Conceptual basis of population genetic approaches: will provide a basic foundation on genetics in general, and concepts of population genetics. Issues on the choices of molecular markers and project design are also discussed. Part 2 – Laboratory protocols, data management and analysis: will provide step-by-step protocols of the most commonly used molecular genetic techniques utilised in population genetics and systematic studies. In addition, a brief discussion and explanation of how these data are managed and analysed is also included. This manual is expected to enable NACA member country personnel to be trained to undertake molecular genetic studies in their own institutions, and as such is aimed at middle and higher level technical grades. The manual can also provide useful teaching material for specialised advanced level university courses in the region and postgraduate students. The manual has gone through two development/improvement stages. The initial material was tested at a regional workshop and at the second stage feedback from participants was used to improve the contents.

Manual on application of molecular tools in aquaculture and inland fisheries management. Part I : laboratory protocols, data management and analysis

The aim of this manual is to provide a comprehensive practical tool for the generation and analysis of genetic data for subsequent application in aquatic resources management in relation to genetic stock identification in inland fisheries and aquaculture. The material only covers general background on genetics in relation to aquaculture and fisheries resource management, the techniques and relevant methods of data analysis that are commonly used to address questions relating to genetic resource characterisation and population genetic analyses. No attempt is made to include applications of genetic improvement techniques e.g. selective breeding or producing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The manual includes two ‘stand-alone’ parts, of which this is the second volume: Part 1 – Conceptual basis of population genetic approaches: will provide a basic foundation on genetics in general, and concepts of population genetics. Issues on the choices of molecular markers and project design are also discussed. Part 2 – Laboratory protocols, data management and analysis: will provide step-by-step protocols of the most commonly used molecular genetic techniques utilised in population genetics and systematic studies. In addition, a brief discussion and explanation of how these data are managed and analysed is also included. This manual is expected to enable NACA member country personnel to be trained to undertake molecular genetic studies in their own institutions, and as such is aimed at middle and higher level technical grades. The manual can also provide useful teaching material for specialised advanced level university courses in the region and postgraduate students. The manual has gone through two development/improvement stages. The initial material was tested at a regional workshop and at the second stage feedback from participants was used to improve the contents.

Movements of a nomadic waterfowl, Grey Teal Anas gracilis, across inland Australia – results from satellite telemetry spanning fifteen months

We used lightweight satellite transmitters to follow the movements of 17 Grey Teal Anas gracilis between September 2003 and November 2004 in two contrasting landscapes, the agricultural districts of southern Australia and the desert landscapes of the interior. Tagged birds moved large distances (up to 343 km) between occupied sites in a short period (hours), remained in the vicinity of those sites for extended periods (months), ventured up to 453 km from their point of release and travelled more than 2000 km in one year. We describe patterns of movement in a nomadic waterfowl for 15 months from September 2003, a period of severe drought. Based on the current analysis there appears to be no remarkable difference in the observed patterns of movement of those released in the agricultural landscapes and those released in the desert. As in waterfowl elsewhere, movements appear to occur in response to changes in local food abundance that threaten survival or the imperative to move in order to breed successfully. In Grey Teal, the proximate cues for movement transcend the local landscape and some birds are responding to temporary cues hundreds of kilometres distant. This is in contrast to the universal seasonal cues associated with migration systems elsewhere.

Importance of the contribution of Australians to the penetration of China by the China Inland Mission in the period 1888-1953, with particular reference to the work of Australian women missionaries

Australians, in the main, are unaware of the role which Australia played in the evangelization of China in the late nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century. Most would never have heard of the China Inland Mission (CIM), the largest of the Protestant bodies which penetrated the Middle Kingdom, and few would know of the contribution that its Australian contingent, which consistently comprised about a tenth of the CIM's numbers, made towards the Christianization of that vast country. This thesis aims to raise the level of awareness in this area. Academic researchers have not totally neglected to examine the proselytization of China, and historians of the stature of Latourette have not let it escape their attention. However, most of the studies which have not merely fleetingly focused on the subject while viewing a larger canvas, have been North American, singling out the efforts of United States and Canadian bodies in introducing Christianity to the Chinese. Here, authors like Amerding, Bacon, Creighton, Gates, Hawkes, Ho, Ko, Mensendiek, Michell and Quale have left their mark. In the case of the present thesis, the outlook from which events played out in China are viewed is firmly based in Australia rather than North America. Earlier Australian research has been scarce, and is dominated by Loane and Dixon. Loane, evidently primarily working from Australasian Council minutes, mainly concentrates on the efforts of the CIM's Home Council, examining its endeavours decade by decade against a backdrop of contemporaneous events in China, and briefly referring to aspects of the lives of a cross-section of Australasian missionaries, without providing much idea about what they actually did in the field or what they achieved there. Because of its preoccupation with the Home Council, which never admitted women into its ranks, Loane's treatise is systemically biased towards men, though the more prominent of the women, like Mary Reed and Susie Garland, are given due recognition. The current thesis looks in detail at what Australians did in the field, the level of success they achieved, and at the particular contribution of Australian women towards the evangelization of China. Dixon took upon herself the formidable task of examining the endeavours of all missions in China which contained Australian missionaries. Because of the magnitude of her task, she could not focus to any great extent on particular missions, nor pursue in any detail the work of individual Australian missionaries. Like Loane, she was unable to explore what they actually did in the field or what they achieved there. Neither could she delve to any depth into the work of Australian women missionaries, though on the basis of the information she had accumulated, she drew the conclusion that Australian women had largely only brought about some unintended feminist consequences amongst Chinese women. This sweeping generalization failed to take into account the other very real social changes for Chinese women the Australian female missionaries quite purposely helped to bring about, and this thesis makes good that omission. This thesis studies aspects of the Australian missionary endeavour which both Loane and Dixon have neglected, thereby breaking new ground, and sets out to correct erroneous impressions which Dixon's dissertation has left on the historical record. One of these impressions concerned the longevity of the effect of the Australian effort in China. She had the View, writing in 1978, that the Chinese Church was moribund (a view shared by Varg and Lacy) , and that therefore the effects attributable to the endeavours of any nationality had proved fruitless, whereas the author is able to show, using modern-day sources, that the church has burgeoned in recent years thanks to earlier missionary endeavours and later neo-evangelistic efforts like Gospel radio, and now has a complement of perhaps 50 million adherents, making it second only to the United States in the size of its Protestant evangelical population. Another impression she left was that the Australian input into the evangelization of China can be largely dismissed because no totally Australian organization emerged, leaving the direction of Australia's effort in other hands. Contrary to that impression, the author shows that the Australian impact in China was significant and that Australians enjoyed more power than Dixon ever imagined. The author also shows that Australians were accepted as the equal of other nationalities in the CIM once they had acquired the necessary field expertise, a factor which doubtless also applied in respect of other missions with Australian components in China. Marchant has suggested that it is a fiction perpetuated by mission periodicals that Christianity spread and progressed in a determined manner in China. This thesis establishes that within the CIM's bailiwick, though there was some patchiness, Christianity progressed steadily and inexorably. One mission alone, the CIM, is concentrated upon, firstly in order to render the data manageable, secondly because it was the largest mission in China and had a sizeable Australian (including female) contingent, and thirdly because it exemplified many of the problems which would have been faced by missions in that country and their Australian components. The methodology employed is multifaceted. The written testimony of the missionaries themselves, contained in CIM periodicals, Field Bulletins, Monthly Notes, Annual Reports, autobiographies, personal files, diaries and letters is used to illustrate various aspects of the CIM's work in which Australians were engaged. This approach is augmented by other sources such as China and Australasian Home Council Minutes, missionary conference reports, Candidates' Books, biographies, and other selected material from archival holdings in Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, America and Canada. Statistics, especially ratio analyses and growth rate comparisons are used to demonstrate the relative success of different missions, missionaries and genders. Also employed are reminiscences of missionaries and descendants obtained by personal interview, and these are aggregated to provide some general conclusions. Data from these various sources have been synthesized to serve the central objective of demonstrating the importance of the contribution of Australians to the penetration of China by the CIM in the period 1888-1953 with particular reference to the work of Australian women missionaries.

The fishery, biology and management of three inland water-bodies, Vietnam

This study was carried out from 1997 to 2004 and its findings have significantly enhanced our understanding on fishery, biology, and management of three inland water bodies in Vietnam. The study also provides insights into development of management guidelines and recommendations for future fisheries development in the research area.

Fiji’s collared kingfishers (Todiramphus chloris vitensis) do hunt for fish in inland waters

According to the major texts on Fiji’s birds, fish are considered to form only a small part of the collared kingfisher’s diet, and it appears that when fish are taken, this is only in mangroves and beachpools. This article describes systematic fishing by collared kingfishers in a deep inland freshwater body.