Economy and diversity of aquaculture production in Bulgaria: status and trends

Aquaculture production in Bulgaria has increased over the last decade, reaching 16 442 tonnes in 2019. Fish production has doubled in comparison with 2007, while that of mussels has increased tenfold. The Bulgarian contribution to EU aquaculture production has been increasing significantly in both volume and value over the years, making up 1.15% of the volume and 1.0% of the value of EU production in 2019. Freshwater aquaculture accounts for 78% of total production. Common carp dominates with about 29.4% (4836 t), followed by rainbow trout with 29.2% (4820 t) in 2019. The cultivation of sturgeon species and caviar production are among the most dynamically developing aquaculture segments. Mariculture in the Black Sea has increased in recent years, with the production of Mediterranean mussel reaching 2932 tonnes in 2019. An average of 405 farms operated during the period 2010-2019. Four regions (Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Burgas and Montana) account for 50% of the total fish production. Pond aquaculture is the dominant technology used in Bulgaria, and it serves as the basis for numerous other activities, including management of fish stocks in various water bodies mainly for recreational fishing. Approximately 35 net-cage farms currently operate in bigger dams. Recirculating fish farms output made up only 0.15% of the total amount of aquaculture for the period 2010-2019. The aquaculture sector exhibited difficulties in recovering from the financial crisis of 2007-2008, manifested by a slow growth for the period 2010-2014. From 2015 to 2019 there has been a significant growth, manifested in a sharp increase of total revenue and profitability, especially among the larger enterprises in the sector, as well as an increase in the number of employees, and the labour productivity. As a result, in 2019 the registered total revenue per enterprise and total revenue per employee were more than double the respective figures for 2010. The profits of larger enterprises increased more than three times on average, but smaller entities, micro-enterprises with less than 5 employees, operated at the border line between profit and loss. The COVID-19 crisis could have lasting consequences. Despite EUR 1.2 million direct payments in the sector in 2020, there has been a significant drop in the export of aquaculture products. Consumption of fish and other aquaculture products remains low compared to those in the other EU countries.

IoT Based Fish Food Dispenser

Internet of things and Automation are two eyes that change the view of industries perspective. Automation happens in every part of the stage in day to day life. The problem statement chosen in this paper was identified during COVID pandemic situation. The problem statement was to feed the fish food into fish aquarium at work place during COVID pandemic. In order to maintain the fish tank properly it should be monitored and maintained at regular interval is necessary. During pandemic situation felt difficult in proper maintenance and feeding the fish. To overcome the difficulties, we have proposed a model to feed the food for fish. In this paper we have solved the problem by using Internet of Things, servo motor, Arduino and interfaced through Massachusetts institute of Technology (MIT) App inventor to control the device at any part of the world. © 2023 IEEE.

Creating added-value filet product from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by salting and smoking method: physicochemical and textural attributes

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are currently consumed as live fish, primarily for catering or consumers, as an alternative to salmon in sashimi or dishes. However, Covid-19 has hampered store and restaurant operations. Therefore, developing suitable processing conditions to extend its shelf life, such as online distribution specifications while enhancing the filets' commercial value, would raise its production value. In this study, we investigated the fish filets salted in a 5% salt solution for 2 days and then smoked at 65 degrees C for 4 h under different storage conditions. As result, the higher rate of salt penetration and water loss in the resolved rigor mortis group was associated with tenderization of the meat compared to the rigor mortis group. Thermal-shrinkage and thermal-induced tissue destruction of the smoked fish filets during processing which affects the appearance, flavor, chewiness and overall acceptability. Nevertheless, according to the results of a consumer-type evaluation, the product characteristics of the fish filets from the resolution of rigor mortis group were consistent with those of the rigor mortis group, except for a weaker aroma. Thus, these results explain the relationship between frozen stored fish and the quality of processed products. The economic concept of regulating and distributing scheduling production between raw materials and finished products in the food industry conveys promising findings that will contribute to developing sustainable food processing systems.

Innovative Ingredients Fortified Nutrients Enriched Biscuits and Cookies: Quality and Sensory Analyses

Global suffering from COVID-19 has necessitated augmenting the immunity systems of humans through consumption of macro-micro-nutrients and antioxidant-enriched fortified foods. In this article, fortifications of popular bakery products, viz. biscuits, cookies, have been reviewed, encompassing the novel fortifying ingredients and innovative methods employed with an emphasis on the overall enrichment in the final product quality. A few notable features concerning novel fortified biscuit and fortified cookie have been decisively summarized. Wheat flour blended with 40% sesame-cake flour resulted in a fortified biscuit possessing higher protein (16.6%), crude fat (16.95%), and dietary fiber (8.2%) with acceptable sensory characteristics. About 9% toting up of chicken-eggshell dried-powder could result in high Ca content in biscuits with customary changes in texture and sensory properties. A remarkable 5% addition of bee pollen to wheat flour appreciably improved the nutrient compositions (carbohydrate 65.18%, protein 7.32%, and total dietary-fiber 1.47%) along with high polyphenol and antioxidant potentials. Notably, mixing fish fillet protein concentrate with wheat flour could yield enhanced nutritional content (protein 14.63-19.52%, fat 16.2-16.5%), as well as augmented amino acids. Remarkably, wheat flour fortified with fermented jack bean flour resulted in an overall fortified biscuit with substantial carbohydrate, crude protein, fat, fiber, ash, and appreciable macro-micro mineral contents and sensory characteristics. Innovative fortified cookies were made by blending wheat flour or Brewer's spent grain flour with one or more ingredients, e.g. full fat soya, mushroom, cardamom powder, moringa leaves, coconut, sweet potato flour rendering amplified values of nutrients, superior physical properties, increased mineral and flavonoid contents and organoleptic qualities.Copyright © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.

How Seafood Wholesale Markets Matter for Urban Food Security: Evidence from Chennai, India.

Urban sites gather poverty in particular locations and often require bulk food system approaches for addressing prevalent food security and nutrition needs. The food systems that service them are, however, characterized by perishability and large irregularities in supply. Seafood is currently recognized as contributing in a major way to food security and nutrition, and it is to assessing the role of wholesale markets in meeting the needs of the urban poor that this paper is directed. It zooms in on the city of Chennai, India, where an estimated 40% of the population is considered poor and marine fish plays a crucial role in diets. Building on one-and-a-half years of field research in the pre-COVID-19 period, the paper analyses the performance of one of the city's largest fish wholesale markets, Vanagaram, in relation to the four commonly recognized pillars of food security. Results demonstrate how urban food systems function as major suppliers of fish (and other food items) to thousands of low- and middle-income households. Most importantly, this case study demonstrates the crucial role that is played by wholesale markets in merging low-price fish supplies from different geographic regions and thereby ensuring food security of poorer inhabitants.

Dans les zones urbaines, la pauvreté se concentre dans des sites spécifiques qui nécessitent souvent des systèmes alimentaires qui s'appuient sur la vente en gros pour répondre aux besoins en matière de sécurité alimentaire et d'apport nutritionnel. Les systèmes alimentaires qui les desservent sont cependant caractérisés par la périssabilité des aliments et de grandes irrégularités dans l'approvisionnement. Actuellement, il est reconnu que les produits de la mer contribuent de façon significative à la sécurité alimentaire et aux apports nutritionnels. Cet article cherche à évaluer le rôle du marché de la vente en gros dans la satisfaction des besoins des personnes en situation de pauvreté dans les villes. Il se concentre sur la ville de Chennai, en Inde, où environ 40% de la population est considérée comme étant en situation de pauvreté et où les poissons de mer jouent un rôle crucial dans l'alimentation. Cet article s'appuie sur des recherches menées sur le terrain pendant un an et demi avant la COVID-19, et analyze la performance de l'un des plus grands marchés de vente en gros de poisson de la ville, Vanagaram, par rapport aux quatre piliers communément reconnus de la sécurité alimentaire. Les résultats montrent la façon dont les systèmes alimentaires urbains fonctionnent comme d'importants fournisseurs de poisson (et d'autres produits alimentaires) pour des milliers de ménages à revenu faible ou moyen. Plus important encore, cette étude de cas démontre le rôle crucial que jouent les marchés de vente en gros pour faire fusionner l'approvisionnement en poisson à bas prix issu de différentes zones géographiques et pour garantir la sécurité alimentaire des habitant·e·s les plus pauvres.

Toward an Intelligent Blockchain IoT-Enabled Fish Supply Chain: A Review and Conceptual Framework.

The fish industry experiences substantial illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) activities within traditional supply chain systems. Blockchain technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) are expected to transform the fish supply chain (SC) by incorporating distributed ledger technology (DLT) to build trustworthy, transparent, decentralized traceability systems that promote secure data sharing and employ IUU prevention and detection methods. We have reviewed current research efforts directed toward incorporating Blockchain in fish SC systems. We have discussed traceability in both traditional and smart SC systems that make use of Blockchain and IoT technologies. We demonstrated the key design considerations in terms of traceability in addition to a quality model to consider when designing smart Blockchain-based SC systems. In addition, we proposed an Intelligent Blockchain IoT-enabled fish SC framework that uses DLT for the trackability and traceability of fish products throughout harvesting, processing, packaging, shipping, and distribution to final delivery. More precisely, the proposed framework should be able to provide valuable and timely information that can be used to track and trace the fish product and verify its authenticity throughout the chain. Unlike other work, we have investigated the benefits of integrating machine learning (ML) into Blockchain IoT-enabled SC systems, focusing the discussion on the role of ML in fish quality, freshness assessment and fraud detection.

[Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the mucosa of the appendices of children with COVID-19]. / Vyyavlenie RNK SARS-CoV-2 v slizistoi obolochke cherveobraznogo otrostka u detei s COVID-19.

Background. The novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) often manifests in children as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and some children develop acute appendicitis. To elucidate the role of SARS-CoV-2 in the development of acute appendicitis, a more detailed study of the presence of its genetic material in the tissue of the appendix. OBJECTIVE: Determination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in appendices of children with COVID-19 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of case histories and morphological analysis using FISH of appendices of pediatric patients with established clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis and confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2 was performed. The material was divided into 3 groups: 1st -appendices obtained during appendectomy in children with established clinical diagnosis of «coronavirus infection¼ (COVID-19, PCR+) (n=42; mean age 10.8 years); 2nd - appendices of children (n=55; mean age 9.7 years) with acute appendicitis obtained before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; 3rd (control) group (n=38; mean age 10.3 years) - autopsy material of the appendices (intact). RESULTS: In all samples of the appendices of the 1st group, a positive SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA signal was noted in the cytoplasm of most epithelial cells and single immunocompetent cells. The signal intensity remained the same in all slides, regardless of age. In all samples obtained from patients without COVID-19 (groups 2 and 3), confocal microscopy did not reveal a signal, which indicates successful adaptation of the FISH method in this study and excludes the false positive results. CONCLUSION: In the epithelium of the appendices of children of different age with COVID-19, the FISH method revealed SARS-CoV-2 RNA, which does not exclude the association between viral invasion and the development of acute appendicitis.

Topology and evolution of international trade network for fish and fish products

In this study, a complex network method was employed to quantify the changing role of countries in fish trade and the dynamic characteristics of fish globalization. Based on the United Nations Comtrade Database, the International Trade Network for Fish and Fish Products (ITN-Fish) was constructed as a series of weighted-directed networks for each year from 1990 to 2018. Almost all countries and territories worldwide have participated in the fish trade. In 2018, the network identified 229 fish traders. The share of developing countries in imports and exports has increased. Traders actively establish new trade relations, which improve network connectivity. However, these relations only account for a small part of the fish trade. The high connectivity allows risks to spread rapidly in the world through hubs such as the United States and China, which raises concerns about the robustness of these weak links in the Sino-US trade conflict and the outbreak of COVID-19. However, we have optimistic expectations on this issue. The dynamic of network topology property shows that the globalization of fish trade flourished between 1990 and 2018. Although, due to the financial crisis and its subsequent impact, the total amount of fish trade declined in 2009 and 2015, the network structure was not seriously affected, and the trend of topology property remained unchanged. Based on the construction of the international trade network, its node attribute, and its structural attribute, fish trade maintains the trend of globalization. Countries should actively adhere to trade globalization to promote the development of the fish trade.

Classification of COVID-19 Patient Based on Multilayer Perceptron Neural Networks Optimized with Garra Rufa Fish Optimization Using CT Scan Images

COVID-19 is known in recent times as a severe syndrome of respiratory organ (Lungs) and has gradually produced pneumonia, a lung disorder all around the world. As coronavirus is continually spreading rapidly globally, the computed tomography (CT) technique has been made important and essential for quick diagnosis of this dangerous syndrome. Hence, it is necessitated to develop a precise computer-based technique for assisting medical clinicians in identifying the COVID-19 influenced patients with the help of CT scan images. Therefore, the multilayer perceptron neural networks optimized with Garra Rufa Fish optimization using images of CT scan is proposed in this paper for the classification of COVID-19 patients (COV-19-MPNN-GRF-CTI). The input images are taken from SARS-COV-2 CT-scan dataset. Initially, the input images are pre-processed utilizing convolutional auto-encoder (CAE) to enhance the quality of the input images by eliminating noises. The pre-processed images are fed to Residual Network (ResNet-50) for extracting the global and statistical features. The extraction over the features of CT scan images is made through ResNet-50 and subsequently input to multilayer perceptron neural networks (MPNN) for CT images classification as COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 patients. Here, the layer of Batch Normalization of the MPNN is separated and added with ResNet-50 layer. Generally, MPNN classifier does not divulge any adoption of optimization approach for calculating the optimal parameters and accurately classifying the extracted features of CT images. The Garra Rufa Fish (GRF) optimization algorithm performs to optimize the weight parameters of MPNN classifiers. The proposed approach is executed in MATLAB. The performance metrics, such as sensitivity, precision, specificity, F-measure, accuracy and error rate, are examined. Then the performance of the proposed COV-19-MPNN-GRF-CTI method provides 22.08%, 24.03%, 34.76% higher accuracy, 23.34%, 26.45%, 34.44% higher precision, 33.98%, 21.95%, 34.78% lower error rate compared with the existing methods, like multi-task deep learning using CT image analysis for COVID-19 pneumonia classification and segmentation (COV-19-MDP-CTI), COVID-19 classification utilizing CT scan depending on meta-classifier approach (COV-19-SEMC-CTI) and deep learning-based COVID-19 prediction utilizing CT scan images (COV-19-CNN-CTI), respectively. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of International Journal of Pattern Recognition & Artificial Intelligence is the property of World Scientific Publishing Company and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Abstracts of the papers presented in the International Conference of Indian Virological Society, VIROCON 2022 on "Emerging and Re-emerging Viral Infections Impacting Humans, Animals, Plants, Fish and Environment"

The proceedings contain 206 papers. The topics discussed include: influenza: experiences from Kashmir;outbreaks of different viral etiologies amidst COVID-19 pandemic;development of a colorimetric isothermal (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of monkeypox virus;circulation of genetically diverse non-polio enteroviruses in respiratory samples during COVID-19 pandemic period (2021-22);evolutionary analysis of all eleven genes of species C rotaviruses circulating in humans and domestic animals;molecular characterization of dengue viruses circulating in Pune district, Maharashtra from 2009-2022;isolation and genomic characterization of cell fusing agent virus from aedes aegypti mosquitoes from Assam, India;structure-based identification and evaluation of antiviral activity of potent small molecule inhibitors targeting alphavirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase;integration of HBV receptor NTCP into hepatoma cell using grnome editing;and hepatitis B virus genome targeting using CRISPR/Cas9based gene editing tool.

Innovation to limit seafood fraud post-COVID-19.

Seafood is an important source of protein and micronutrients, but fishery stocks are increasingly under pressure from both legitimate and illegitimate fishing practices. Sustainable management of our oceans is a global responsibility, aligning with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water. In a post-COVID-19 world, there is an opportunity to build back better, where locally sourced food via transparent supply chains are ever-more important. This article summarises emerging research of two innovative case studies in detecting and validating seafood provenance; and using alternative supply chains to minimise the opportunity for seafood fraud in a post-COVID-19 world.

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may affect the course of COVID-19.

The highly infectious coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is a new coronavirus that has been spreading since late 2019 and has caused millions of deaths worldwide. COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly worldwide despite high vaccination coverage; therefore, it is crucial to focus on prevention. Most patients experience only mild symptoms of COVID-19. However, in some cases, serious complications can develop mainly due to an exaggerated immune response; that is, a so-called cytokine storm, which can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome, organ failure, or, in the worst cases, death. N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites can modulate inflammatory responses, thus reducing the over-release of cytokines. It has been hypothesized that supplementation of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could improve clinical outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Some clinical trials have shown that administering n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to critically ill patients can improve their health and shorten the duration of their stay in intensive care. However, previous clinical studies have some limitations; therefore, further studies are required to confirm these findings.

Which components of the Mediterranean diet are associated with dementia? A UK Biobank cohort study.

Cohort studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet is associated with better global cognition in older adults, slower cognitive decline and lower risk of dementia. However, little is known about the relative contribution of each component of the Mediterranean diet to dementia risk or whether the diet's effects are due to one or more specific food components. We aimed to examine whether Mediterranean diet components are associated with all-cause dementia risk in the UK BioBank cohort. Participants joined the UK Biobank study from 2006 to 2010 and were followed until December 2020. 249,511 participants, who were at least 55 years old, without dementia at baseline were included. We used self-reported consumption of food groups, considered part of the Mediterranean diet including fruit, vegetables, processed meat, unprocessed red meat and unprocessed poultry, fish, cheese, wholegrains. Incident dementia was ascertained through electronic linkage to primary care records, hospital and mortality records or self-report. In this study with a total follow-up of 2,868,824 person-years (median 11.4), after adjusting for all covariates and other food groups, moderate fish consumption of between 2.0 and 3.9 times a week was associated with decreased risk of dementia (HR 0.84, 95%CI 0.71-0.98) compared to no consumption. Additionally, fruit consumption of between 1.0 and 1.9 servings a day was associated with reduced dementia risk (HR 0.85, 95%CI 0.74-0.99) compared to no consumption. No other Mediterranean diet components were associated with dementia risk suggesting that fish consumption may drive the beneficial effects seen from the Mediterranean diet. Further study of potential mechanisms and diet-based intervention trials are needed to establish this.

Impact of the COVID-19 face mask disposal on environment and perception of people of the Sultanate of Oman

Background: Environmental concerns are increasing in and around us due to improper discharge of personal protective gear or equipment (PPEs) during the current pandemic with SARS-CoV-2. The residents of Salalah, under the Dhofar governorate of Oman, were hastening to take every possible measure to safeguard their health against the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scenario, improper discard of facemasks in the environment entails a significant problem for public health and aquatic environments. Objective: This study aims to assess how the SARS-CoV-2 virus disrupted the household waste management chain in the Sultanate of Oman. In addition, descriptive survey has also identified people's perception about the existing household waste management system. Methods: Total 200 respondents were personally selected under the purposive sampling category. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. The mean, standard deviation, and distribution shape were calculated based on the retrieved data. The variables and frequencies were tabulated for categorical variables. Results show negative impacts on the environment, wildlife, and public health. It was also observed that there was a significant difference when grouped according to residence location since the obtainedalso observed a significant difference when grouped according to residence location since the p-value of 0.007 was less than 0.05 alpha level. This means that the responses differ significantly. It shows from the test conducted that participants from the village experienced and observed a negative impact on the discarded face masks compared to those in the city. Conclusion and recommendation: This study illustrates the real impact of the COVID-19 face masks on the environment, wildlife, and public health. In addition, the new management of the user's face masks for eliminating or reducing the risks to human health and the environment has been suggested.

Improvement of pempek production skills for people of Javanese descendants in Sumber Rahayu Village, South Sumatera

Pempek is a food that contains a lot of protein from fish meat in the form of a homogeneous protein gel, white in color, chewy and elastic texture. Improvement of pempek production skills for people of Javanese descendants in sumber Rahayu Village, south sumatera can to be a provision for the community as a side-home business in the midst of economic difficulties due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The methods in this activity are survey to get 15 person participants, pre-test and post-test of knowledge participant, discussion, demonstration producing of pempek and organoleptic test. Before training, a number of 53.8% of participants had ever made pempek and 38.5% of participants had knowledge about nutritional value of pempek. The average pre-test score is 38 points while the post-test score is 96 points. This shows that there is an increase in the knowledge and abilities of participants before and after being given the training. The average participant's assessment of the color, taste, and aroma of pempek is between 2.54 - 2.67. This shows that the participants like the color, taste, and aroma of pempek.

Counselling and training of nutritional snacks making for immunity increasing during COVID 19 pandemic

Increasing body immunity is very necessary after the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the efforts that can be made to increase the body's immunity is to consume functional foods with immunostimulant activity, such as processed snakehead fish products in the form of nuggets, and "parkusel" juice made from a mixture of bitter melon, dates and celery. The purpose of community service is to provide knowledge and skills to housewives and the community at the Veteran ABRI Housing Complex in Medan Estate, Deli Serdang Regency, in making functional food products in the form of snakehead fish nuggets and Perkusel juice. The community service method used is the counseling method with leafet aids and training in making snakehead fish nuggets and perkusel juice. The results of the activity showed that there was an increase in the knowledge of the community participants in community service activities about nutritious snack products that can increase body immunity by 71% in the good value category.

COVID-19 Induced Impacts on Women Workers of Fish and Shellfish Processing Plants in Bangladesh

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) adversely impacted the fisheries sector of Bangladesh, particularly affecting the outcomes for women workers of the fish and shellfish processing plants (FSPPs). This study aimed to assess the impacts of COVID-19 on the women workers of the FSPPs by collecting data through 151 questionnaire surveys and two focus group discussions (FGDs) from September to December 2021. During COVID-19, 32.1 % of respondents' food consumption decreased slightly, and 16.6 % reduced drastically. Children of 18.2 % of the respondents had no access, and 16.9 % had insufficient access to online class facilities. Increased livelihood costs and decreased household income posed adverse economic impacts on women. Formal paid hours and overtime job opportunities were reduced because foreign buyers cancelled orders during the pandemic. Gender-based violence and social insecurity increased. Respondents (13.2 %) reported increased mistreatment by their husbands during the pandemic. Women workers' mental health deteriorated as their anxiety and insecurity about life increased during the pandemic. This study recommends overcoming the adverse effect of COVID-19 or COVID-like pandemics in the future. To ensure proper food consumption and reduce adverse economic impacts, the government should offer a special relief package, financial incentives and flexible low-interest loans. Related authorities should ensure that every child has the opportunity and access to participate in online classes during COVID-19 or COVID, like pandemics in the future. © Asian Fisheries Society.

Aquaculture Production in the Midst of GHG Emissions in South Africa

The study ascertained the relationship between aquaculture production and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in South Africa. The study used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag—Error Correction Model (ARDL-VECM) with time series data between 1990 and 2020. The results showed that the mean annual aquaculture production, GHG emissions, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the period were 5200 tonnes, 412 tonnes, and US$447 billion, respectively. There was a long-run relationship between GHG emissions and GDP. In the short run, GHG emissions had a positive relationship with GDP and a negative relationship with beef production. Furthermore, there was a bi-directional relationship between aquaculture production and GHG emissions. In addition, beef production and GDP had a bi-directional relationship. Beef production also had a positive relationship with aquaculture production. The study concludes that aquaculture production is affected and tends to affect GHG emissions. Aquaculture legislation should consider GHG emissions in South Africa and promote sustainable production techniques.

Fish Cam: An Online Program to Deliver Behavioral Experiments to the Classroom

First pioneered in 2010, Fish Cam provides the opportunity for students to engage in novel behavioral research without the need for extensive materials or for leaving the classroom. Fish Cam utilizes a robust behavioral paradigm, shoaling behavior in fish, and enables students to collect information from simple, easy-to-understand observations, allowing for student-led experimental design, data collection, analysis, and discussions on the scientific process. In these ways Fish Cam removes the cost and time-intensive aspects of doing this sort of work in the classroom. Shoaling behavior, which is well represented in the scientific literature, refers to social aggregations of fish. Almost all species of fish form shoals, and this process is easy to study under laboratory conditions. An evolutionary adaptation, shoaling provides individuals better access to resources and decreases the risk of predation. In its initial launch, Fish Cam was highly successful as a learning tool but suffered from difficulties associated with delivering the information online in 2010. Now, with the rapid development of online communication tools associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have the second iteration of Fish Cam. The flexibility of new delivery platforms enables partner organizations to view experiments and adapt the experience to their specific educational goals. Here we present an overview of Fish Cam, including lesson plans, a description of shoaling behavior in fish, and the results of Fish Cam studies run in the fall of 2020.