16/11/12: cosmetics from IMTA; altering timing of sea lice treatment aids salmon health; BioMarine report online

Hello,

• A new cosmetic product made from IMTA seaweeds is causing a stir. Exsymol S.A.M., Monaco, has been working with Dr Theirry Chopin, an IMTA expert based in Canada to develop a multi-use product from the kelp, Alaria esculenta. The kelp is grown at the IMTA sites of Cooke Aquaculture Inc. in the Bay of Fundy. Exsymtal® has a variety of applications based on its anti-aging, anti-pollution/anti-stress, dermis filler and dermis renewal properties. More information...
  

• The final report from the BioMarine Business Convention is now available online. The report includes the proceedings from the five think tanks and a round. Invaluable to those who were there, interesting for those who weren't. Download the report and view photos from the convention here.

• At last, some good news about salmon farming. Researchers from the University of Alberta, Canada have found that changing the timing of sea lice treatment improved the health of farmed Atlantic salmon in British Columbia and helped wild pink salmon to stocks to begin recovery. Over the last decade, farmers have gradually shifted anti-parasite treatments to the autumn and winter. As a result, there are fewer sea lice in coastal waters as juvenile pink salmon migrate in the spring. Read more...

There has long been concern that concentrations of sea lice in BC's fish farming pens spread to wild fish stock in surrounding waters. The researchers discovered that by changing the timing of sea lice treatments, one salmon farming region not only improved the health of their farm Atlantic salmon - the action has helped the struggling population of wild pink salmon to begin recovering. The research was focused on salmon farming operations in one specific area of the BC coast, the Broughton Archipelago, which lies between the mainland and the northern tip of Vancouver Island. The researchers describe the area as the historic ground zero for studying the impacts of aquaculture on wild Pacific salmon. Over the past decade, salmon farmers in the area have gradually shifted the timing of anti-parasite treatments to the fall and winter months. As a result, there have been fewer sea lice in coastal waters as juvenile pink salmon migrate to sea in the spring. Researchers estimate that by 2009 the mortality from sea lice for juvenile pink salmon moving out to sea through the Broughton Archipelago fell to less than four per cent. This mortality estimate applies to the salmon that survive natural mortality such as predation. During the early 2000's sea lice associated with the Broughton salmon farms had a devastating effect, killing an estimated 90 per cent of the migrating wild juvenile salmon that were left after natural mortality had taken its toll.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2012-11-uncover-good-news-bc-salmon.html#jCp

There has long been concern that concentrations of sea lice in BC's fish farming pens spread to wild fish stock in surrounding waters. The researchers discovered that by changing the timing of sea lice treatments, one salmon farming region not only improved the health of their farm Atlantic salmon - the action has helped the struggling population of wild pink salmon to begin recovering. The research was focused on salmon farming operations in one specific area of the BC coast, the Broughton Archipelago, which lies between the mainland and the northern tip of Vancouver Island. The researchers describe the area as the historic ground zero for studying the impacts of aquaculture on wild Pacific salmon. Over the past decade, salmon farmers in the area have gradually shifted the timing of anti-parasite treatments to the fall and winter months. As a result, there have been fewer sea lice in coastal waters as juvenile pink salmon migrate to sea in the spring. Researchers estimate that by 2009 the mortality from sea lice for juvenile pink salmon moving out to sea through the Broughton Archipelago fell to less than four per cent. This mortality estimate applies to the salmon that survive natural mortality such as predation. During the early 2000's sea lice associated with the Broughton salmon farms had a devastating effect, killing an estimated 90 per cent of the migrating wild juvenile salmon that were left after natural mortality had taken its toll.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2012-11-uncover-good-news-bc-salmon.html#jCp

There has long been concern that concentrations of sea lice in BC's fish farming pens spread to wild fish stock in surrounding waters. The researchers discovered that by changing the timing of sea lice treatments, one salmon farming region not only improved the health of their farm Atlantic salmon - the action has helped the struggling population of wild pink salmon to begin recovering. The research was focused on salmon farming operations in one specific area of the BC coast, the Broughton Archipelago, which lies between the mainland and the northern tip of Vancouver Island. The researchers describe the area as the historic ground zero for studying the impacts of aquaculture on wild Pacific salmon. Over the past decade, salmon farmers in the area have gradually shifted the timing of anti-parasite treatments to the fall and winter months. As a result, there have been fewer sea lice in coastal waters as juvenile pink salmon migrate to sea in the spring. Researchers estimate that by 2009 the mortality from sea lice for juvenile pink salmon moving out to sea through the Broughton Archipelago fell to less than four per cent. This mortality estimate applies to the salmon that survive natural mortality such as predation. During the early 2000's sea lice associated with the Broughton salmon farms had a devastating effect, killing an estimated 90 per cent of the migrating wild juvenile salmon that were left after natural mortality had taken its toll.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2012-11-uncover-good-news-bc-salmon.html#jCp

Kelp (Photo credit: Wikipedia)