The aquaculture supply chain in the time of covid-19 pandemic: Vulnerability, resilience, solutions and priorities at the global scale

The COVID-19 global pandemic has had severe, unpredictable and synchronous impacts on all levels of perishable food supply chains (PFSC), across multiple sectors and spatial scales. Aquaculture plays a vital and rapidly expanding role in food security, in some cases overtaking wild caught fisheries in the production of high-quality animal protein in this PFSC. We performed a rapid global assessment to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and related emerging control measures on the aquaculture supply chain. Socio-economic effects of the pandemic were analysed by surveying the perceptions of stakeholders, who were asked to describe potential supply-side disruption, vulnerabilities and resilience patterns along the production pipeline with four main supply chain components: a) hatchery, b) production/processing, c) distribution/logistics and d) market. We also assessed different farming strategies, comparing land- vs. sea-based systems; extensive vs. intensive methods; and with and without integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, IMTA. In addition to evaluating levels and sources of economic distress, interviewees were asked to identify mitigation solutions adopted at local / internal (i.e., farm-site) scales, and to express their preference on national / external scale mitigation measures among a set of a priori options. Survey responses identified the potential causes of disruption, ripple effects, sources of food insecurity, and socio-economic conflicts. They also pointed to various levels of mitigation strategies. The collated evidence represents a first baseline useful to address future disaster-driven responses, to reinforce the resilience of the sector and to facilitate the design reconstruction plans and mitigation measures, such as financial aid strategies.

Empirical standard mass equation for Salmo marmoratus

Total length (L(T)) (range 24-1000 mm; mean ±S.E. = 170.21 ± 0.36 mm) and mass (W) (range 0.10-9590 g; mean ±S.E. = 76.03 ± 0.87 g) of 36,460 specimens of marble trout Salmo marmoratus were used to compute a standard mass (W(s)) equation for this species by means of the empirical percentile (EmP) method. The EmP W(s) equation calculated was: log(10) W(s) = -5.208 + 3.202 log(10) L(T) - 0.046 (log(10) L(T))(2) (L(T) range 90-570 mm) and it is valid throughout the species' area of distribution across Europe.

Proposed standard mass equations for European chub Leuciscus cephalus in Italy

Total length (L(T)) and mass measurements of 28,596 specimens of European chub Leuciscus cephalus, collected from a variety of waterways across Italy, were used to compute standard mass (W(s)) equations by both empirical percentile (EmP) and regression line percentile (RLP) methods. The use of the EmP W(s) equation [log(10) W(s) = -4·79 + 2·68log(10) L(T) + 0·10(log(10) L(T))(2)] to compute relative mass (W(r)) of L. cephalus in Italy is suggested, as it was not influenced by length-related bias (L(T) range of application = 70-470 mm).