RESEARCH - Research Summary

Research Summary

The cost of feed in Canadian aquaculture represents a substantial fraction of the total cost in the production of cultured finfish such as salmon. Feed is, however, a critical component of production because feed characteristics have an important impact on the health, growth, performance and flesh quality of fish. Currently, the lipids derived in salmon feed are derived from several species of wild marine fish, and the demand on these fisheries has caused the price to increase, raising the cost of salmon feed, and thus the cost of production. In addition, there are appreciable levels of lipid soluble contaminants such as dioxins and PCBs in these wild fish, which contribute to the concentration levels of these substances in farmed fish.

If the marine lipids in salmon diets were replaced in whole or in part by plant-derived lipids, which are much less expensive, both of these concerns could be mitigated. However, before replacing marine lipids with plant-derived lipids, it is critical to ensure that these alternative lipids improve, or at least do not harm, the health, growth and performance of fish.

Some data indicate that a diet balanced in fish and plant-derived lipids actually enhances performance. This project will examine the effects of alternative dietary lipids on the performance of juvenile Chinook salmon, by feeding fish several diets with varying proportions of canola and anchovy oil, and monitoring growth, health, ion regulatory development, seawater tolerance and swimming performance. In addition to providing information about the effects of alternate dietary lipids, these experiments will provide valuable insights into husbandry practices for Chinook salmon, a fish species that is prevalent throughout British Columbia.

Network Investigators

Colin Brauner, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Patricia Schulte, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Robert Devlin, West Vancouver Laboratory, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, West Vancouver, BC
David Higgs, West Vancouver Laboratory, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, West Vancouver, BC