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Initiative tackles disease in land-based aquaculture
A warning system that will alert fish farmers about bacteria in the process of blooming in land-based farms is being developed in Norway.
February 1, 2018 By Liza Mayer
SINTEF Researchers Stine Wiborg Dahle (right) and Kari Kihle Attramadal aim to develop a system that will warn hatcheries when dangerous bacteria are in the process of reaching hazardous levels Having an early detection system will enable hatcheries to take the necessary measures to prevent bacteria from blooming. It could also provide hatcheries with important information regarding the water quality that produces more robust and healthy fish.
“Disease is the greatest challenge facing this industry, both in financial terms and where its reputation with the public is concerned. Analyzing and improving our knowledge of the salmon’s environment will have significant economic potential. If this project enables us to produce knowledge and techniques that can be used to prevent disease, we will have taken several steps in the right direction,” says lead scientist Sven Martin Jørgensen at the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (FHF).
The researchers are focusing their efforts on land-based aquaculture systems. Three land-based farms are providing the research team with water samples from their operations.
“The development of water recirculating systems has exploded in recent years, so we think that it is time to develop tools that will enable us to understand and optimise the health of fish in hatcheries by monitoring the bacterial community in the water,” Jørgensen.
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