INNOVATION & SUCCESS - Overview

AquaNet's research and networking activities foster powerful partnerships between university, government and the aquaculture sector to develop Canada's economy and improve the quality of life of Canadians.  As part of the federal government's Innovation Strategy, the Network's nation-wide, multidisciplinary and multisectoral research partnerships connect excellent research with industrial know-how and strategic investment to provide new and innovative approaches for the sustained management of aquaculture.

Following are some examples of innovations and achievements from AquaNet's research investment.

• Sustainable and More Productive Aquaculture Systems Using Integrated Aquaculture Involving Fish, Shellfish and Seaweed. This project involves developing a balanced integrated aquaculture system by combining, in the right proportions, the cultivation of salmon with mussels and seaweeds, taking into consideration site specificity, operational limits, and food safety guidelines and regulations.    [details]
  
  
• Solving Hurdles to Farm Alternative Non-Salmonid Cold Water Marine Finfish Species
  To diversify from salmon aquaculture, several species of cold-water finfish are currently under development for commercial use. This requires developing effective broodtsocks, diets, health/disease management, and husbandry practices. Several AquaNet projects focus on this priority of new species commercialisation.
  
  
  1. Improving the Diet for Commercially Important Finfish Species.
     This project assessed the merits of three promising economical alternative lipid sources originating from plants, namely, canola oil, flaxseed oil, and sunflower oil, and one inexpensive source of animal lipid, namely, poultry fat, singly and in various combinations.    [details]
  
  
  
  2. Improving Survival of Cold-Water Marine Finfish Juveniles.
     This helps advance cold-water finfish production in Eastern Canada by focusing on the "critical survival periods" during the egg to juvenile production stage of each species.    [details]
  
  
  
  3. Implications of Cage Culture on Immune Function, Stress and Metabolism.
     This project addresses issues with respect to the environmental conditions that these fish face in cage culture, and their impact on growth, mortality and disease resistance. This innovative research program will help to enhance fish growth, and decrease disease-related losses, at haddock and cod cage-culture sites in Atlantic Canada.    [details]

• Sea Lice and Interactions of Wild and Farmed Salmon
  
  The controversy as to what role salmon farms play in sea lice infestations on wild salmon has grown rapidly over the last few years. Two AquaNet sponsored research teams are working this priority topic to find solutions to reduce the risk of infections and to effectively treat infestations.
  
  
  1. The Role of Salmon Farms in Sea Lice Infestations of Wild Salmon.
     This focus of this project is to provide scientific facts on whether or not aquaculture facilities pose a risk, and to develop a risk factor model to assess the risk of sea lice infestation.    [details]
  
  
  
  2. Sea Lice Resistance to Chemotherapeutants.
     An epidemiological survey of sea lice management practices for farmed Atlantic salmon was completed and the data are now being analyzed and shared with the European partners and collaborators. The aim is to develop an integrated pest management regime that includes pharmacological and husbandry components.    [details]

• Determining Shellfish Health through Real Time Biochemical Indicators of Stress. This research project is developing sensitive bio-indicators of stress in shellfish to yield rapid information on the health or stress status of cultured shellfish.    [details]
  
  
• Protecting Mussel Farms from Seaducks. AquaNet's research team has been involved in developing techniques that will prevent duck predation at mussel sites, while at the same time avoiding disturbance of ducks during their important fall staging period in Prince Edward Island. A protective socking material is being tested to determine whether it will prevent ducks from accessing mussels without negatively affecting mussel growth and survival.    [details]

More Innovations and Success Stories will Follow. Check back often!