Aquaculture and Fisheries最新文献

{"title":"Fishing effort and enforcement in the Azores Marine Protected Areas: How prevalent is illegal fishing?","authors":"Ricardo Moura ,&nbsp;Nuno Pessanha Santos ,&nbsp;Maria Eduarda Catarino","doi":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.05.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.05.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fishing is a significant global food source, providing protein for millions of people. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is committed to ensuring access to high-quality food, reducing hunger, and promoting sustainable fisheries to address global population growth and hunger. However, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing poses a significant challenge, threatening marine biodiversity and food security. Portugal has the 10th largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with waters around mainland Portugal, the Azores, and Madeira. This research focuses on the Azores region, known for its traditional multispecific fishery around the island slopes and seamounts. The region's fisheries face data scarcity issues and complicating effective management. By combining Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) records from 2016 to 2022 and Portuguese Navy (PoN) Fiscalization Reports (FISCREP) from 2015 to 2022, it was possible to use appropriate metrics to characterize the fishing effort and analyze the effectiveness of the inspections conducted in the Azores EEZ. The Total <em>Boat-Meter</em> (TBM) metric combines the number and length of boats to quantify the fishing effort better. The analysis shows that the fishing effort in the protected areas is very high, highlighting the pressure on the protected ecosystems. The findings aim to assist regulatory institutions and researchers in assessing fishing pressure and promoting sustainable fisheries management in the Azores to preserve marine ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36894,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture and Fisheries","volume":"11 1","pages":"Pages 193-208"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145651944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Virulence, antimicrobial resistance characteristics, and intestinal microbial composition changes of Vibrio isolated from a Macrobrachium rosenbergii aquaculture system","authors":"Rui Tang ,&nbsp;Yijie Wu ,&nbsp;Ninghui Wang ,&nbsp;Na Zhou ,&nbsp;Liming Huang ,&nbsp;Shengming Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.03.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During the breeding period of <em>Macrobrachium rosenbergii</em>, disease caused by <em>Vibrio</em> can cause cross water transmission because of their transfer between different breeding ponds at different breeding stages. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the antibiotic resistance risk, virulence, and population distribution four major pathogenic <em>Vibrio</em> species in the <em>M. rosenbergii</em> aquaculture system, and to explore the impact of <em>Vibrio</em> challenge on the intestinal health of <em>M. rosenbergii</em>. We isolated 391 bacterial strains from prawns, aquaculture water, and biological bait samples, 296 of which were identified as <em>Vibrio</em> using 16S rDNA sequencing. The main species included <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</em>, <em>V. alginolyticus</em>, <em>V. harveyi</em>, and <em>V. cholerae</em>. We detected six virulence genes among the four species. In the four species, the multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index ranged from 0.13 to 0.69, and 23.2% of the strains had MAR lower than 0.2. However, the antibiotic resistance pattern abundance index ranged from 0.16 to 0.29, showing homogeneity of <em>Vibrio</em> antibiotic phenotypes. The resistance quotient analysis showed that the dominant <em>Vibrio</em> had low or no resistance selection pressure under doxycycline, enrofloxacin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin. We detected only six resistance genes, and some resistance genotypes did not match the phenotypes. Upon <em>Vibrio</em> infection, the intestinal microbial community structure of <em>M. rosenbergii</em> changed, the intestinal barrier function was damaged, and the intestinal tissue showed structural damage. These findings provide data support for tracking infectious diseases in aquatic systems in China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36894,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture and Fisheries","volume":"11 1","pages":"Pages 45-58"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145651868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Triggering compensatory growth by completely replacing fishmeal with novel protein sources in the diets of juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides): Effects on growth performance and liver health","authors":"Yu Wang ,&nbsp;Lukuan Li ,&nbsp;Yanqing Huang ,&nbsp;Chunfang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.03.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To trigger compensatory growth (CG) with novel protein sources in juvenile largemouth bass (<em>Micropterus salmoides</em>) (initial weight: 4.73 ± 0.04 g), Chlorella (<em>Chlorella vulgaris</em>, ChM), cottonseed protein concentrate (CSM), <em>Clostridium autoethanogenum</em> (CAP) and yellow mealworm (<em>Tenebrio molitor</em>, TM) were applied to completely substitute fishmeal in the diet during a four-week dietary restriction phase (the first phase). After being refed with fishmeal (FM) diet for the next four weeks (the second phase), the growth performance, proximate composition, biochemical parameters and liver condition of treatment groups (denoted as ChM, CSM, CAP, TM group, respectively) were assessed and compared with the control group (denoted as FM group), which was consistently fed with fishmeal diets. All groups exhibited different responses during restriction and refeeding phases. The CSM, CAP, and TM groups experienced initial growth reduction followed by accelerated growth, whereas the ChM group maintained steady growth. Compensation coefficient results indicated that only ChM and CSM groups achieved compensatory growth, although there was still a gap in final weight compared with FM group. Regarding the liver condition, histopathological analysis and biochemical parameters revealed a gradual increase in lipid accumulation in the FM group during the second phase, accompanied by slowing growth. The CSM, CAP, TM groups showed varying degrees of liver injury, with the CAP group exhibiting elevated serum transaminase (ALT and AST) activity and a dramatically higher content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver. Conversely, the ChM group possessed healthier livers, characterized by active antioxidative capacity and low content of total triglyceride (TG). Meanwhile, abnormal lipid deposition and different amino acid content were observed throughout the FM group, potentially affecting the fish quality compared with the ChM group. Overall, the results demonstrated the feasibility and potential of triggering compensatory growth by completely replacing fishmeal with Chlorella, which exhibited the showed superior performance among novel protein sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36894,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture and Fisheries","volume":"11 1","pages":"Pages 118-128"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145651938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of dietary umami taste stimulator on appetite, growth, antioxidant capacity, intestinal histology and target of rapamycin pathway related genes’ expression in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fed a high plant protein diet","authors":"Runwei Miao ,&nbsp;Ye Gong ,&nbsp;Nihe Zhang ,&nbsp;Maolong He ,&nbsp;Dong Li ,&nbsp;Sofia Morais ,&nbsp;Shuangcen Li ,&nbsp;Zheng Chen ,&nbsp;Naisong Chen ,&nbsp;Songlin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.02.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.02.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study investigated the potential effects of an umami taste stimulator (UTS) on largemouth bass (<em>Micropterus salmoides</em>) fed a high plant protein diet. Two isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated with 40% fishmeal (positive control, PC) and 25% fishmeal (negative control, NC), respectively. The other three diets were supplemented with 0.10%, 0.15% and 0.20% of the UTS based on NC group. Five groups of fish (mean initial weight 29.82 ± 0.04 g) were fed twice daily for 64 days. The results indicated that feed intake, growth performance, and taste receptor and enteroendocrine-related genes expression (<em>pyya, t1r1</em> and <em>ghrl</em>) in NC group were significantly reduced compared with PC group, which were improved with dietary supplementation of the UTS (at 0.15% and 0.20%). In addition, muscle thickness of midgut and hindgut, villus length of hindgut in the NC group were reduced compared to the PC group, but they improved with dietary UTS supplementation. Also, antioxidant capacity, and expression of genes involved in peptide and amino acid transport and target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway were reduced in the NC group compared to the PC group. However, the inclusion of UTS improved the total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase and catalase compared with the NC group. Peptide and amino acid transporters (<em>lat1</em>, <em>lat2</em>, <em>snat2</em> and <em>pept2</em>) and TOR pathway (<em>tor</em>, <em>akt1</em>, <em>4ebp1</em> and <em>s6</em>) related genes’ expression were also ameliorated by UTS addition compared to the NC group. In summary, UTS supplementation could improve the appetite, growth performance, and health status of largemouth bass, and the recommended additional amount of UTS was 0.15%–0.20%.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36894,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture and Fisheries","volume":"11 1","pages":"Pages 129-139"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145651939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of ultrasonography in abalone gonadal evaluation","authors":"Weiguang Zou ,&nbsp;Jiawei Hong ,&nbsp;Yaobin Ma ,&nbsp;Wenchao Yu ,&nbsp;Yanbo Liu ,&nbsp;Chunxiang Ai ,&nbsp;Miaoqin Huang ,&nbsp;Xuan Luo ,&nbsp;Weiwei You ,&nbsp;Caihuan Ke","doi":"10.1016/j.aaf.2024.04.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aaf.2024.04.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The precise assessment of the gonad status and gamete development level is an essential step in abalone breeding. However, traditional methods are damaging to the animals, causing the waste of a quality parent. Ultrasound imaging as a noninvasive technique is a candidate substitute. This study aimed to verify the application of ultrasonography to the assessment of abalone gonad condition. Pacific abalones (n = 20) were randomly selected for ultrasonography, another six abalones in different gonad maturation stages (mature, between mature and immature, and immature) were also subjected to the same detection and histological analysis. Abalones (n = 10) were induced to spawn, and the changes in the gonad index and the types of germ cells were determined before and after spawning. Thirty-six female abalones were selected and divided into a high-gonad index group (HGI) and a low-gonad index group (LGI) according to the gonad index determined by ultrasonography, and their reproductive performance was compared during the entire breeding process. There was no significant difference in gonad index or gonad relative average thickness (GRAT) obtained from ultrasonography and histological methods. The gonad index and GRAT measured by ultrasound images significantly decreased after spawning. After spawning, a minimal quantity of mature gametes remained in gonad tissue as reflected in histology images. In a reproductive trial, the HGI group showed comprehensive and overwhelming reproductive advantages compared to the LGI group in total fecundity, relative fecundity, fertilization rate, hatching rate, abnormality rate, and attachment rate. Ultrasonography was demonstrated to be useful as a noninvasive method to evaluate abalone gonad condition. The ultimate goal is to achieve tracing and monitoring the abalone reproductive cycle through the ultrasound technique.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36894,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture and Fisheries","volume":"10 6","pages":"Pages 1040-1049"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141024957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seafood traceability system: A comprehensive assessment of seafood establishments in the Sultanate of Oman","authors":"Ward Al Muna Al Mandhari ,&nbsp;Saud Al Jufaili ,&nbsp;Moza Al Busaidi ,&nbsp;Sachinandan Dutta","doi":"10.1016/j.aaf.2024.12.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aaf.2024.12.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global seafood industry is a vital and rapidly growing source of protein. Seafood traceability systems (STS) are crucial for enhancing brand reputation, mitigating risks, ensuring food safety, and building consumer trust. However, in Oman, seafood often undergoes complex journeys through multiple ports, intermediaries, and processors, making traceability a challenge. Currently, only a small fraction of wild-caught seafood can meet the demand for transparency. This study assessed the STS implementation in Oman, focusing on seafood establishments and government officials. Using Likert scales and questionnaires in English and Arabic, responses were gathered from 32 seafood establishments and 16 officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR), Sultanate of Oman. Data analysis involved various statistical methods, including the Cronbach Alpha index for internal consistency. Results indicated that government officials primarily support STS regulations, while seafood establishments see potential benefits but anticipate implementation difficulties. The seafood industry is more optimistic than officials about STS. Bridging gaps in awareness, technology, knowledge, and research is crucial. Collaboration between the government and seafood establishments is recommended to enhance communication. Public awareness campaigns sponsored by the government and relevant organizations should promote the advantages of STS. Cost-benefit analyses should be conducted, and results should be shared with stakeholders. Further research is needed to understand the variables influencing STS adoption. In summary, enhancing seafood traceability in Oman is essential for meeting global demands for transparency and food safety. This study emphasizes the importance of collaboration, awareness, and research in bridging STS implementation gaps and eventually benefiting consumers and the seafood industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36894,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture and Fisheries","volume":"10 6","pages":"Pages 989-1001"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145290003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spirulina (Arthrospira), as feed additive in finfish and shellfish aquaculture","authors":"Einar Ringø","doi":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.06.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.06.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the production of fish and shellfish is increasing, and the price of fishmeal is high cheaper suitable alternatives must be evaluated. <em>Spirulina</em> (<em>Arthrospira</em>), a filamentous blue-green microalgae, reported worldwide in fresh and marine waters, could be an alternative protein- and vitamins source. According to the Web of Science using the key words <em>Spirulina</em> and aquaculture 640 studies have been published on the topic since the first study was published by Stanley and Jones in 1976. Some microalgae including <em>Spirulina</em> contain several bioactive phytochemicals that exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. Based on this, numerous studies have revealed that the supplementation of <em>Spirulina</em> to several fish and shellfish species improve growth performance, enhance cellular and humoral immunities, modulate the gut microbiota composition and improve disease resistance towards pathogenic infection (<em>Vibrio alginolyticus</em>, <em>Vibrio harveyi</em>, <em>Aeromonas hydrophila</em> and <em>Aeromonas sobria</em>). This review article evaluates the supplementation of <em>Spirulina</em> as a functional feed additive in sustainable fish and shellfish aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36894,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture and Fisheries","volume":"10 6","pages":"Pages 931-944"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145289937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Screening of candidate genes related to the archeospores’ formation of Pyropia yezoensis based on genomic resequencing and transcriptome analysis","authors":"Fangrun Yao ,&nbsp;Dahai Gao ,&nbsp;Xinghong Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.aaf.2024.12.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aaf.2024.12.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The archeospores produced from the blades of <em>Pyropia yezoensis</em> could develop into new blades, which is of significant both in cultivation and research. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms behind the formation and release of archeospores remained unclear. In this study, two strains of <em>P. yezoensis</em> with similar genetic backgrounds and opposite abilities for archeospores formation were used for genomic and transcriptomic analysis. Based on whole-genome resequencing, a total of 54,439 SNPs and 12,922 InDels were detected. Specifically, 211 SNPs and 8 InDels in coding regions could introduce codon change or frameshift mutation, resulted in sequence variations of corresponding encoded proteins. Furthermore, a total of 2888 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two strains were identified based on transcriptomic analysis, and 68 DEGs shared SNPs or InDels according to resequencing analysis, which may be associated with the processes related to the formation of archeospores. This study integrates genomic approaches to identify candidate genes and loci related to archeospores formation in <em>P. yezoensis</em>, laying a foundation for elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of archeospores formation and release.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36894,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture and Fisheries","volume":"10 6","pages":"Pages 961-970"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145290000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the genetic diversity in farmed populations of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from Brazil using SNP markers","authors":"Vito Antonio Mastrochirico-Filho ,&nbsp;Baltasar Fernandes Garcia ,&nbsp;Lieschen Valeria Guerra Lira ,&nbsp;Antonio Ramon do Amaral Neto ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Marín-Nahuelpi ,&nbsp;Jousepth Gallardo-Hidalgo ,&nbsp;Liane Ney Bassini ,&nbsp;Fabio Porto-Foresti ,&nbsp;Diogo Teruo Hashimoto","doi":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.05.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.05.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Nile tilapia (<em>Oreochromis niloticus</em>) plays a significant role in global aquaculture, with Brazil ranking among the top producers worldwide. However, a considerable gap remains in the exploration of genetic diversity within Brazilian Nile tilapia stocks. To address this, we analyzed the genetic diversity of nine distinct farmed populations of Nile tilapia in Brazil, comprising a total of 600 individuals, using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Our objective was to provide essential genetic insights to establish the foundation for a new breeding nucleus. The pre-breeding populations exhibited high genetic diversity. Among them, Pop1 had the lowest diversity, characterized by the smallest proportion of polymorphic SNPs (N_P = 92.3%), the lowest mean minor allele frequency (MAF = 0.24), and the lowest heterozygosity (H_E = 0.32). In contrast, Pop5 and Pop9 displayed the highest genetic diversity (MAF = 0.30; H_E = H_O 0.39), with nearly all loci in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE = 99.4%). Additionally, reduced effective population sizes (N_e) were observed in Pop1 (N_e = 6.8) and Pop4 (N_e = 15.4), with approximately 40 % of individuals classified as half-of full siblings, suggesting risks of inbreeding. These characteristics led to the genetic structuring of Pop1 and Pop4 in relation to the other populations, while Pop5 and Pop9 also formed a distinct cluster due to their higher genetic diversity. Despite the overall high genetic diversity observed across the analyzed populations, some populations exhibited parameters that may indicate potential future issues related to genetic diversity loss if not properly managed. Therefore, the findings presented here will help ensure the implementation of effective strategies during the pre-breeding phase of a new tilapia genetic improvement nucleus, supporting the long-term maintenance of genetic diversity in the breeding stock.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36894,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture and Fisheries","volume":"10 6","pages":"Pages 971-980"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145290001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chitosan-based biodegradable coatings for securing nutrients in extruded fish feed pellets","authors":"Evmorfia Athanasopoulou ,&nbsp;Sophia Mitsoula ,&nbsp;Arkadios Dimitroglou ,&nbsp;Theofania Tsironi","doi":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.04.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aaf.2025.04.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a biodegradable chitosan-based coating on the quality parameters of sinking fish feed. The feed pellets had a diameter of 5 mm and were coated with 1 % and 2 % chitosan. Coated and uncoated (control) pellets were evaluated for their dimensions (length, diameter), weight, sinking velocity, floatability, hardness and water absorption index. Vitamin C loss during sinking in artificial sea water was kinetically modelled using Fick's 2nd law. The coatings reduced the loss of vitamin C when the pellets were immersed in seawater, the diffusion coefficients for vitamin C loss were calculated to 1.10×10⁻¹⁰, 4.50×10⁻¹¹, and 1.20×10^–¹¹ m²/s for uncoated pellets, pellets coated with 1 % and 2 % chitosan, respectively. In addition, the chitosan coating led to a significant decrease in the water solubility index, to 26.87 %, 11.53 % and 9.91 % for control samples and pellets coated with 1 % and 2 % chitosan, respectively. However, chitosan coating increased the water activity of the pellets and resulted in a darker colour compared to the control pellets (lower lightness). The research demonstrated that the application of chitosan as a biodegradable coating may significantly reduce nutrient loss in water during sinking without affecting the main physical and mechanical properties of the pellets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36894,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture and Fisheries","volume":"10 6","pages":"Pages 1062-1068"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145290101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}