水产养殖专业英语

水产养殖专业英语

Ocean Today

一

Open Rivers, Abundant Fish

Many species of fish, including those that are important to the U.S. economy, migrate from the

ocean to freshwater rivers and streams to spawn. After spending years in the ocean, fish

instinctually return to the same rivers where they were born, making the often-treacherous

journey upstream. Some fish, like salmon, travel nearly a thousand miles.

If they make it past strong river currents and hungry predators, these determined fish may then

find themselves blocked by man-made barriers, such as dams.

As many as two million dams and culverts are located in the streams and rivers of the United

States. Unfortunately, many of them block access to more than 600,000 miles of river

habitat. Special “fish ladders” are built to help fish pass over these dams so they can continue

swimming upstream to reach their spawning grounds.

Some of the dams that block fish passage are important producers of clean electrical power. But

other dams in the way of fish migrations are old and out of use, even dangerous if they are left

unchecked and not maintained. Often the best solution is to take them down.

In 2007, Portland General Electric removed the Marmot Dam in Oregon, which opened 100 miles

of freshwater habitat to thousands of migrating fish. Among them were several salmon species,

which are listed as 'threatened' under the Endangered Species Act.

The Merrimack Village Dam in New Hampshire was another successful dam removal. The small

dam, originally built in the 1730s, had fallen into disuse and disrepair.

Loiselle:

“Removal of the Merrimack Village Dam is going to make way for river herring, American shad,

American eels, and Atlantic salmon that have been blocked from migrating up the Souhegan

River for almost two and a half centuries.

…[big smile] we anticipate that we’re going to see many more fish, other wildlife in the area and

in our river system than we’ve ever seen before.”

NARRATOR:

When we remove a barrier to migrating fish, we not only increase the health and quantity of local

fish populations, we also increase the overall health of the river and even the economic health of

the community.

NOAA has helped remove over 50 dams in 12 years, enabling migratory fish to finally reach their

historic habitat.

二

Fish on a Farm

Every weekend small farmers around the country head to their local farmer’s markets to sell

their fruits and veggies.

Well guess what? There’s a new farmer in town. Fish farmers.

In the U.S., we import over 80% of the seafood we eat, and half of that is farmed. This growing

demand for safe, healthy seafood has prompted a revival of the fish farming industry here at

home.

Farmers raise finfish using a variety of methods, but they all start out with baby fish or fingerlings

raised in a hatchery. Once they are large enough, the fish are placed in either surface pens near

the shore or submersible cages in the open ocean. The netting or cages allow ocean water to

flow in and out, but keeps the fish contained in one area. Fish food is dispensed from buoys

floating on the surface at the top of the pen. Once the fish have matured – they are harvested

using large vacuums. The fish are then prepped, placed on ice, and taken to market.

There are some environmental concerns associated with fish farming: For example, the pellets

used to feed the fish are actually made from small fish caught in the wild. In order to keep larger

numbers of these important fish in the food chain, experts are now finding alternative

ingredients for fishmeal.

Another concern is that too many cages in the wrong location can lead to water pollution. But

experts are now using computer models to map out sites where cages would have less

environmental impact.

Fish farming can generate jobs and profits here at home. And with the use of new technologies,

it can also safely and sustainably meet the demands of a seafood hungry nation.

三

Seafood Does a Body Good

When we head to the beach we think of sun, sand, and fun.

At the end of the day many of us like to enjoy fresh, local seafood. Even if you are not on the

coast, seafood is becoming a number one treat for going out to eat. The good news is safe

seafood does a body good. Seafood supplies protein, nutrients, and essential omega-3 fatty acids;

protects against cardio-vascular disease; and benefits brain development. And seafood is good

for the economy. In 2012, the U.S. commercial fishing industry generated $141 billion in sales,

$39 billion in income, and supported 1.3 million jobs.

Aquaculture, also known as fish and shellfish farming – is outpacing wild harvest fisheries

globally in order to meet seafood demand.

The US also has a vibrant and growing aquaculture industry.

While the U.S. is a world leader in sustainability, with NOAA Fisheries managing and improving

fish habitats and stocks, our marine scientists are at the cutting edge of research that’s keeping

our seafood supply safe.

For example, researchers are successfully developing and testing alternative feeds for farmed

freshwater and marine fish to help maintain high nutritional value while reducing our reliance on

a limited supply of fishmeal and fish oil in aquafeeds.

And, scientists at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center are testing the Environmental

Sample Processor to help forecast blooms of harmful algae and bacteria up to a week in advance

in order to protect shellfish beds and the public from possible exposure. The shellfish industry in

the Pacific Northwest supplies millions of pounds of seafood to the U.S. and the world.

And millions of dollars in funding opportunities through NOAA Sea Grant and the U.S.

Department of Agriculture’s Small Business Innovation Research will help foster other

advancements in aquaculture science and technology.

These efforts across NOAA, other federal agencies, and their partners will continue to support a

safe, healthy and secure seafood supply for us all to enjoy.

Because seafood health, the ocean’s health, and our health, all rely on one another.

四

North Atlantic Right Whales

The North Atlantic right whale got its name from whalers. Because these whales travel slowly and

spend a lot of time at the surface, they were easy targets. For whalers they were the “right”

whales to hunt. With fewer than 400 left, they are now the “right” whales to save.

Marine biologists track their migratory routes off North America for the spring and fall, but the

wintering grounds for much of the right whale population are unknown. Using hydrophones,

scientists recorded whale calls in the waters between Greenland and Iceland from July to

December of 2007. A hydrophone is simply a microphone designed to capture underwater

sounds.

North Atlantic right whale calls sound like screams, bangs, and groans. After deciphering

thousands of these new recordings, there was evidence of right whales calling nearby many

times. This area was thought to be an abandoned habitat, but this discovery confirms that it

continues to be used.

New discoveries always lead to more questions: How many whales are there? Could these whales

be members of a totally separate population, or even an eastern population thought to be

extinct?

Whatever the answers may be, hydrophones helped us find these whales in a hard to reach

location. But most important, if we know where these right whales are wintering, then we can

better protect them and maybe even help them recover.

五

Antarctic Krill

Krill are small crustaceans found throughout the ocean. They play an important role in the

aquatic food chain, particularly in the Southern Ocean.

Antarctic krill provide a vital food source for whales, seals, ice fish, and penguins. These animals

depend on eating large quantities of krill for survival in the harsh climate.

For their own meals, Antarctic krill eat small plants like phytoplankton, as well as algae under the

surface of sea ice.

Krill have the ability to shrink their bodies and undergo long periods of starvation. These

adaptations allow them to survive the winter months in the Antarctic.

Krill travel in swarms so dense they can actually be seen from space. And it’s estimated that the

total weight of Antarctic krill is more than the weight of all humans on Earth. Pretty impressive

for an animal the size of your pinky.

And that’s life with the ice for Antarctic krill.

六

Building Good Mussels

Farmers grow all kinds of seafood such as fish, shrimp, and oysters. That may sound funny but it

is a method called “aquaculture.” Aquaculture happens in ponds, rivers, bays, and the ocean.

Farmers also grow a type of shellfish called “mussels.” You may have seen mussels growing

from a pier, jetty, or dock. Their black shell is hard and, in the wild, they grow in clusters. Mussels

are easy to farm and great to eat.

They also help clean the water. Mussels are filter-feeders, which means that they feed by

collecting tiny organisms from the water. So they clean and filter the water as they eat.

Fishermen from Rhode Island to Maine are beginning to farm mussels in socks in the ocean. First,

they collect baby mussel seed on ropes near the shore. The seed goes into a sock around a long

rope. On the water, the sock with the rope is connected to buoys, dropped into the water, and

left to grow in the ocean for at least a year. After one year, juicy mussels are bursting through the

socks. They are collected, packed on ice, and brought back to shore to sell.

A small farm with 12 long lines can produce up to 180,000 pounds of mussels each year. Farming

mussels on rafts and on the bottom is hard work, muddy, and messy. But it can be fun, too. Right

now, in the United States, mussel farming is catching on among fishermen and farmers. It’s

helping provide the seafood we need in a healthy and sustainable manner.