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Research Project: Genetic Improvement of North American Atlantic Salmon and the Eastern Oyster for Aquaculture Production

Location: National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center

Title: Progress towards a Gulf of Maine captive reared lumpfish (Cyclopterous lumpus) broodstock population

Author
item Pietrak, Michael
item Polinski, Mark
item Peterson, Brian

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/10/2024
Publication Date: 1/10/2024
Citation: Pietrak, M.R., Polinski, M.P., Peterson, B.C. 2024. Progress towards a Gulf of Maine captive reared lumpfish (Cyclopterous lumpus) broodstock population. Meeting Abstract. Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition Proceedings. 01102024.

Interpretive Summary: Lumpfish represent one of the first fish native to the western Atlantic to be utilized as cleaner fish to help control sea lice infestations on Atlantic salmon. Sea lice are the most economically damaging pest or pathogen faced by the domestic salmon farming industry. The USDA National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center (NCWMAC) in collaboration with various partners from the US Lumpfish Consortium have been focused on developing and optimizing hatchery culture techniques for lumpfish. The University of New Hampshire and USDA recently published a Lumpfish Hatchery Handbook to help promote lumpfish culture in the US. The current focus of efforts at the USDA is the development of a captive reared, Gulf of Maine broodstock population that can be used to support future domestic commercial rearing operations and further research into improved rearing and utilization of lumpfish to help manage sea lice infestations in the domestic salmon farming industry. Successful spawns at the USDA in the spring of 2023 from Gulf of Maine lumpfish captured by the University of Maine as young of the year and reared to adults have resulted in the establishment of 15 families of captive reared broodfish. It is anticipated that these fish will spawn in the spring of 2024. Work is on-going to create a second year class of broodstock to spawn in alternating 2-year cycles.

Technical Abstract: Lumpfish represent one of the first fish native to the western Atlantic to be utilized as cleaner fish to help control sea lice infestations on Atlantic salmon. Sea lice are the most economically damaging pest or pathogen faced by the domestic salmon farming industry. The USDA National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center (NCWMAC) in collaboration with various partners from the US Lumpfish Consortium have been focused on developing and optimizing hatchery culture techniques for lumpfish. The University of New Hampshire and USDA recently published a Lumpfish Hatchery Handbook to help promote lumpfish culture in the US. The current focus of efforts at the USDA is the development of a captive reared, Gulf of Maine broodstock population that can be used to support future domestic commercial rearing operations and further research into improved rearing and utilization of lumpfish to help manage sea lice infestations in the domestic salmon farming industry. Successful spawns at the USDA in the spring of 2023 from Gulf of Maine lumpfish captured by the University of Maine as young of the year and reared to adults have resulted in the establishment of 15 families of captive reared broodfish. It is anticipated that these fish will spawn in the spring of 2024. Work is on-going to create a second year class of broodstock to spawn in alternating 2-year cycles.