In this new series of articles for International Aquafeed’s Expert Topic section, we are delving into the predatory species that can cause many a farmer to pull out their hair in frustration: predators. Ranging from sharks, herons and seals, these are the species that pose potential hazards to your fish farming operations and here we help provide more insight into these species and the best preventative measures to take towards them. In our first article of the series we take a look at what is perhaps the most troublesome threat: seals.
Coastal and marine fish farmers will no doubt be familiar with the threat of seals invading their fish farms. Serious damage can occur to both fish and farming equipment in the hands of rogue seals, ranging from lethal and non-lethal wounding, disease transfer and escape of fish out into the wider ocean. Not only does this significantly negatively impact fish, but also often results in economic losses for the farmer.
Whilst such damaging attacks from seals could be considered quite rare, there have been cases of seal attacks on fish farms that have costed farms millions in rectifying. Risks like these mean that farms must ensure to take the appropriate precautionary measures to ensure that their stock are kept safe.
However, such precautions can also be difficult to execute, as the control methods must also not place the predator, a valued species in its own right, to be placed at risk. Many federal and provincial laws in place in various countries and states place restrictions on the specific kinds of methods that farmers can utilise to keep their farms secure, so there is no one solution to the problem.
Read more, HERE.
The Aquaculturists
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