David Bengston
We study the aquaculture of marine fish species, especially the culture of larvae and early juveniles of summer flounder, a new species for aquaculture in the northeastern U.S. Our main interests currently are the size variations that develop at various points during the life cycle of this species. We have recently been using energy budget parameters to investigate the reasons for differences between fast- and slow-growing fish in both the larval and early juvenile stages. In the next couple of years, in collaboration with Dr. Jennifer Specker of URI's Graduate School of Oceanography, we will be looking at hormonal manipulation to create all-female batches of fish (because females grow about twice as fast as males once the sex is determined) and at both hormonal and environmental manipulation to synchronize growth and metamorphosis of larvae. We are also studying the use of current velocity in nursery-stage culture to condition juveniles for transfer to net pens. Three of my graduate students work on fisheries problems: one on Atlantic salmon populations in Maine, one on otolith microstructure of cod larvae on Georges Bank, and one on energetics of early juvenile cod and haddock. They are all supported, either via employment or grants, by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Finally, I have long-standing and continuing interests in estuarine fish ecology and environmental toxicology, centering on the basic biology of species of the genus Menidia and their use in toxicity testing.
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About David A. Bengtson
We study the aquaculture of marine fish species, especially the culture of larvae and early juveniles of summer flounder, a new species for aquaculture in the northeastern U.S. Our main interests currently are the size variations that develop at various points during the life cycle of this species. We have recently been using energy budget parameters to investigate the reasons for differences between fast- and slow-growing fish in both the larval and early juvenile stages. In the next couple of years, in collaboration with Dr. Jennifer Specker of URI's Graduate School of Oceanography, we will be looking at hormonal manipulation to create all-female batches of fish (because females grow about twice as fast as males once the sex is determined) and at both hormonal and environmental manipulation to synchronize growth and metamorphosis of larvae. We are also studying the use of current velocity in nursery-stage culture to condition juveniles for transfer to net pens. Three of my graduate students work on fisheries problems: one on Atlantic salmon populations in Maine, one on otolith microstructure of cod larvae on Georges Bank, and one on energetics of early juvenile cod and haddock. They are all supported, either via employment or grants, by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Finally, I have long-standing and continuing interests in estuarine fish ecology and environmental toxicology, centering on the basic biology of species of the genus Menidia and their use in toxicity testing.