18/09/12: Nofima swim tunnel; EU automated feeding system; BC Aquaculture Awareness Week

Hello,

• Swim tunnel can help keep salmon fit.  Researchers at Nofima, Norway have found that exercising salmon can increase quality and profitability.  The team built the tunnel to imitate the conditions fish experience when they are captured from the wild.  This is often a stressful process which can lead to a reduction in the quality of the fish.  Nofima scientists hope to use the tunnel to explore better ways to catch and handle fish.  More information...

• New automated feeding system to aid juvenile fish production in Europe.  The EU ALFA project aims to regulate and control the production of mircoalgae for use in aquaculture.  Read more...

English: A modern well-boat picks up salmon ready for slaughtering at Norwegian Aquaculture Center in Toft, Brønnøy, Norway. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

• BC’s salmon farmers are celebrating in the River City this week: raising the banner on the second annual Aquaculture Awareness Week in the area. “Our members work every day to contribute to this community – and yet, there are many things people don’t know about aquaculture,” said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association. “Our goal during this week each year is to focus on building the understanding and pride in one of our key drivers in the community.” Aquaculture Awareness Week kicked off Friday with a special dinner at the local Seniors’ Centre and a surprise barbecue today that raised over $1,700 for the Campbell River Food Bank. The public should keep watch for contests and tour opportunities. All of this adds to the ongoing engagement that the association and its members has with events throughout the year.

Fish hatcheries supply juvenile fish (and shellfish and crustaceans) for the aquaculture industry. They are important economically as they provide opportunities for genetic improvement of broodstock, are productive out of season and avoid dependency on juveniles caught from the wild. The availability of live food organisms in the water determines the success of fish farming. Formulated feeds cannot sustain the food requirements of the fish so micro-algae are cultured in hatcheries. Among the most important parameters regulating algal growth are nutrients, temperature and light. As the use of manpower is expensive and prone to error, the EU project ALFA aimed to develop fully automated systems, one for northern Europe powered by electricity and another for more southerly countries supported by solar powered units. Both photobioreactors are designed for the stable growth of algae by using illumination and control of other variables including nutrient content, pH and water carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration. The project team also developed a novel optical algal monitoring system to ascertain quality and growth rate of the algae. Added value came with several features. The system was linked to a newly developed continuous rotifer production system (CROPS). Rotifers are zooplankton and therefore will provide an additional source of food for the juveniles. An automatic harvesting system was also incorporated so algal food can be controlled and maintained at levels of usage or the excess stored. Two full-scale complete systems were built and tested in Greece and Norway. Not only was performance evaluated but adaptations were made to optimise output according to local conditions. The data were then compared with a stochastic model incorporating the random variables. Aquaculture is a highly important sector in the European economy, providing jobs and revenue and aiding conservation of fish species. Deliverables from ALFA optimise conditions for live food production for fish hatcheries as well as reduce manpower requirements.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2012-09-optimising-juvenile-fish-production.html#jCp

A European project, ALFA, has developed a state-of-the-art automatic system to control the most important variable parameters in live feed production for fish hatcheries. The systems were geared to suit conditions for aquaculture in Greece and Norway.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2012-09-optimising-juvenile-fish-production.html#jCp