This study aimed to assess the effect of dietary supplementation of a mixture of botanical compounds and essential oil (Phyto AquaMeric, PAM) on the growth, immune and antioxidant parameters and environmental benefits in Nile tilapia. Two diets including a control and a PAM-supplemented diet at 0.5 g kg⁻¹ were prepared for the trial. The diets were isonitrogenous (30% crude protein) and isoenergetic (17 MJ kg⁻¹) extruded diets. Nile tilapia weighing initially 74.22 ± 1.96 g fish⁻¹ were stocked in 2 m³ hapas at a density of 20 fish per m³ (40 fish per hapa). Each group was tested in triplicates over 80 days. The antioxidant potential of PAM was compared to vitamin C through KRL test, showing a higher value from 35 to 100 mg. The in vivo trial did not exhibit any significant growth performance improvement. However, the PAM group had a significantly improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER). Moreover, the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Malondialdehyde (MDA), immune parameters (ACH50, lysozyme, phagocytic and phenoloxidase activities), digestive enzymes and hepatic enzymes were significantly improved in the PAM-fed group. An evaluation of eutrophication potential of PAM supplementation revealed a low input in the system. In conclusion, this mixture of botanicals and essential oil exhibited in vitro and in vivo antioxidant potential, improved health and digestive parameters and contributed to a reduced eutrophication risk in the tilapia production system.

Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) is a serious and emerging disease caused by a group of strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and affects farmed shrimp, particularly whiteleg shrimps (Liptopenaeus vannamei). The objective of this study is to assess the effect of dietary supplementation with two dosages of an essential oil mixture (Phyto AquaBiotic, abbreviated as PAB) on growth performance and mortality reduction after challenge against V. parahaemolyticus. PAB was mixed with basal diets at rates of 0, 1 and 2 g/kg and fed for 42 days. Each tank was stocked with 100 individuals with experimentation performed in triplicate. The results showed an improvement in growth performance in a dose-dependent manner, specifically regarding daily weight gain, specific growth rate and total biomass, which were significantly improved compared to control (p < 0.05). Further, PAB significantly reduced mortalities when challenged against Vibrio parahaemolyticus (p < 0.05) and decreased Vibrio spp. count in the hepatopancreas of infected shrimp. Overall, PAB was efficient in reducing mortalities in cases of disease outbreaks at a rate of 2 g/kg.

The Volume 7 published for IJEPR Journal.

Aquaculture development in Benin depends heavily on small-scale and subsistence aquaculture producers (SSAPs), who are disseminating and sustaining production activities. The aquaculture sector is vulnerable to market shocks, because of its dependence on inputs and facilities, which are mainly imported from overseas. The recent outbreaks of global aquaculture diseases have also proven the sensitivity of the sector. The vulnerability of SSAPs is expected to increase as a subsequent result of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition, the gender-based vulnerability is very little documented and deserves to be evaluated in the country’s aquaculture sector. We conducted an on-line survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 and the resulting restrictive measures on the functioning of SSAPs farms. The data were collected from 98 SSAPs informants spread over the country's high aquaculture production zone. The rate of increase in input prices, linear discriminant and factorial correspondence analyses projected severe constraints in almost all the value chain. The rates of increase in the unit price of inputs increased from 14–188%, thus weakening aqua-farmers’ purchasing capacity. COVID-19 has led to a drop in the sales turnover of aqua-farms, resulting in staff reductions and unemployment. Difficulties in accessing quality inputs have led to the disruption of fish growth and thus the production cycle. The sale of aquaculture products saw a 20–30% drop in turnover in many farms. The challenges mentioned by women are mainly the high cost of fish feed, the rising input and transport costs, and the lack of financial resources. Therefore, short, medium and long-term mitigation measures are suggested and could help to alleviate these difficulties, while sustaining the blue revolution already under way. This community should adopt and strengthen their use of existing endogenous technologies as well as digital modern options for remote aquaculture sales, in order to cope with future disruptions. The scientific community should help to propose incentive-based alternative options (e.g., affordable production systems, and efficient micro-credit model) that can motivate fishers to move towards aquaculture, as a guarantee of the sustainability of their livelihoods and the environmental sustainability of the resource.