This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will establish an aquaculture facility to breed and maintain laboratory reared populations of cephalopods. Marine Biomedical Technologies (MBT) is uniquely prepared to overcome the obstacles involved in successfully raising large laboratory populations of healthy cephalopods, and make these animals available to researchers and educators. The specific objectives are to establish laboratory breeding colonies of three species of cuttlefish and one species of squid, evaluate the effectiveness of visual cues placed in breeding tanks to induce early reproductive behavior in cuttlefish and squid, and to investigate the effects of an administered hormone precursor supplement on fecundity, individual growth, and mating frequency of cuttlefish and squid.
The broader/commercial impacts of this research are to create the availability of a critical resource to ensure that research involving cephalopods can be conducted, can be accomplished faster, at less cost, with greater reliability, and to the direct benefit of society. In conjunction with Colleges and Universities, MBT will provide a fertile training ground to educate state-of-the art environmental scientists that will have a working knowledge of alternative model species, their husbandry, and the bench methods necessary to address environmental health questions through the application of such models. Finally, establishing a facility to breed and maintain captive stocks of cephalopods will result in a reduction of harvested animals from the natural environment. This will directly help in maintaining the stability and health of the marine ecosystem.
Intellectual Merits This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project established an aquaculture facility to breed and maintain laboratory reared populations of cephalopods. Scientific researchers, educators, and conservation programs have relied on wild caught marine specimens for their research endeavors, leading to increased demand and pressure on populations in the wild. Inherent with research on wild populations are problems concerning age determination, disease control, compromised health from collection practices, and inconsistent availability. This is particularly true of cephalopod species.Marine Biomedical Technologies (MBT) is uniquely prepared to overcome the obstacles involved in successfully raising large laboratory populations of healthy cuttlefish, and make these animals available to researchers and educators. Our goal is to provide laboratory reared cephalopods at all stages of development, age determined, disease free, and with year round availability. The specific accomplishments achieved following phase I are: (1) Established laboratory breeding colonies of three species of cuttlefish. (2) Investigate the effectiveness of visual cues (synthetic eggs) placed in breeding tanks to induce early reproductive behavior in cuttlefish. (3) Investigate the effects of an administered hormone precursor supplement on fecundity, individual growth, and mating frequency of cuttlefish. Broader Impacts Availability of a Critical Resource: Our animals are a necessary and integral component to the successful completion of over 360 biomedical, ecological and basic science grants that have been issued by the Federal Government. This sustainable aquaculture business ensures that research involving cephalopod models can be conducted, can be conducted faster, at less cost, with greater reliability, and to the direct benefit of society. Education: It is a part of the company mission to maintain educational outreach programs to increase awareness of cephalopod biology and ecology. In conjunction with Colleges and Universities, MBT provides a fertile ground for training and developing state-of-the art environmental scientists that will have a working knowledge of alternative model species, their husbandry, and the bench methods necessary to address environmental health questions through the application of such models. Four undergraduate college level and two High school research experiences were fulfilled during phase I of this project. Reduce Environmental Impact: Established a facility to breed and maintain captive stocks of cephalopods resulting in a reduction of harvested animals and eggs from the natural environment. This will directly help in maintaining the stability and health of the marine ecosystem.
