General course objectives
To provide the students with knowledge of fish biology that is relevant to and applicable within the field of aquaculture. The overall aim of the course is to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the many physiological and biochemical processes that occur in fish, so that they may use this knowledge in the evaluation and management of biological issues that arise in aquaculture production.
Content
This course provides an introductory view of fish physiology and of the physiological challenges to which fish are exposed in typical aquaculture facilities, along with the solutions adopted in the aquaculture industry to overcome those challenges. The course covers topics such as functional anatomy of fish, nervous system and sensory systems, ion and gas exchange and homeostasis, nutrition, immune system and pathological states, reproduction, stress physiology, welfare in aquaculture, nociception and analgesia, fish behavior and cognition. The constraints on all those aspects of fish physiology derived from the life in captivity, as well as the ways to mitigate them, are discussed.
Learning outcomes
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
- Account for the gross morphology and anatomical organization in fish.
- Summarize how fish sense and process input from their environment.
- Describe the mechanisms by which fish maintain homeostasis.
- Explain how rearing conditions could compromise fish physiology, behavior and general welfare.
- Detect signs indicating poor welfare in farmed fish.
- Explain the physiological and behavioral responses to stress/poor welfare in fish.
- Account for the neurophysiological mechanisms controlling feeding behavior, reproduction, stress responses and immune defenses.
- Apply gained knowledge to evaluate and propose solutions to potential problems related to fish health and welfare that may arise in a fish farm.
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