Gilles Lemarié

Effect of chronic ammonia exposure on growth of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) juveniles

Chronic effects of ammonia were studied in juvenile seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax (mean WEIGHT=11 g), exposed for 63 days to eight stable ammonia concentrations, ranging from 0.24 to 0.90 mg l−1 unionised ammonia nitrogen (UIA-N), respectively, from 6.1 to 22.3 mg l−1 total ammonia nitrogen (TA-N). Temperature (21.8 °C), pH (8.0), salinity (37.0 ppt), and oxygen concentration (over 80% saturation at the outlet) were maintained constant. Fish were fed using a self-feeder device, and they were starved during the last 8 days. Mortality of 28.9 and 42.6% occurred within the first 8 days at the two highest UIA-N concentrations, respectively, 0.90 and 0.88 mg l−1. From days 0 to 55, a 1.8- fold increase in weight gain was observed under the 0.90-mg l−1 UIA-N condition, compared to a 3.4- fold increase in the control. Weight gains were negatively correlated to ambient ammonia concentrations. Weight loss, or a transient period of growth stagnation, was observed from the onset of ammonia exposure to day 13 in seabass exposed to concentrations above 0.43 mg l−1 UIA-N. After day 13, weight gains were observed in all groups, indicating that the fish were able to adapt to increased ambient ammonia concentrations over time. By the end of the experiment, plasma ammonia levels were positively related to ambient ammonia concentrations, and oxygen consumption recorded in fasting fish was significantly dependent on ammonia concentrations. In seabass juveniles, the 0.26- mg l−1 UIA-N concentration, under an average pH of 8.0, can be considered as a safe long-term limit conditions in seawater.

Nitrogenous and phosphorous waste production in a flow-through land-based farm of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

A study on nitrogenous and phosphorous waste production in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) was carried out in a flow-through land-based farm. The main objectives were (i) to calculate nitrogenous (N) and phosphorous (P) waste production (particulate and dissolved) from in situ measurements for different rearing ponds with specific fish biomasses, fish sizes and flow rates, (ii) to establish nitrogenous and phosphorous waste production budgets, ratios and equations, and (iii) to compare, for the whole farm, in situ measurements to estimate N and P waste production from waste equations. Waste production was manifest by an increase in concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen, total Kjeldhal nitrogen, particulate nitrogen, dissolved phosphorus and total phosphorus concentrations in the outlet water compared to the inlet water for both batches and whole farm. However, no production of nitrite or nitrate was observed. In our budgets, the N and P amounts from biomass gains and wastes were explained by the N and P derived from feed over the range 83.9–105.2 % and 66.5–104.6 % respectively, depending on the fish batch. Values were respectively 103.4 and 87.5 % for the same calculations in the farm. When the whole-farm waste production was calculated from previous equations derived from batches, and then compared with the measured data, the percentages of recovery (estimated by the ratio predicted data/measured data) were 88 and 94 % for total-N and total-P respectively.

Typology of individual growth in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

The individual growth variability of passive integrated transponder tagged sea bass was studied using data sets from two different experiments. In experiment 1 (n = 485), fish submitted to different photoperiod regimes were held in fourteen groups of individual weight of 88 ± 13 g (mean ± SD). In experiment 2 (n = 748, initial weight 243 ± 30 g) fish were held in fifteen groups and had either free or restricted access to diets with three lipid levels. After adjustment for treatment and tank effects, individual growth curves were analysed using multivariate analysis (principal component analysis and clustering) and were modelled using the summary statistics technique. Different growth profiles where characterized. All of them appeared to be curvilinear. They differed in their level (initial and final weight), slope (slope, specific growth weight, gain) and especially the ratio of males, which showed sexual growth dimorphism. The fish with similar initial weight proved to have very different growth performances, regardless of the treatment effect. Within the same sex, part of the variability between the growth profiles could be explained by differences in the social interactions and in the genetic potential of growth among individuals.