Though aquaculture plays an important role in providing foods and healthy diets, there are concerns regarding the environmental sustainability of prevailing practices. This study examines the trends and changes in fisheries originating from aquaculture production in Thailand and provides insights into such production’s environmental impacts and sustainability. Together with an extensive literature review, we investigated a time series of Thai aquaculture production data from 1995 to 2015. Overall, Thai aquaculture production has significantly increased during the last few decades and significantly contributed to socio-economic development. Estimates of total aquaculture production in Thailand have gradually grown from around 0.6 to 0.9 million tons over the last twenty years. Farmed shrimp is the main animal aquatic product, accounting for an estimated 40% of total yields of aquaculture production, closely followed by fish (38%) and mollusk (22%). Estimates over the past decades indicate that around 199470 ha of land is used for aquaculture farming. Out of the total area, 61% is used for freshwater farms, and 39% is used for coastal farms. However, this industry has contributed to environmental degradation, such as habitat destruction, water pollution, and ecological effects. Effective management strategies are urgently needed to minimize the environmental impacts of aquaculture and to ensure it maximally contributes to planetary health. Innovative and practical solutions that rely on diverse technology inputs and smart market-based management approaches that are designed for environmentally friendly aquaculture farming can be the basis for viable long-term solutions for the future.

The challenges and problems of managing good biosecurity are wide‐ranging and multifactorial with many compounding factors to pre‐dispose farmed stocks to an increased risk of infection with consequential stock losses. Many challenges are anthropogenic in origin and may be the result of the physical location (site) and/or the poor design of the production facility (i.e., water re‐use; lack of zoning based on biosecurity risk, etc.) as well as from inappropriate decisions and practices made once the site is in production (i.e., pushing the system for increased biomass production). There is a need for better regulation and health legislation across aquaculture—an industry that embraces the culture of >500 species. In the absence of regulatory frameworks and culture guidelines, it is difficult for farmers to apply certain measures such as maximum stocking densities and maximum allowed biomass, conduct disease surveillance and regular health checks, and report diseases to relevant authorities for advice. In this review, we have identified several issues which are continuing to challenge the design and implementation of efficient and effective biosecurity strategies and protocols at all levels, requiring attention over the coming decade. They are, not in any order of priority: (a) healthy seed, (b) emergency preparedness and response, (c) diagnostics, (d) microbial management at the production level, (e) disease and pathogen surveillance, (f) trade in aquatic species, (g) policies and regulatory framework, (h) welfare, (i) research and technology development, (j) antimicrobial resistance, (k) non‐conventional ways of pathogen transfer, and (l) Progressive Management Pathway.

Aims: In this study, we investigated the effect of N‐acyl homoserine lactone‐degrading bacterial enrichment cultures (ECs) on larviculture of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Methods and Results: The larval performance in terms of larval growth, larval survival, larval quality, duration of the larval rearing process and microflora levels in the rearing water as well as inside the prawn gut was investigated. The application of the EC bacteria was performed in two ways: by adding them directly into the larval rearing water and via enriched Artemia nauplii used for larval feeding. The results of the study demonstrated that both ECs that were tested had a similar positive effect on larval survival and larval quality, whereas they did not affect larval growth or the duration of the larval rearing process. Conclusions: Under normal hatchery conditions, the optimal EC densities were found to be 10⁶ CFU ml⁻¹ for adding into the rearing water and 5 × 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹ for enrichment of Artemia nauplii used for feeding of the larvae. In the hatchery, the ECs can be grown on waste streams of Artemia hatching. Significance and Impact of the Study: Application of this kind of ECs could lead to a more sustainable aquaculture production, by replacing the use of antibiotics to control diseases.

Background: Brine shrimpArtemiahave an unequalled ability to endure extreme salinity and complete anoxia. This study aims to elucidate its strategies to cope with these stressors.Results and discussion: Here, we present the genome of an inbredA. franciscanaKellogg, 1906. We identified 21,828 genes of which, under high salinity, 674 genes and under anoxia, 900 genes were differentially expressed (42%, respectively 30% were annotated). Under high salinity, relevant stress genes and pathways included severalHeat Shock ProteinandLeaf Embryogenesis Abundantgenes, as well as the trehalose metabolism. In addition, based on differential gene expression analysis, it can be hypothesized that a high oxidative stress response and endocytosis/exocytosis are potential salt management strategies, in addition to the expression ofmajor facilitator superfamilygenes responsible for transmembrane ion transport. Under anoxia, genes involved in mitochondrial function,mTORsignalling and autophagy were differentially expressed. Both high salt and anoxia enhanced degradation of erroneous proteins and protein chaperoning. Compared with other branchiopod genomes,Artemiahad 0.03% contracted and 6% expanded orthogroups, in which 14% of the genes were differentially expressed under high salinity or anoxia. One phospholipase D gene family, shown to be important in plant stress response, was uniquely present in both extremophilesArtemiaand the tardigradeHypsibius dujardini, yet not differentially expressed under the described experimental conditions.Conclusions: A relatively complete genome ofArtemiawas assembled, annotated and analysed, facilitating research on its extremophile features, and providing a reference sequence for crustacean research.

Viruses, such as white spot syndrome virus, and bacteria, such as Vibrio species, wreak havoc in shrimp aquaculture [C. M. Escobedo-Bonilla et al., J. Fish. Dis. 31, 1–18 (2008)]. As the main portal of entry for shrimp-related pathogens remain unclear, infectious diseases are difficult to prevent and control. Because the cuticle is a strong pathogen barrier, regions lacking cuticular lining, such as the shrimp’s excretory organ, “the antennal gland,” are major candidate entry portals [M. Corteel et al., Vet. Microbiol. 137, 209–216 (2009)]. The antennal gland, up until now morphologically underexplored, is studied using several imaging techniques. Using histology-based three-dimensional technology, we demonstrate that the antennal gland resembles a kidney, connected to a urinary bladder with a nephropore (exit opening) and a complex of diverticula, spread throughout the cephalothorax. Micromagnetic resonance imaging of live shrimp not only confirms the histology-based model, but also indicates that the filling of the diverticula is linked to the molting cycle and possibly involved therein. Based on function and complexity, we propose to rename the antennal gland as the “nephrocomplex.” By an intrabladder inoculation, we showed high susceptibility of this nephrocomplex to both white spot syndrome virus and Vibrio infection compared to peroral inoculation. An induced drop in salinity allowed the virus to enter the nephrocomplex in a natural way and caused a general infection followed by death; fluorescent beads were used to demonstrate that particles may indeed enter through the nephropore. These findings pave the way for oriented disease control in shrimp. Significance The ever-growing human population faces problems providing sufficient animal proteins. For shellfish, wild catch is supplemented by aquaculture to meet this increasing global demand. However, aquaculture faces serious problems with infectious diseases. One of the main problems for oriented disease control is lack of information on pathogen entry in the host. The present study fully describes the anatomy of the shrimp’s excretory organ, the antennal gland, identifying the organ as a major portal candidate. Additional findings show that pathogens may indeed enter through this organ naturally, infecting shrimp. We also demonstrate involvement in molting. These insights into the molting process and pathogen entry open doors in fundamental biology and the potential development of disease control measures.