The AVC Lobster Science Centre (AVCLSC) is a research center within the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island dedicated to conducting lobster health research at the request of the lobster industry. The AVCLSC was established in 2000 and was the vision of members of the lobster industry and Dr. Richard Cawthorn, the Centre's director and senior scientist. The AVCLSC's mandate is to apply the principles of veterinary medicine to the lobster industry with the aim of enhancing research and development capacity for lobster health in Atlantic Canada. Currently, there are 4 veterinarians (Drs. Andrea Battison, Spencer Greenwood, Ian Keith, and Jean Lavallée) and a dedicated support team (including an industry liaison person, a research associate, an analyst programmer, an information specialist, and technicians) conducting research at the Centre.
The AVCLSC is funded through various partners representing the lobster industry, including fisher organizations, processors, exporters, other private sector companies, several provincial and federal government agencies, First Nations, and the Atlantic Innovation Fund, administered by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. The research activities of the Centre are directly overseen by the partners and are applicable to the needs of the lobster industry.
Significant current research projects:
(1) Infectious disease and host-response in the American lobster. The focus of this project is the identification of pathogenic features of microorganisms causing disease in lobsters and to explore the role of the lobster's innate immune response in fighting disease via antimicrobial peptides and pattern recognition proteins. The goal is to develop an awareness of host-pathogen interactions that will lead to the production of additional intervention strategies (such as diagnostic tools, immunostimulants and drug targets) for the lobster industry.
(2) Potential impact of paramoebiasis on the Canadian lobster resource. An amoebic parasite, Neoparamoeba sp., may be implicated in the massive lobster die-off in Long Island Sound during the summer and fall of 1999. The emphasis of this project is to better understand the pathogenesis of the disease and to develop diagnostic tools for surveillance methods in monitoring the health of lobsters from within Canadian waters and the health of live lobsters imported into Canada. This should minimize the impact of Neoparamoeba-infections on the lobster fishery.
(3) LobsterNET: Internet-based research databases and information system. The project involves the design, development, and implementation of Internet-based research databases to form the foundation of a lobster information delivery system. LobsterNET will serve the Canadian lobster industry to optimize processing, production, and marketing decisions, and enable researchers and different sectors of the lobster industry to conduct lobster health research at a significantly greater magnitude. Novel ways for analyzing and comparing lobster catch data are being implemented, which will help to identify valuable predictors of lobster health or quality. This strategy should also provide better lobster population health monitoring and estimates of disease prevalence that will be more reliable, given the larger sample size and the thorough representation of the population at risk.
The primary innovation of the AVCLSC is the application of the principles of veterinary medicine to the lobster fishery. In this regard, its research projects involve the training of graduate students (DVM and BSc) in crustacean health with the aim of providing highly qualified personnel for the lobster industry. Overall, the research projects of the center will help to ensure the sustainability of the crustacean sector of the Canadian seafood industry. A complete listing of the activities of the AVCLSC can be accessed at the center's Web site (www.LobsterScience.ca).
(by Dr. Spencer J. Greenwood, Research Scientist — Molecular Biology, AVC Lobster Science Centre, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island)
A Blue colored American lobster (Homarus americanus<) within the AVC Aquatic Animal Facility at the University of Prince Edward Island.
The AVC Lobster Science Centre research scientists (from left to right), Drs. Andrea Battison, Jean Lavallée, Richard Cawthorn, Ian Keith and Spencer Greenwood.