AQUACULTURE

CHAPTER 2
 LESSON 1: MORTALITIES
• Is synonymous to loss of life.
• In aquaculture, without
knowledge and enough
understanding of how fast
fishes are removed from a
set of population, it is
impossible to identify the
population dynamics within
the pond.
 Fish Mortality
• Is a parameter used in fisheries population
dynamics to account for the loss of fish stock
through death.
 Two Types Of Fish Mortality
1. Natural mortality refers to the loss of population from
natural sources, which occurs after stocking. This is mainly due
to stress, predation, old-age, diseases, and in-pond water
quality deterioration.

2. Fishing mortality refers to the loss of population from

external factors such as the fishing activities done in the pond,
which affect the survival rate of aquatic species.
Dead Fish Have Three Important
Environmental Concerns
• If outflow of water occurs, carcasses and associated bacteria may be
released to the ponds.

• 2. The decomposition period of dead fish could impair in-pond water

quality and cause effluent water quality decline.

• 3. The bad smell from large fish kill could be a problem at the
surrounding areas.
• Fish Kill is common in any aquatic environment. It
happens unexpectedly over a short period of time
involving a large number of dead fish.
 A. Natural Causes of Fish Mortality
1. Oxygen depletion – happens when there is an imbalance in the
natural nutrient cycles.
2. Presence of toxic algae – happens when nutrient competition
becomes intense, some species of algae release toxic
substances into the water.
3. Hydrogen sulfide – is a toxic gas that is commonly found at
pond bottoms.
4. Mortality due to bacteria or parasites – are organisms found at
low levels in aquatic environment with limited number of fish.
 B. Unnatural Causes of Fish Mortality
1. Pesticides
Signs:
Spinal curves
Dark Reddish Discoloration
Loss of Equilibrium
Convulsion
Death
 2. Salt water
Different fishes have different water requirements to stay alive.
• Salinity level – dissolved salt content in water.
• pH level (potential of hydrogen) – is a measure of acidity or alkalinity of
water.
Salt water can come from:
.Septic system
.livestock salt lick
 3. Sewage
• With the loaded nutrients found in sewage, intense algal
blooms may possibly occur.