The WorldFish Center Quarterly Vol. 26, No. 1 (January – March 2003) A preliminary study on the feasibility of using brushparks for fish production in Lake Chilwa, Malawi D.M. Jamu, K. Chaula and H. Hunga Abstract A study to investigate the feasibility of using fenced brushparks for fish ranching in Lake Chilwa was conducted for five months at the Kachulu Harbor. In a water depth of 1.4 m enclosures constructed from bamboo sticks embedded in the sediment and surrounded by a 13 mm seine net, were filled with three different subrates (Typha, bamboo, and Sesbania branches) and a no substrate enclosure served as a control. Netting materials contributed 57 per cent towards the total cost (US$ 0.24-0.30/m2) of brushpark contruction. Fish productivity was highest in the Typha, bamboo and control treatments and lowest in the Sesbania treatments. The decomposition of substrates did not affect water quality. The results indicate that enclosed brushparks may be a feasible technology for enhancing fish yields and providing alternative income sources to fisherfolk in small lakes and water bodies. View Article (PDF 157 KB) Length-weight relationship of fishes from coral reefs along the coastline of Jordan (Gulf of Aqaba) N. Odat Abstract The parameters a and b of the length-weight relationship of the form W = a.Lb were estimated for 15 fish species caught along the coastline of Jordan in the Gulf of Aqaba. The sampling was carried out between July 1999 and January 2001. Data from 1 000 fish individuals (identified to eight families and 15 species) were used for this purpose. View Article (PDF 102 KB) Shrimp disease management using bioactive marine secondary metabolites: an eco-friendly approach J. Selvin and A.P. Lipton Abstract Vibriosis caused by opportunistic and secondary bacterial pathogens is still a serious disease problem in aquaculture of the black tiger shrimp Panaeus monodon. Attempts were made for controlling shrimp bacterial disease using Marine Secondary Metabolites (MSMs). Findings indicated that the MSMs of seaweed Ulva fasciata and Dendrilla nigra are effective for controlling shrimp bacterial pathogens. View Article (PDF 112 KB) Length-weight relationships of coral reef fishes from the Alacran Reef, Yucatan, Mexico C. González-Gándara, E. Pérez-Díaz, L. Santos-Rodríguez and J. E. Arias-González Abstract Length-weight relationships were computed for 42 species of coral reef fishes from 14 families from the Alacran Reef (Yucatan, Mexico). A total of 1 892 individuals was used for this purpose. The fish species were caught by different fishing techniques such as fishhooks, harpoons, gill and trawl nets. The sampling period was from March 1998 to January 2000. View Article (PDF 140 KB) An approach to estimate the natural mortality rate in fish stocks Luis A. Cubillos Abstract * Please refer to the full text article in the PDF * View Article (PDF 88 KB) INGA Article Genetic improvement of the herbivorous blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) S.F. Li and W.Q. Cai Abstract Selection experiments with the herbivorous blunt snout bream or Wuchang bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) were started in 1985. Mass selection for size and length/depth ratio resulted in a significant increase in growth and better shape, while inbreeding led to a significant decrease in growth. The total selection ratio from fry to mature brooders was about 0.03 per cent per generation. In the grow out stage, the average daily body weight gains of two lines of fifth generation (F5) fish were 29 per cent and 20 per cent respectively more than the control group, with an average of 5.8 per cent and 4 per cent improvements per generation, respectively. The body was 4 per cent deeper in ratio of standard length/body depth. The effects of inbreeding were examined by crossing full-sibs, the offspring of which were kept without selection. The third generation inbred fish showed 17 per cent lower growth as compared to the control group, with an average of 7.5 per cent per generation. The results demonstrate that selection is a powerful tool to improve the economic traits of the blunt snout bream, but inbreeding can rapidly lead to a reduction in performance. In 2000, the 6th generation of selected bream was certified by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture as a good breed for aquaculture. View Article (PDF 127 KB)