How Aquaculture research can contribute to further sustainable development of seafood industry

in the northern areas?

Prof. Olai Einen,

Research Director

Nofima Marin

Aquaculture activities in the Northern regions of Norway

Main species for Aquaculture in the northern regions

• Salmon

• Rainbow trout

• Atlantic cod

Other farmed species

• Arctic charr

• King Crab

• Sea Urchins

• Halibut

The three northern counties in Norway have increased the aquaculture production the last 10 yrs

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50 000

100 000

150 000

200 000

250 000

300 000

350 000

1995 2000 2005 2010

Pro

du

cti

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(to

ns r

ou

nd

wg

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Accumulatedselection response

Genetic gain (G)

Genetic improvement programs – a key element for effecient aquaculture

Important traits in salmon:1) Growth2) Sexual maturation 3) Disease resistance4) Flesh quality

04/21/23

Genetic gain in Atlantic salmon after five generations of selection

Selected (5G) vs. Wild   S - W, %

Growth +113

Feed consumption +40

Protein retention +9

Energy retention +14

FCR, feed/gain -20

Thodesen et. al., 1999

Breeding and genetics

• Nofima started in 1971 the first genetic programme in fish; namely the salmon breeding programme.

• Till date, our basic research and applied work on genetic improvement based on selective breeding have covered 11 species worldwide – Increased growth rate– Increased feed utilisation– Increased disease resistance

• We are currently the host the

“National Breeding

Programme for Cod”

Kraknes, Tromsø

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0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

3,5

Feed C

onve

rsio

n R

atio

: kg feed/

kg fi

sh p

roduse

d

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2009

Feed development and aquaculture nutrition

Feed is the major cost in intensive fish farming; in salmon culture ca 60% of production cost

Feed conversion ratio of salmon has been decreased substantially due to nutrition research, technology development and farm management

Feed development and aquaculture nutrition

FEED TECHNOLOGY- Extrusion- High lipid content- Physical quality

COST EFFECTIVE RAW MATERIALS- Increased use of plant ingredients- Increased use of fishery by products

IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS

– Optimal protein/Energy ratio– N-3 HUFA– Amino Acids– Vitamins & trace elements

IMPROVED FEED MANAGEMENT AT THE FARM- Appetite control devices- Growth models – references of feed

intake

The fatty acids EPA/DHA will be a limiting factor for aquaculture feeds

• Salmon is known as a healthy product because of the rich content of n-3 fatty acids; especially the fatty acid EPA and DHA

• Almost all fish oil, which is the main source of EPA/DHA in fish feed, is already used for fish feed. Therefore, it will be increasingly difficult to maintain a high level of EPA/DHA on the fish feed.

• We need to work on several strategies for ensuring an acceptable high EPA/DHA level in farmed salmon:

1. New feed sources

– Biotechnical developed plant or microorganisms

– New marine sources like krill and calanus

2. Improve the salmon’s ability to convert fatty acids to EPA/DHA

Fish healthis always a challenge inaquaculture

• Prevention of diseases – the main strategy– Vaccine development and immunology– Selection programs for increased disease resistance– Genetic markers for disease resistance– Balanced nutrition; feed additives with immune response– Optimising farming conditions – Exercise?– Epidemiology

• Treatment– Anti-parasite treatment

• Biological control by using Wrasse• Chemical treatment

– Antibiotics (almost no use today)

VaccineCold watervibriosis

VaccineFurunculosis

Disease resistance in the breeding programme

Strict authority regulations : Hygiene, zones, etc

Use of antibiotics in salmonid culture in Norway is substantially reduced since the 1980-thies. Salmon production is the industrial animal production with the lowest consumption of antibiotics

Har

vest

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(ton

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Ant

ibio

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used

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)

The Aquaculture Research Station (Kårvika/Tromsø)has a specialised unit for controlled disease challenge trials. Important for documentation of vaccines, breeding groups and immunostimulants

Capture based aquaculture

• A possibility to improve the market value of wild caught marine animals, for example:– Cod– King Crab

• Keeping alive and also feed the captured animals to– wait for a better seasonal price in the

market– obtain a better paid size class– improve fillet quality and fillet yield– improve meat content

• Nofima was this year (2010) granted a ”Research Centre for Capture based farming”

Processing and product development• Flesh quality

– Studies on fillet gaping, soft flesh, discolouration, micro flora,…

• Developing rapid on-line methods for flesh quality grading (NIR/VIS, x-ray, fluoricencs)

• Process optimisation tools – statistics and data modelling

• Packaging methods (MAP, CO2-emitters)• New fish products with focus on

consumer preferences and health advantages of fish

Summary

• Aquaculture production is increasing fast in the northern region of Norway– Salmon is the main species, but there are several other

opportinites for aquaculture including capture based aquaculture

• To further develop successfully a sustainable aquaculture industry we need to further strengthen national and interanational R&D on areas like:– Genetic improvement– Cost effective and sustainable feed sources; special

attention to EPA/DHA supply is needed– Fish health and welfare– Seafood quality and product development