Physiological limits of coastal marine species: K. Gamperl.
This research is investigating the functional relationships between aerobicity (metabolic scope), maximum cardiac function, heart morphology, adrenergic capacity (catecholamine release/adrenoreceptor levels) and immunology in numerous marine fish species (from mackerel to lumpfish), and examining how various factors (hypoxia, temperature, domestication, genetic manipulation, nutritional status) influence the swimming and cardiorespiratory physiology of cold-ocean fishes. This NSERC, CFI and AquaBounty Canada supported research is primarily lab based, but technology is being developed that will permit field studies. The collaborators are K. Rodnick (Idaho State University), T. Farrell (Simon Fraser), W. Driedzic, S. McKinley (UBC), and G. Fletcher.

Physiological Aspects of Finfish Culture: K. Gamperl.
The commercial production of cod and haddock in Atlantic Canada is in its infancy. In cage culture, these species will face significant seasonal fluctuations in temperature, and temperature extremes (<0 and ~ 18) which can cause significant physiological disturbances, reduced growth, and potentially increased mortality. To help the aquaculture industry minimize and/or ameliorate the negative effects of these temperature fluctuations and extremes on cage culture operations, temperature effects on immunology, stress levels and metabolic physiology will be investigated. This research is dependent on the OSC’s capacity to rear cod for experiments at the cage site (Bay d’Espoir, NF), and for laboratory based research at the OSC. The collaborators are J. Brown, B. Dixon (Waterloo), D. Barker (Marine Institute), A. Mansour (DFO), S. Johnson (NRC, Halifax) and S. McKinley (UBC).