RESEARCH: like most other creatures in nature lumpfish also compete to claim the best locations in the environment they live in. Three Faroese researches have just published a paper in an international scientific journal on lumpfish behaviour, and on how access to shelter and feeding methods affect lumpfish growth and welfare.
The trials conducted by the Faroese researches show that if shelters are available for the lumpfish to rest in, competition emerges for the best location. However, this competition has no effect on the welfare of the lumpfish, so long as care is taken to deliver feed far and wide so that all can eat simultaneously.
If feed is delivered in one place and in small amounts throughout the entire day, the competition among the lumpfish is increased. This is due to some lumpfish getting less than an ideal amount of feed or having to work harder for their sustenance. The result is that welfare is decreased among the lumpfish, who do not get enough to eat.
A conclusion of the trial is that shelters have a negative effect on lumpfish welfare if feeding is not organised in such a way as to allow all to eat simultaneously. Likewise, welfare in general is increased if feed is delivered in a large amount at one time, rather than spreading feed delivery out over the entire day.
The three researchers, who have conducted the trial and have co-authored the paper in the scientific journal PeerJ are Ása Johannesen, Fiskaaling, Nakita E. Joensen, Luna, and Eyðfinn Magnussen, University of the Faroe Islands.
The scientific paper can be read at this link: https://peerj.com/articles/ 4837/
If you wish to learn more about this subject, you are welcome to contact Ása Johannesen, researcher at Fiskaaling at tel. +298 774764, mail: asajoh@fiskaaling.fo.
