Jesse Trushenski

Riverence Holdings LLC

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) is a significant viral disease affecting salmonids, whereas Flavobacterium psychrophilum (Fp), the causative agent of bacterial coldwater disease (BCWD), remains one of the most significant bacterial pathogens of salmonids. We explored maternal immunity in the context of IHN and BCWD management in rainbow tro...

While there is a growing need to increase farm fish production to meet food security needs of a growing population, humane slaughter treatments are not well understood. Use of sedative agents prior to slaughter can facilitate a more rapid and humane slaughter process. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of implementing preslaug...

The aims of this review are to describe the role of ‘blue‐food production’ (animals, plants and algae harvested from freshwater and marine environments) within a circular bioeconomy, discuss how such a framework can help the sustainability and resilience of aquaculture and to summarise key examples of novel nutrient sources that are emerging in the...

The world population is increasing, and our current agricultural practices are not sustainable enough to address the concerns. Alternative proteins including plant-based proteins would provide a more sustainable source of food and feed ingredients. Among food systems, the aquaculture industry is rapidly growing, while still depending on marine sour...

A study involving duplicate experimental trials was conducted to determine whether differences in embryonic metabolic rate were associated with differences in growth performance, thermal tolerance, and expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Fertilized eggs were screened using a quantitative resazurin‐based...

Fish oil (FO) is four times more expensive than it was 30 years ago, yet it remains the most economical source of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA) and other long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) for aquafeeds. Although most reduction fisheries are considered well-managed and sustainable, supplies...

Invasive bigheaded carps, genus Hypophthalmichthys, are spreading throughout the Mississippi River basin. To explore the efficacy of a consumer-based market (i.e., invasivorism) to manage them, we developed a conceptual model and evaluated three harvest approaches-direct contracted removal, volume-based incentives ("fisher-side" control), and set-q...

The American Fisheries Society (AFS) was founded during the early days of North American fish propagation, when pioneering fish culturists first began to coax food and fishing opportunities from pails of eggs and wriggling fry. In the absence of effective regulations and the will to enforce measures to prevent overfishing and habitat loss, fisherie...

Rearing density is recognized as a critical consideration in fish husbandry: whereas higher densities may increase productivity and reduce production costs, they also represent a potential source of chronic stress and may negatively affect growth performance and product quality. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of rearing density on growth,...

We evaluated the growth performance and fatty acid composition of juvenile Florida Pompano Trachinotus carolinus fed diets containing different combinations of n‐3 and n‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to assess the relative importance of C18 PUFA and LC‐PUFA in meeting the essential fatty acid requirements of this species. Juvenile fish (47.4...

Defining nutritional fatty acid essentiality in fish nutrition is complex, given the wide range of taxonomic (e.g., divergence among species subjected to different selective pressures), biological (e.g., trophic levels, environmental tolerances), and external factors (e.g., experimental conditions, differences in feed formulation and manufacturing)...

Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus reportedly require α‐linolenic acid (18:3n‐3) for normal growth. However, contradicting studies suggest that elevated dietary levels of this fatty acid might cause growth inhibition, and diets containing linoleic acid (18:2n‐6) alone or in combination with 18:0 and 18:1n‐9 may support growth as well as fish oil‐b...

The National Research Council (NRC) reports the essential fatty acid requirements of Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss can be satisfied by 0.7‐1.0% 18:3n‐3 or 0.4‐0.5% n‐3 long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC‐PUFA; defined by NRC as 20:5n‐3 + 22:6n‐3) in the diet. These requirements were defined roughly 50 years ago and do not consider the im...

Understanding fatty acid requirements in multiple taxa is necessary to determine the degree to which dietary fish oil can be reduced or replaced with less costly, more abundant lipid sources. The polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) requirements of hybrid Striped Bass Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis are currently reported as 0.5‐1.0% EPA (eicosapentaen...

Antibiotic use in animal production, including aquaculture, has become a controversial subject in recent years. It is unclear whether antibiotic use by fish hatcheries or farms is functionally related to the development of resistance in important human pathogens. Regardless, antimicrobial resistance is relevant to aquaculture because it may reduce...

Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus have a reported dietary requirement for n‐6 C18 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), 18:2n‐6, but direct provision of n‐6 long‐chain PUFA (LC‐PUFA), 20:4n‐6, may be a more efficient approach. No quantitative requirement for n‐3 fatty acids has been formally recognized for tilapias, but beneficial effects of having b...

High-quality protein feeds are needed in ecological and organic poultry production. Feeds that are rich in methionine (MET) are particularly important because synthetic amino acids are generally prohibited in organic livestock production. Bigheaded carp present an opportunity as feed because they are an invasive fish species that are high in protei...

As part of the Snake River Sockeye Salmon Oncorhynchus nerka recovery effort, a dedicated smolt‐rearing facility was constructed in 2013 near Springfield, ID. In‐hatchery performance and survival were typical for the species, but unexpectedly high mortality rates were observed in the first cohorts of Springfield‐reared smolts upon release into Redf...

Why do we value diversity? There are many reasons—some universal, some deeply personal. Directly or indirectly, we are all responsible for the conservation and wise use of natural resources held in public trust. Diversity in the fisheries disciplines is an essential element of resilience, relevance, and respect for the work we do within and among t...

In Fantasyland, Kurt Andersen describes the growing disconnection between American life and objective reality (Andersen 2017). He explores the concepts of “post‐truth” and “post‐factual” and how these nonsensical terms have gained meaning in today's society. Both terms trace their origins to a common linguistic forebear, the seemingly harmless “tru...

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) are physiologically necessary molecules serving a number of structural and biochemical roles in vertebrates, including fishes. These fatty acids are present in significant quantity in marine-origin ingredients like fish oil that are commonly used in the manufacturing of industrially compounded aquaf...

The English language is full of idiosyncrasies. For every so‐called rule of spelling or grammar, a word or circumstance breaks it. The word “priceless” is one example. Those unfamiliar with the word might understandably mistake its meaning for “without a price” or without value. Of course, we know it is meant to suggest the opposite: we say somethi...

• Resource subsidies across aquatic‐terrestrial boundaries can alter predator distribution and biomass and elicit trophic cascades. Most studies have focused on the size of cross‐boundary fluxes, but the impact of a subsidy is also mediated by quality and relative abundance of similar resources in the recipient habitat. • Long‐chain polyunsaturated...

In previous columns, I have encouraged readers to consider fish as food for body and soul, the contributions fish make to global economies and individual livelihoods, and the cultural and spiritual values of fish and fishing. I chose to focus on these topics first as I thought they might be a bit further from most fisheries professionals’ minds. Th...

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), there are about 40 million fishers throughout the world (and roughly 20 million fish farmers; FAO 2018; see figure). The 40 million figure is restricted to those employed in the :primary sector”—people who actually catch fish—and doesn't reflect the many other jobs that marine and inland fis...

I grew up in the rural West, on a 5‐acre parcel of land just outside of Pomeroy, Washington. We had horses and chickens and barn cats, and there were Rainbow Trout in the creek that bordered our pastures. Straddling the creek were two decommissioned power poles, lashed together into a makeshift bridge from which I would drop baited hooks. This arti...

Folklore is part of the fabric of culture. Fables, myths, and other stories establish and help to maintain the shared values and beliefs that unify different peoples into distinct cultural groups. Before the advent of the scientific method, myth and tradition were our only means to make sense of the world around us and to cope with its occasional t...

Lightly sedating fish for purposes such as sorting or loading onto a distribution truck makes fish crowding, netting, and handling easier and minimizes risk of injury to fish and handler. We conducted three experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of eugenol (AQUI‐S®20E, 10% eugenol) to lightly sedate fingerling Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss,...

In recent decades, aquaculture nutrition research has made major strides in identifying alternatives to the use of traditional marine‐origin resources. Feed manufacturers worldwide have used this information to replace increasing amounts of fish meal and fish oil in aquafeeds. However, reliance on marine resources remains an ongoing constraint, and...

Gulf Menhaden, Brevoortia patronus, in the northern Gulf of Mexico support a large commercial fishery and are thought to play an important trophic role in the coastal ecosystem. The temporal dynamics of both fatty acid and oil content have a direct impact on the value of Gulf Menhaden to predators and to the fishery. In this work, we describe how o...

We conducted a series of experiments to assess Walleye Sander vitreus sedated with tricaine methanesulfonate (150 mg/L), eugenol (60 mg/L), benzocaine (150 mg/L), carbon dioxide (CO2, 360 mg/L), or pulsed DC electrosedation (100 or 150 V, 5 or 10 s). Fish were sedated individually or in groups and allowed to recover in order to determine induction...

There is limited information available on the effects of extensive aquaculture or ‘fish ranching’ operations on lake ecosystems. To study the effects of aquaculture on lake ecosystems, benthic macroinvertebrate communities were investigated from July to September 2015 in 23 lakes in the middle reach of the Yangtze River Basin. These lakes represent...

Resource allocation for fisheries management and conservation in the United States has not grown substantially in recent years, and there is ongoing debate over how limited resources should be used to create, maintain, or restore fisheries. Hatcheries have been in existence in North America since 1848, but their organization and role in fisheries m...

Diet-to-tissue transfer of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) is more efficient when diets contain saturated fatty acid (SFA) or monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)-rich alternative lipids. This mechanism, the omega-3 or LC-PUFA “sparing effect”, encourages more efficient metabolism of the limited LC-PUFAs available in terms of their i...

Until recently, use of antibiotics to enhance terrestrial animal growth performance was a common, U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved, but controversial practice. There are no FDA-approved production claims for antibiotic drug use in fish, but it is a common misconception that antibiotics are widely used for this purpose in U.S. aquaculture....

To assess the relative merits of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)-rich vs. saturated fatty acid (SFA)-rich lipids as alternatives to fish oil in aquafeeds, diets formulated for California Yellowtail Seriola dorsalis containing menhaden fish oil, fully hydrogenated soybean oil (high SFA content), partially hydrogenated soybean oil (high MUFA conten...

Hydrogenated soybean oil can be used to spare fish oil in aquafeeds, but lipid digestibility may be a limiting factor. We evaluated the performance and tissue fatty acid composition of juvenile Yellowtail Seriola dorsalis that were fed diets containing menhaden fish oil (positive control), hydrogenated soybean oil (negative control), or hydrogenate...

Subsidies across aquatic–terrestrial boundaries can alter consumer distributions and physiology. The importance of subsidies is a function of export quantity and of their physiological significance and relative scarcity in the recipient system. Aquatically derived long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) are physiologically essential, rela...

The marine oligochaete, white worm, Enchytraeus albidus (Henle, 1837), was evaluated as a potential live feed by exploring its production capacity and nutritional composition fed coffee grounds, spent brewing grains, stale bread, mixed produce, or sugar kelp over the course of 6-, 9-, or 12-week production cycles. Feed type and production cycle dur...

AQUI-S 20E (10% eugenol) has been shown to be an effective fish sedative for freshwater finfish, but to be approved for use in the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration must be provided with data demonstrating the product is safe to treated animals. Accordingly, we evaluated the safety of AQUI-S 20E when used to sedate Rainbow Trout...

We evaluated sedation and recovery of juvenile sunshine bass (male Striped Bass Morone saxatilis × female White Bass M. chrysops) exposed to AQUI-S 20E (10% eugenol; 60 mg/L) in freshwater or increasingly brackish salinities (nominal salinities of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 g/L). Induction and recovery times were significantly affected by salinity, b...

It is assumed that Florida Pompano have dietary EPA (20:5n-3) and DHA (22:6n-3) requirements. However, it is unclear whether both are equally important in meeting demand for n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) or whether the requirement(s) can be influenced by other fatty acids. Accordingly, we assessed production performance and...

Harvesting fish for slaughter commonly elicits a generalized stress response, which can negatively affect meat quality and processing efficiency. Sedatives used before or during harvest (i.e., “rested harvest”) can minimize these effects. Use of chemical sedatives is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and, unfortunately, none are ap...

Fish meal sparing or replacement is limited by reduced diet acceptability and feed intake, particularly among carnivorous finfish. Two 8-week feeding trials were conducted to assess whether the inclusion of sea clam (ocean quahog Arctica islandica) processing by-products could improve the intake of reduced fish meal feeds in sunshine bass (female W...

Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) is a warmwater, carnivorous marine finfish, and the only member of the Rachycentridae family. This species is widely known for its favorable aquaculture characteristics, particularly its rapid growth, as reportedly cobia are capable of growing 4 to 8 kg in a year, a staggering feat in comparison with the growth rates of...

In commercial aquaculture feeds, fish oil is used as a high-quality source of energy and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), but it is increasingly costly and supplies are limited. Oils and fats of terrestrial origin are typically used to improve the cost of aquafeed formulations, to spare or replace fish oil inclusion in aquafeeds....

The objective of this experiment was to jointly assess the possible influences of aquafeed extrusion temperature and pellet size and uniformity on growth performance of juvenile hybrid Striped Bass (White Bass Morone chrysops × Striped Bass M. saxatilis). A diet formulated to meet or exceed the nutritional requirements of hybrid Striped Bass was co...

To determine whether dietary lipid sources used in regimens to replace fish oil differentially impact the production performance and physiological status of hybrid Striped Bass (White Bass Morone chrysops × Striped Bass M. saxatilis), the growth performance and stress response of fish raised on diets containing oil from fish, canola, corn, or flaxs...

The coefficients of the apparent digestibility for dry matter, crude protein, crude lipid and gross energy in cooked and raw green plantain meal (GPM), cassava root meal (CRM), and peach palm meal (PPM) were determined for juveniles of black pacu (60.8 ± 6.4 g) and red pacu (76.3 ± 5.0 g). The ADC of each alternative ingredient was determined by co...

Fatty acid (FA) analyses of fish tissues offer the potential to gain new knowledge of habitat- or forage-specific energy inputs to fishes in river-floodplain ecosystems, although limited information exists regarding among-habitat differences in FA biomarkers. The goal of this study was to determine if differences in fish FA profiles among main chan...

It is likely that Seriola spp. have nutritional requirements for long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and are unable to meet physiological demand for these nutrients via biotransformation of C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids (C18 PUFAs). However, it is unclear whether 20:4n-6 (arachidonic acid, ARA), 20:5n-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA),...

Currently, there are no sedatives approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that are considered effective, safe to a broad range of fish species, practical to use, and allow sedated fish to be returned to public waters immediately upon recovery. Availability of such a sedative is critical for many field‐based fisheries activities and resear...

Due to the scarcity of marine fish oil resources, the aquaculture industry is developing more efficient strategies for the utilization of dietary omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA). A better understanding of how fish utilize EPA and DHA, typically provided by fish oil, is needed. However, EPA and DHA have different physiol...

Previous research suggests that saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) rich lipids, including beef tallow, can make utilization or diet-to-tissue transfer of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) more efficient. We hypothesized that using beef tallow as an alternative to fish oil may effectively reduce the LC-PUFA demand o...

Previous research suggests that saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) rich lipids, including beef tallow, can make utilization or diet-to-tissue transfer of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) more efficient. We hypothesized that using beef tallow as an alternative to fish oil may effectively reduce the LC-PUFA demand o...

The availability of cost-effective feed ingredients for aquafeed manufacturing is a constraint for the aquaculture industry. One of the most limiting factors is fish oil, a highly nutritious but costly ingredient that has traditionally served as the primary source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) required by some fishes. Various...

The gastrointestinal system of fish is challenged with simultaneously carrying out functions related to nutrient acquisition while protecting the host from pathogenic insults. Substantial research has been dedicated to the study of new diets or dietary additives that can maximize fish performance while preserving the mucosal health of the gut. The...

Sparing marine-origin protein and lipid was investigated in diets for giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus), using various combinations of soybean meal (SBM), soy protein concentrate (SPC), and an algal meal derived from Schizochytrium limacinum (ALG) to replace fish meal (FM), squid meal (SQM) and fish oil (FO). Diets were formulated to contain...

Partial fish meal replacement by soy protein concentrate, squid and algal meals in low fish-oil diets containing Schizochytrium limacinum for longfin yellowtail Seriola rivoliana Fish meal (FM) was partially replaced by soy protein concentrate (SPC), squid meal and a defatted algal meal from Haematococcus pluvialis in low-fish oil (FO) diets for lo...

Although marine fish culture in Brazil is still in its infancy, farmed cobia Rachycentron canadum production (25 tons per cycle) has been greatly appreciated in the Southeast region. Satisfactory, affordable, and commercially available marine fish feed is still an ongoing priority and major constraint to the expansion of cobia production. Therefore...

Chloramine-T (CLT) was recently approved for use in the United States by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to control mortality in selected freshwater-reared finfishes diagnosed with bacterial gill disease or external columnaris disease. In support of this approval, we conducted a study to determine if a target dose of 12 mg/L CLT could b...

Successful fish culture programs take a comprehensive approach to disease management, broodstock conditioning and spawning, marking progeny, and reducing handling stress. Occasionally, drugs are needed to facilitate these tasks, and the only drugs legally available are those that have been approved for such use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administrat...

The American Fisheries Society (AFS) has routinely assessed the contributions of hatcheries to natural resource management and issued recommendations to guide natural resource managers in the best uses of hatchery-origin fish. For the past several decades, AFS has explored these issues in a formalized process at approximately 10-year intervals. In...

Anecdotal information from fish growers in Illinois has suggested that pond-reared hybrid Striped Bass (White Bass Morone chrysops × Striped Bass M. saxatilis) are more vulnerable to transportation-related stressors than are cage-reared fish. We conducted two simulated transport experiments to verify these reports and explored ameliorative strategi...

We assessed the growth performance and fillet fatty acid composition of hybrid Striped Bass (White Bass Morone chrysops × Striped Bass M. saxatilis; initial weight = 29.1 ± 0.2 g [mean ± SE]) fed diets containing only menhaden fish oil (100 FISH); fully hydrogenated saturated fatty acid (SFA)-rich soybean oil (100 SFA SOY); 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, or...

Fish oil sparing affects the fatty acid composition of cultured fish fillets, in most cases resulting in lower levels of beneficial long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA). The identification of alternatives to fish oil (individual oils/fats or blends) that support growth and help to conserve tissue fatty acid composition is a high priorit...

We evaluated the production performance and tissue composition of hybrid striped bass, i.e., sunshine bass (female White Bass Morone chrysops × male Striped Bass M. saxatilis (initial weight = 110.6 g) raised to a marketable size (final weight = 575 g) on grow-out feeds containing graded levels of fish oil and hydrogenated soybean oil (100% fish oi...

Fish meal sparing is more difficult for nutritionally demanding carnivorous fishes, but economic considerations and the limited supply of fish meal continue to incentivize investigations of alternative protein sources for aquafeeds. A promising alternative to traditional, marine-origin fish meal is fish meal derived from undesirable freshwater spec...

Feedstuffs of plant origin are commonly incorporated into feed formulations to spare fishmeal as a principal protein source. These reduced-fishmeal feeds are often readily accepted and well-utilized by herbivorous and omnivorous species. However, carnivorous species may not respond as well to aggressive sparing of marine-origin protein with plant-b...

The Atlantic spadefish, Chaetodipterus faber, inhabits the western Atlantic waters from the United States to southern Bra-zil. This species is well recognized by recreational fishermen, but not by commercial fisheries due to its affinity for submerged objects that make net fishing techniques inefficient. Little work has been done to determine the p...

Despite the increasing use of fatty acids (FAs) as biomarkers in aquatic food web analysis, little information is available regarding differences in FA profiles of fish among habitat types in river–floodplain ecosystems. The objectives of this study were to (i) test whether the FA profiles of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) differed among thr...

The absence of a suitable sedative allowing treated fish to be released immediately after recovery constrains research and poses a risk to fish and those handling them. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s reliance on multi-taxon datasets represents a major hurdle in the approval process. Experiments were conducted with twelve freshwater taxa to...

AbstractSoybean meal is commonly used as a protein source in aquafeeds, but its benefits can be limited by its digestibility and the presence of antinutritional factors. Fermentation may address both of these issues, thereby improving utilization of soybean meal by carnivorous fish. We compared the production performance of juvenile White Seabass A...

“A good price for and promotion of their products [cultured fish] were of paramount concern in the early years [of AFS].” “With the passage of time, […] the focus of fisheries management broadened from the previous narrow fixation on fish culture to more appropriate, ecologically oriented programs.” “The arc of the fish culture pendulum has com...

Little information is available regarding the time scale over which tissue fatty acid (FA) profiles change when fish transition between prey resources with different FA profiles, specifically when fish move from a main river channel to a floodplain habitat. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in the FA composition of muscle, liver,...

Feeds for carnivorous fish like Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides are commonly based on marine-origin fish meal, but this ingredient is costly. Fish meal derived from undesirable species, such as invasive Asian carp Hypophthalmichthys spp., is a promising alternative source of protein for carnivorous fish, but information regarding its biologic...

Limited availability and high prices underscore the need to use fish oil more judiciously in aquafeeds. Most alternative lipids contain little to no n-3 long-chain (LC) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). If alternative lipids are fed exclusively, growth performance may be impaired and tissue fatty acid composition may be altered in fish such as t...

Replacement of long-chain (LC) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-rich fish oil with alternative lipids in aquafeeds typically reduces the LC-PUFA content and associated nutritional value of farmed fish even if production performance is unaffected. Finishing can be used to augment tissue LC-PUFA levels prior to harvest; however, the effectiveness of...

Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of nutrients (crude protein, amino acids, crude lipid, fatty acids, and minerals) were determined for fish meals derived from menhaden, Asian carp (combination of silver and bighead carps), and common carp in feeds for hybrid striped bass and rainbow trout. Extruded test diets were formulated to contain a...