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Duane Barker

  • Professor
  • Fish Health Parasitoligist
  • Marine Ecologist
Education:
  • B.Sc. 1990 (MUN);  M.Sc. 1993 (MUN);  Ph.D. 1997 (Dalhousie University, NS)
  • Post-Doctoral Fellow 2000-2001 (Huntsman Marine Science Centre, St. Andrew’s, NB)
Biography

Dr. Barker has studied parasites and diseases of wild and cultured fish (freshwater & marine) for over 16 years. His research efforts have focused primarily on Atlantic cod, American eel, winter flounder, Atlantic salmon, Atlantic halibut and Greenland halibut (turbot). Research topics included parasite ecology, epidemiology, pathology, as well as environmental and pollution influences on fish parasites.

During his faculty tenure at the Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, he had completed many industry projects studying parasites and pathogens of cod aquaculture in Newfoundland. In addition, he was invited to be part of a CCFI-sponsored Technical Visit to Spain (March 2002) to study hatchery technology at European turbot, sea bream and sea bass facilities. He was the project leader for the new Aquatic Health & Biotechnology Unit at the Marine Institute and had recently received several multi-year research grants (NSERC, AquaNet) to continue studying diseases of wild and cultured fish as well as mitigation techniques (e.g., immunostimulants, vaccines). During a post-doctoral fellowship at Huntsman Marine Science Centre (St. Andrew’s, NB), he was part of a research group (academia, government and industry) that was the first to find and describe a strain of nodavirus (serious pathogen to cod, haddock & halibut culture) from wild winter flounder in Atlantic Canada. (Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 49: 99-105.)  

Courses taught:
  • AQUA 171T/172T: Field Practicum
  • AQUA 191T/192T: Projects in Fish Husbandry I & II
  • AQUA 204: Aquatic Plant Ecology and Culture
  • AQUA 241: Fish Health
  • AQUA 271T/272T: Projects in Fish Husbandry III & IV
  • AQUA 341: Diseases of Fish and Shellfish
  • FISH 123: Concepts in Biology
  • FISH 322: Coastal & Estuarine Ecosystems
Current Research
  • Efficacy of oral immunostimulants against microsporidiosis in cultured fish.
  • Biology and epidemiology of parasites and pathogens of wild fish.
  • Pathology of chemotherapeutants used on alternative aquaculture species.

  • Isolation of bacteria from sea lice infecting wild and farmed salmon.
Past Research
  • Pathology of ectoparasites infecting cultured flounder and halibut.
  • Efficacy of oral immunostimulants added to commercial feeds for cultured flounder and halibut.
  • Epidemiology of pathogens and parasites among wild populations of winter flounder.
  • Environmental influences on parasites of eels.
  • Parasites as indicators of pollution (e.g., pulp & paper, crude oil) and ecosystem stress.
  • Parasites as indicators of fish migration.
Potential Research
  • Vaccine development/testing.
  • Development of immunostimulant feeding protocols for fish culture.
  • Wild fish & shellfish pathogen surveys.
  • Use of oral immunostimulants against BKD in Pacific salmonids.
  • Health assessment of marine bivalves.

Organizations and Affiliations:
  • Aquaculture Association of Canada (AAC)
Selected Publications (previous 10 years only):
  • Soko, C.K. and D. E. Barker. 2005. Efficacy of crushed garlic and lemon juice as bio-product treatments for Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (‘ich’) infections among cultured, juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Aqua Assoc Can Spec Pub 9: 108-110.
  • Jenkins, C. and D. E. Barker. 2005. The efficacy of oral immunostimulants in enhancing resistance against Microsporidiosis in juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) Aqua Assoc Can Spec Pub 9: 97-100.
  • Arthur, J. R., D. K. Cone, R. Cusack, D. E. Barker and M. D. B. Burt.  2004. Two species of Trichodina (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) from cultured flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes) in Atlantic Canada. Comp. Parasit. 71(2): 247-250 
  • Barker, D.E. & J. Davis. 2004. Preliminary testing of oral immunostimulants against Microsporidiosis in cultured cod (Gadus morhua). Spec. Pub. Bull. Aqua. Assoc. Can. 8:20-26  
  • Barker, D.E. 2004. Optimal Dosage, Safety Margin and Shelf-life of the Anaesthetic, Benzocaine, for Cultured Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Technical report of the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development, Marine Institute of Memorial University. St. John’s, NL. 18 pp.
  • Barker, D. E., A.M. MacKinnon, L. Boston, D.K. Cone, M.D.B. Burt, S. Griffiths, D.J. Speare, M. Cook, R. Ritchie & G. Olivier. 2002a. First report of piscine Nodavirus infecting wild winter flounder, Pleuronectes americanus, in Passamaquoddy Bay, New Brunswick, Canada. Dis. Aquat. Org. 49: 99-105. 
  • Barker, D.E. 2002a. Screening for Microsporidian Infections among Sea-caged, Hatchery Cod and Wild Fish. Technical report of the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development, Marine Institute of Memorial University. St. John’s, NL. 14 pp.
  • Barker, D.E. 2002b. Monitoring Parasites and Pathogens of Cod Aquaculture. Technical report of the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development, Marine Institute of Memorial University.  Marine Institute of Memorial University, St. John’s, NL. 41 pp.
  • Barker, D.E. 2002c. Efficacy of Oral Immunostimulants Added to a Commercial Feed for Cod: a Pilot Study. Technical report of the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development, Marine Institute of Memorial University. 15 pp. 
  • Barker, D.E. 2002d. Evaluation of Microsporidian Infections among Sea-caged, Hatchery Cod During Summer in Hermitage Bay. Technical report of the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development, Marine Institute of Memorial University. St. John’s, NL. 10 pp. 
  • Barker, D.E., D.K. Cone & M.D.B. Burt. 2002b. Trichodina murmanica (Ciliophora) and Gyrodactylus pleuronecti (Monogenea) parasitizing hatchery-reared juvenile winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus): effects on host growth and assessment of parasite interaction. J Fish Dis 25:81-89.
  • Barker, D.E. & D.K. Cone. 2000. Occurrence of Ergasilus celestis (Copepoda) and Pseudodactylogyrus anguillae (Monogenea) among wild eel, Anguilla rostrata, in relation to stream flow, pH and temperature and recommendations for controlling their transmission among captive eels. Aquaculture 187: 261-274.
  • Mercer, I.R.G., D.E. Barker & R.A. Khan. 1997. Stress-related changes in the cunner, Tautogolabrus adspersus, living near a paper mill. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 58: 442-447. 
  • Barker, D.E., D.J. Marcogliese and D.K. Cone. 1996. On the distribution and abundance of eel parasites in Nova Scotia: local versus regional patterns. J. Parasitology  82: 697-701. 
  • Khan, R.A., D.E. Barker, K. Williams-Ryan, B. Murphy & R.G. Hooper. 1996. Abnormalities in winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) living near a pulp and paper mill in the Humber Arm, Newfoundland. In: Environmental Fate and Effects of Pulp and Paper Mill Effluents. Eds. M.R. Servos, K.R. Munkittrick, J.H.Carey and G. VanderKraak. St. Luce, Florida. pp. 511-523. 
  • Barker, D.E., R.A. Khan & R.G. Hooper. 1994. Bioindicators of stress in winter flounder, Pleuronectes americanus, captured adjacent to a pulp and paper mill in St. George's Bay, Newfoundland. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 51(10): 2203-2209. 
  • Barker, D.E., R.A. Khan, E.M. Lee, R.G. Hooper & K. Ryan.1994.  Anomalies in sculpins (Myoxocephalus spp.) sampled near a pulp and paper mill. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 26: 491-496. 
  • Khan, R.A., D.E. Barker, R.G. Hooper, E.M. Lee, K. Ryan and K. Nag.1994. Histopathology in winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) living adjacent to a pulp and paper mill. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 26: 95-102.
  • Khan, R.A., D.E. Barker,  K. Williams-Ryan & R.G. Hooper. 1994. Influence of crude oil and pulp and paper mill effluent on mixed infections of Trichodina cottidarium and T. saintjohnsi (Ciliophora) parasitizing Myoxocephalus octodecimspinosus and M. scorpius. Can. J. Zool. 72: 247-251.
Presentations - Conferences, Seminars and Lectures:
  • IHNV Workshop (2007)
  • International Congress on the Biology of Fish (2006)
  • 47th Western Fish Disease Workshop (2006)
  • Aquaculture Pacific Exchange Tradeshow and Conference (2006)
  • Aquaculture Association of Canada (2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000)
  • 10th International Congress for Parasitology (ICOPA-X, 2002)
  • American Society of Parasitologists (2001, 2002, 2003)
  • AquaNet IV(2004); V (2005)
  • Canadian Society of Zoologists (2000)
  • Atlantic Canada Association of Parasitologists (2002, 2001, 1996)
  • Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association (2005, 2004, 2002)
  • Newfoundland Aquaculture Forum (2001)
  • St. Andrew’s Atlantic Exposition and Fair (2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000)
  • Nodavirus Workshop (2002)
  • Flatfish Diseases Workshop (2000)