This study was designed to examine the immune response in Korean rockfish during water temperature fluctuation and to elucidate the factors contributing to streptococcal pathogenesis in cultured Korean rockfish, S. schlegeli. We investigated cumulative mortality against Streptococcus iniae (FP5228 strain) infection in the exposed Korean rockfish (39.7±5.8 g) to environmentally relevant temperature (Control, 23℃; High temperature, 28℃ and 23℃ and 28℃ with 12 hours interval exchange, 23↔28℃) for 48 hours. Also, the expression of the mRNA related to the immune response genes (heat shock protein 70, interleukin- 1β, lysozyme g-type and thioredoxin-like 1) were measured in spleen and head kidney by real-time PCR analysis in the exposed fish to thermal stress. In this study, the combined stress with bacterial challenge in fishes exposed to thermal stress lowered the survival rate than that of control (23℃). The cumulative mortality in the group of control, 28℃ and 23↔28℃ was 24%, 24% and 40% (P<0.05), respectively. Also, thermal stress modulated the mRNA level of immune related genes; heat shock protein 70, interleukin-1β, lysozyme g-type and thioredoxin-like 1 in Korean rockfish. The present study indicates that a high and sudden water temperature change affect immune responses and reduce the disease resistance in Korean rockfish.

Rockfish was a commercially important fish specie in marine ranching areas in Korea. To estimate density and biomass of rockfish using acoustic method, target strength (TS) information is required on the species. This study measured TS dependence on tilt angle and size on 14 live rockfish individuals at 38, 70, and, 120 kHz by ex-situ measurement (tethered method) and acoustic scattering model (Krichhoff ray mode, KRM). The swimbladdered angle ranged from 18 to 30˚ (mean ± s.d. = 26 ± 4˚ ). The mean TS for all individuals was highest -35.9 dB of tilt angle -17˚ at 38 kHz, -35.4 dB of tilt angle -25˚ at 70 kHz, and -34.9 dB of tilt angle -22˚ at 120 kHz. The ex-situ TS-total length (TL, cm) relationships were TS38kHz = 20log10(TL) - 67.1, TS70kHz = 20log10(TL) - 68.6, and TS120kHz = 20log10(TL) - 69.9, respectively. The model TS-total length (TL, cm) relationships were TS38kHz = 20log10(TL) - 66.4, TS70kHz = 20log10(TL) - 67.0, TS120kHz = 20log10(TL) - 67.0. The two measurements between the ex-situ TS and KRM model for TS-tilt angle and fish size were found to be significantly correlated.

The present study investigated the effects of processing parameters such as time (10, 20, 30, 40 min), pressure (25, 50, 75, 100 MPa), and the salinity of brine (0~10%(w/v)) on jacopever (Sebastes schlegeli Hilgendorf) in order to establish optimization of the three factors using a high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) machine. To do so, it analyzed the quality characteristics of volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), trimethylamine (TMA), total bacterial counts, dynamic viscoelasticities, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) properties. First, when the time increased to 40 mins, by 10 min intervals, the total bacterial counts in HHP groups under 25℃, 100 MPa, and 4%(w/v) brine were significantly decreased except for the first 10 min in comparison to the control group. In regards to DSC properties, the onset temperature (TO) of the first endothermal curve was significantly reduced. Second, when the pressure level increased up to 100 MPa by 25 MPa increments, the total bacterial counts in the HHP samples significantly decreased for 20 min at 50 MPa or higher. As the pressure increased, G′, G″ and the slope of tan δ decreased (except for 50 MPa). Third, in regards to the salinities of brine, when the HHP processing was treated at 100 MPa, 25℃ for 20 min, the total bacterial counts of all the HHP groups significantly decreased in comparison to those of the control group. A significant difference was found in the enthalpy of the second endothermic curve in the 6~10%(w/v) (except 7%(w/v)) HHP groups. Therefore, the salinity of the immersion water under the HHP condition was appropriate when it was lower than 6%(w/v). The present study demonstrated that the optimum parameter condition according to/under the condition of the microbial inhibition and economic effects using an HHP would be the reaction time for 20 min, reaction pressure at 100 MPa, and the salinity of 4%(w/v) brine.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute hypoxia on the physiological stress responses (plasma cortisol as the primary response, and hematocrit, hemoglobin, plasma glucose, sodium, chloride, osmolality, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) as the secondary responses) of Korean rockfish. The mortality in Korean rockfish started at 0.7 mg L-1 and 0.8 mg L-1 levels at 12℃ and 20℃, respectively. And the time required for the mortality in experimental fish was 274 and 148 minutes at 12℃ and 20℃, respectively. Levels of hematocrit, hemoglobin, AST, ALT, ion concentration, osmolality, glucose and cortisol had significantly increased with decreasing dissolved oxygen at 12℃ and 20℃.