RobertsLab
Plan / execute WSG oyster hardening trials at Manchester
@sr320 we would want to ship seed to Manchester directly then, rather than Point Whitney? I'll update the request with USDA if so.
Disease testing at Aquatechnics for next batch of USDA seed for hardening may not take place until after the May 1 testing window opens (email forwarded to @sr320). I'm checking with Henry at USDA to see if we can move it forward more quickly.
We could harden seed at Point Whitney - although logistically more challenging. The transfer permit held by Point Whitney doesn't require disease testing before transfer to other approved facilities in WA state - I can double check those details.
We will harden at PW - as part of grant we are adding Manchester this season.
I'll check to see the requirements for transfer of seed from PW to Manchester.
Current plans after discussing with Mac (4/1/2025):
- We will likely use the header system at Manchester. We will place four 5-gallon buckets below the headers with a drip system and drip feeding. 2 buckets will be control and 2 buckets will be high temperature.
- We will likely use the USDA 2024 POGS general excess seed that are currently held at Point Whitney. We will aim for 1,000+ animals per family (minimum of 500 per family per treatment, hopefully a few more). When I am at Point Whitney next I'll count animals to see what our actual numbers will be.
- Treatments will be control and high temperature. We will use heaters on thermostats and timers to expose treated seed to 6-12 h of daily exposure to elevated temperature (e.g., 25-28°C range). I'll look back at our profiles from Point Whitney last year to determine treatments. I think we should increase stress from last year's trials since effects in the field have been minimal.
- Exposure will occur over ~ 2 weeks.
- In late April, we will set up equipment (Ariana will bring equipment required - heaters, timers, and loggers).
- In early May, we will start trials. I will take some samples at the start and end of the trial for preservation (freezer) and resazurin trials (live) at UW.
- After trials are over, we will outplant. I need to coordinate outplant location. @sr320 maybe Baywater is a good option for outplanting in late May?
- Mac will consider timing, equipment, feeding, and space needs and we will adjust as needed.
@AHuffmyer , I am planning on going to Manchester later this week (my preference is Thursday) -- would you be available to meet and look at what equipment we might need for the space? or bring the equipment you think we might need? We won't be able to set up the buckets yet, but we could make a dummy setup to make sure we have everything we need.
Yes! How about Thursday from 11-12? The only equipment we will need are heaters, so I'll try to bring a couple we can play with.
Mac and I met a couple weeks ago and looked at our options for setting up buckets. We will use heaters with timers in 2 buckets and use 2 other buckets as control. Waiting on disease testing and shipment of seed from USDA.
Waiting for disease testing for new seed. But we do have seed out at Point Whitney that we can use and move when we are ready.
What do you think about a timeline to start?
I am unavailable to start trials this week and next week I have field assessments at other sites. The earliest I could get oysters and transport them to Manchester would be the week of May 26th.
I am unavailable from the 23rd-29th, but we could aim for a 30th start? I am reaching out to see what other activities will be happening in bldg 6 at that time and what kind of support we would need/have for feeding. I think it should be doable, but it's good to have the heads up on timing. Thanks!
The 30th sounds good. I'll need to go out to Point Whitney that morning to pick up oysters. So lets aim for an afternoon start if that works for you.
@mgavery as we discussed I'll bring oysters to Manchester on the 30th to start the experiment. We will run the experiment with some oysters at Point Whitney, which I will pick up in the morning and bring to Manchester mid day. USDA will also be shipping us a small amount of seed that we will add to the experiment. Could you send me an address for them to ship the seed to? I'll ask that they ship to have the seed arrive on the 30th so we can set everything up at one time.
Attn: Mackenzie Gavery NOAA Fisheries - Manchester Research Station 7305 Beach Dr. East Port Orchard WA 98366
I think our ambient is ~12C. I can turn temp up depending on what Pt Whitney holds them?
Henry was concerned about sending a shipment to arrive on a Friday, so I'm going to have him send them to Point Whitney earlier in the week instead. I'll pick up all oysters Friday morning and Point Whitney and drive to Manchester for us to start the experiment mid-day/early afternoon.
Change of shipping plans again. Oysters should arrive on Friday at Manchester to address above. SAFS didn't schedule a pick up so the oysters could not be shipped out today.
Experiment up and running, plan is to outplant on Manchester docks on June 16
Completed, oysters are outplanted on docks and will be assessed throughout summer