PCR-based sex determination of cetaceans and dugong from the Indian seas

A sex-determination technique based on PCR amplifi- cation of genomic DNA extracted from the skin tissue has been standardized in cetaceans and dugong sam-pled from the Indian seas. A Y-chromosome-specific region (SRY or Sex-determining Y-chromosome gene) of 210–224 bp size in the genome has been amplified (only in males) using specific PCR primers. A fragment of the ZFX/ZFY (zinc finger protein genes located both on the X and Y chromosomes respectively) re-gion in the size range 442–445 bp is also amplified (in both sexes) using another pair of primers simultaneously as positive controls for confirmation of sex. Molecular sexing was standardized in spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris), bridled dolphin (Stenella attenuata), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin (Sousa chinensis), Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus), finless porpoise (Neopho-caena phocaenoides), sperm whale (Physeter macro-cephalus), blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni) and dugong (Dugong du-gon), which are all vulnerable/endangered species pro- tected under the Indian Wildlife Act

Design and development of FRP mobile fish vending trolley for hygienic fish marketing

A mobile fish vending trolley has been designed and developed by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) - All India Coordinated Research Project on Plasticulture Engineering and Technology (AICRP on PET) centre at ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar to aid the fisher folks for vending their fish harvests in hygienic condition. The unique selling proposition (USP) of the vending unit is its unibody design, where icebox for storing fish, 20 l capacity water storage tank for hand washing, tool box, fish cutting deck and waste collection chambers are integrated into the unit. The icebox can store 100 kg of fish in ice which can be sold in a single day by the fisher folks. The complete unit of mobile fish vending carriage is fabricated with fibre reinforced plastic (FRP), because of its high strength compared to other plastics, ease of fabrication and good insulation property of fiberglass (i.e. thermal conductivity= 0.04 w/mK at normal room temperature 25 ºC). The dimensions of the carriage unit is 4.0’x2’9”x2’6” in which half portion is dedicated for the insulated ice box and the remaining portion houses the fish cutting deck, waste collection chamber and tool box. This fish vending trolley would be a boon for the marginal fish vendors, who want to sell fish in a hygienic condition and to increase income generation potential by selling 100 kg fish in a day

Paradigm of Mainstreaming Gender Perspective in Marine Fisheries Sector of India

Mobilization of Self Help Groups, setting up of Mahila Rural Cooperative banks, Women cell and collaboration and networking with NGOs etc are to be worked out by using the strategy developed in the case studies as a practical manual. Promoting “men and women partnership firms” instead of exclusively women-oriented enterprises is another practical strategy. It is seen that husband-wife enterprises with one or two helpers in fish processing/marketing in fishery related activities and other fishery related activity yields better prospects. Integration of the gender perspective in aquaculture research and technology development is an essential requisite because the gender mainstreaming approach advances gender equality and equity in the society. Similarly it is quite necessary for integrating gender perspective in aquaculture extension also because women are the important stakeholders of our aquaculture development process and our Extension system hardly targets the women folk for technological empowerment

Magnetic Coupling Between Non-Magnetic Ions: Eu3+ in EuN and EuP

We consider the electronic structure of, and magnetic exchange (spin) interactions between, nominally nonmagnetic Eu^3+ ions (4f^6, S=3, L=3, J=0) within the context of the rocksalt structure compounds EuN and EuP. Both compounds are ionic [Eu^3+; N^3- and P^3-] semimetals similar to isovalent GdN. Treating the spin polarization within the 4f shell, and then averaging consistent with the J=0 configuration, we estimate semimetallic band overlaps (Eu 5d with pnictide 2p or 3p) of ~0.1 eV (EuN) and ~1.0 eV (EuP) that increase (become more metallic) with pressure. The calculated bulk modulus is 130 (86) GPa for EuN (EuP). Exchange (spin-spin) coupling calculated from correlated band theory is small and ferromagnetic in sign for EuN, increasing in magnitude with pressure. Conversely, the exchange coupling is antiferromagnetic in sign for EuP and is larger in magnitude, but decreases with compression. Study of a two-site model with S_1*S_2 coupling within the J=0,1 spaces of each ion illustrates the dependence of the magnetic correlation functions on the model parameters, and indicates that the spin coupling is sufficient to alter the Van Vleck susceptibility. We outline a scenario of a spin-correlation transition in a lattice of S=3, L=3, J=0 nonmagnetic ions

Species of a whale and an unknown fish sample identified using molecular taxonomy

Molecular genetics provides a powerful tool for conservation of species protected by international regulations or threatened by overexploitation. The present communication is the first report from India on the application of molecular tools for the accurate identification of a stranded whale in putrefied condition as it was impossible to identify the species status using conventional taxonomy and the carcass of an unknown animal devoid of its head and tail, collected from a fish market. Partial sequences of mtDNA control region and cytochrome b gene of the whale were generated and tested with BLAST search and DNA surveillance for molecular identification. It was identified as Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni). Partial sequence of mtDNA cytochrome b gene of the unknown fish from the market was generated, tested with BLAST search and was identified as sword fish Xiphias gladius

Fish Waste Bio-Refinery Products: Its application in Organic Farming

Fish waste biomasses are locally available resources which contain nutrients. Fermentation of the biomass produces slurries used for plankton production and plant/agri-nutri use. Bio-refinery of fish waste material can be converted into value added biological products such as biofuels, industrial chemicals, animal and fish feed, human food, neutraceuticals and organic fertilizer, etc. Fish processing waste could be regarded as a promising renewable biomass resource for bio-refineries. Hydrolysis of fish waste is aimed primarily at industrial applications of the process. Low cost and simplicity of operation by reducing the cost of material, energy consumption and labour, but maintaining high productivity are some of the important attributes at the industrial application process. Fish hydrolysate generally shows a beneficial effect on growth performances and feed utilization at low inclusion levels. The performance is postulated to be due to the balance of free amino acids, peptides and proteins in digestion, absorption and utilization

Molecular Identification of Delphinids and Finless Porpoise (Cetacea) from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal

The exact number of extant delphinid species from seas around India is still debated and the lack of adequate field keys and reliable inventory has resulted in misidentification of several species. As a part of a project to develop a molecular taxonomy of cetaceans from this region, partial sequences of mtDNA cytochrome b were generated from accidentally caught/stranded delphinids and finless porpoise. Species were identified by phylogenetic reconstruction of sample sequences with the reference sequences available in portals GenBank (NCBI) and the web-based program DNA Surveillance. A comparison was made with the homologous sequences of corresponding species from other seas of the world. Our molecular investigations allowed us to identify five species of cetaceans from Indian coasts, including Delphinus capensis, previously reported as D. delphis. We detected unique haplotypes in Indo pacific humpbacked dolphin (Sousa chinensis; n = 2) and finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides; n = 12) from Indian coast. On the other hand, some haplotypes were shared with other regional populations in spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris; n = 16) and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus; n = 3). Common dolphins (Delphinus capensis; n = 2) had both unique and shared haplotypes including one highly divergent sequence

Gender Mainstreaming and Impact of Self Help Groups in Marine Fisheries Sector

Fisheries sector provides employment to over 12 million people and plays a paramount role in Indian economy. Women constitute nearly half of the population and one third of the labour force. Though women’s role in Indian marine fisheries sector with a coast line of 8129 km is very prominent, there is generally a gender bias in respect of their works and the inequalities between men and women are observed in the social, cultural and economic lives. The development and empowerment of weaker sections and gender mainstreaming in the Indian fisheries sector in a broader visualization will be materialized to a substantial extent with poverty eradication programmers through the transparent media namely Self Help Groups (SHGs). However an indepth analysis of the impact of SHGs in bringing out gender mainstreaming was lacking in the present scenario of Indian marine fisheries sector. Integrating gender perspective in SHG ventures in marine fisheries sector is inevitable because the gender mainstreaming approach advances gender equity and equality in the fisheries fabric of the society

Indian Efforts on the Inventorization of Marine Mammal Species for their Conservation and Management

The present study is the first attempt to use molecular tools for identification of marine mammals in India. The objective was to develop a database of genetic sequences for future marine mammal research in addition to confirming the species identity of cetaceans and dugongs using a molecular approach. Partial sequencing of mitochondrial DNA loci was carried out in accidentally caught/stranded specimens of Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris), Pantropical spotted dolphin/bridled dolphin (Stenella attenuata), Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), Long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis), Indopacific humpbacked dolphin (Sousa chinensis), Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus), Finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides), Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni) and Dugong (Dugong dugon). Molecular identification of species was done by phylogenetic reconstruction of the sequences using portals GenBank and DNA Surveillance. Apart from ratifying their morphological identification, the analysis was able to distinguish specimens that otherwise, could not have been identified using conventional approaches. Phylogenetic analysis of the Sousa-Stenella-Tursiops-Delphinus group indicated more or less robust monophyly for all species in this complex, except Delphinus capensis. A sister-group relationship for Sperm whales and Baleen whales was evident, that would place the former closer to the latter than to any other group of toothed whales

Development of Fish Hydrolysate (Bind-Add+) incorporated extruded pellets and its performance in Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) feeding trial

Fish hydrolysate (FH) based Bind-Add+ is a emulsion type feed binder cum additive which contains un-denatured proteins and calcium is capable of reasonable level of gelatinization and contribute to the binding properties which is seen from water absorptive capacity, buoyancy, bulk density and water stability characteristics during extrusion pellet production.. Bind-Add+ has good amount of bio-available primary nutrients, secondary nutrients, micro nutrients, anti-oxidants and pro-biotic in a soluble liquid form and most suitable as additive or feed supplement. Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) feeding trial indicate that growth rate and feed utilization efficiency in Bind-Add+ incorporated diets increases significantly in comparison to controlled diet