Tag Atlantic salmon

In the second of a two-part series, Steven Summerfelt discusses various efforts to improve knowledge of closed-containment systems, innovations in fish feed and presents comprehensive concluding remarks. 

The recent 2017 Aquaculture Innovation Workshop in Vancouver brought together numerous stakeholders involved in and interested in fish farming – particularly salmonids – in the growing industry of closed-containment systems. 

Nordic Aquafarms will be bringing something to Maine that’s new to the state: a salmon farm that operates on land. When complete, it will be one of the largest such facilities in the world. 

Cooke Aquaculture is working to move a salmon farm from outside Port Angeles, Wash., farther out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the waterway that connects the Pacific Ocean to Puget Sound. Both the company and its critics express some frustration with the process.  

EU legislation requires farmed fish be spared unnecessary pain, distress or suffering at slaughter, and efficient manual and automated systems have been developed to help achieve this goal. What’s more, longer shelf life and improved flesh quality have been reported. 

Jurassic Salmon, established in Poland just two years ago, is using 150-million-year-old geothermal saline waters from the “Lower Jura” era. Armed with certifications, the company is navigating an awkward growth stage. 

After 14 years with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, Rick Barrows talks about the importance of finding ‘complete’ and commercially viable alternative sources of omega-3 fatty acids and continuing innovation in the aquafeed sector. 

Viruses often are the most potentially damaging pathogens in nature, affecting both wild stocks and farmed animals. Due to an Infectious Haematopoietic Necrosis (IHN) viral outbreak that occurred in Atlantic salmon in British Columbia, Canada some years ago, a vaccine for IHN was developed against this serious threat. 

A recent study evaluated the effects of a fishmeal-free diet on Atlantic salmon performance and fillet quality during successful growout to market-size in a commercial-scale, land-based, closed-containment system using water recirculation technology. Test fish performed well, with 97 percent survival during the 10-month growout period. 

The use of larger and deeper tanks can reduce building, labor and other aquaculture production costs. However, the ability to grade and transfer large numbers of fish is more challenging when using large tanks. In a comparison of the effectiveness of a purse seine and a hinged clamshell to crowd fish in large tanks, the latter was easier to control and less stressful to salmonids. With a slotted bar rack in a side panel of the clamshell crowder, fish were simultaneously graded in size. 

The maturation of Atlantic salmon prior to harvest is costly, so since male salmon are more likely to mature early, the salmon industry in Tasmania relies on all-female production. 

Salmon production has long been dominated by Norway, while the United States, Canada and United Kingdom have experienced slow expansion in recent years, and Chile saw a fall and rebound in volume. Norwegian product leads fresh salmon imports in European markets, but increases in price can shift sourcing to Ireland and the U.K. 

Studies have identified changes in the quality parameters of farmed Atlantic salmon and wild salmon that reflect changes in the animals’ life cycles, diets and environments. 

The USDA marine aquaculture center is ad­dressing genetic improvement of North American Atlantic sal­mon to develop improved lines for producers.