Research: Ása Johannesen, PhD and researcher at Fiskaaling, published a new scientific article in PeerJ. The title is: “How caged salmon respond to waves depends on time of day and currents.”
Farming in exposed locations is better for the environment, but may carry unforeseen costs for the fish in those farms. Currents may be too strong, and waves may be too large with a negative impact on growth and profit for farmers and on fish welfare.
This study employed two major fish monitoring methods to determine the ability of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) to cope with wavy conditions in exposed farms.
The results indicate complex interacting effects of wave parameters, currents, and time of day on fish behaviour and vertical distribution.
Fish farmers are advised to take into consideration the many interacting effects on salmon behaviour within a cage as well as the potential for cage deformation when they design their farms for highly exposed locations.
Due action is expected to improve fish welfare in the aquaculture cages which, in turn, also is more likely to produce healthier and more valuable salmon for the consumer market.
Click here to read the article free on PeerJ.
Co-authors of the article are Øystein Patursson, Jóhannus Kristmundsson, Signar Pæturssonur Dam and Pascal Klebert.
Ása Johannesen.
Øystein Patursson and Jóhannus Kristmundsson in action.
