Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The formal meeting was preceded by a 6 hour symposium on various aspects of hybrid catfish production attended throughout the day by approximately 100 individuals. At the formal meeting Drs. Guthrie, Jensen and Dunham gave a summary on how Multistate Projects are organized and function. Funding opportunities were discussed including potential mechanisms on how members of the group might pursue funding in the future. The state of the hybrid catfish industry and its needs were examined. The role of each participant was discussed in regards to each individual objective. An invitation was extended to expand participation of USDA-ARS and the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. During 2008, emphasis will be placed on objectives 1, 3,4,5,6, 7, 11 and 13. An especially important need for 2008 is objective 11, development of pond seining/grading technology specific for hybrid catfish to prevent gilling.

Short- term outcomes- Despite severe economic conditions in the catfish industry, 20-30 new farmers have adopted the hybrid catfish technology. Additionally, one farm has adopted the new seining/grading technology that has been developed for hybrids. Outputs- 3 publications Activities- The activities planned for 2008 include an evaluation of seasonal feeding of improved diets, and an evaluation of a high fish oil diet on reproductive performance, a comparison of early, peak and late spawning lines of channel catfish for hybrid embryo production at varying temperature regimes, an evaluation of elevated oxygen levels on egg hatching, a comparison of embryo production from females conditioned in deep and shallow ponds, an evaluation of LHRH implants manufactured with alternative technology, an evaluation of pheromone response in channel catfish and blue catfish, an evaluation of in pond seining/grading technology specific for hybrid catfish to prevent gilling, and evaluation of gene constructs to prevent gamete formation in catfish. Milestones for 2007-2008: Milestones 1 and 7 have been achieved to date. (2007): 1) Collect brood stock in 2007 to identify early, peak and late spawning lines of channel catfish in 2007. 2)Develop extrusion process for LHRHa implants and determine release rates in 2007 to allow evaluation of implants in 2007.3)Determine response to selection and realized h2, for fecundity, hatch and hybrid fry/kg based on individual selection in 2007 to determine selection protocol for 2008,4)Compare various forms of LHRH implants to address INAD concerns and reduce implant costs in 2007 to have final spawning protocol in 2011, 5)Develop extended refrigerated storage and cryopreservation of sperm in 2007 to have final spawning protocol in 2011,6) Develop and identify early, peak and late spawning lines of channel catfish in 2007 to lengthen the short spawning season for hybrids by 2011 7) Evaluate morphological changes of oocytes during oocyte maturation in female catfish and relate this to fertilization, development and hatch in 2007 to determine key developmental stages for study in 2008. 8) Evaluate current pond graders for effectiveness for hybrids in 2007 to determine design changes for 2008. (2008): 9) Construct altered grader in 2008 to evaluate pond seining/grading technology specific for hybrid catfish to prevent gilling in 2009. 10)Enhance fatty acids diets evaluated by 2008 to have final spawning protocol in 2011. 11) Determine the relative importance of stocking density of channel catfish females for hybrid embryo production- should density be based on surface acreage or volume?: in 2008 to have final spawning protocol in 2011. 12) Evaluate hybrid embryo production via pheromonal manipulation of channel catfish males and blue catfish males for improved ovulation, spermiation, egg quality, hatch and fry production in 2008 to have final spawning protocol in 2011

Umali, G.M. 2007. The economic significance of aquatic biotechnology in the production of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) female x blue catfish (I. furcatus) male hybrid (cb hybrid) embryo. Doctoral dissertation. Auburn University, AL. Dunham, R. A., G. M. Umali, R. Beam, A. H. Kristanto, and M. Trask. 2008. Comparison of production traits of the NWAC103 channel catfish, NWAC103 channel X blue hybrid catfish, Kansas select 21 channel catfish and blue catfish grown at commercial densities and exposed to natural bacterial epizootics. N. Amer. J. Aquacult. 70:98-106 Quintero H.E., A. Hutson, A. Chaimongkol, D.A. Davis, A. Abebe, and R. Dunham. 2008. Effects of varying dietary protein levels and feeding frequencies on condition and reproductive performance of channel catfish to produce hybrid catfish. J. World Aqua. Soc. in press.