RESEARCH - Research Summary

Animal Production Theme

Research Summary

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is presently the major farmed finfish species on both the East and West coasts of Canada. Marine aquaculture of several cold-water fish including haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) and sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) is currently under development. Feed represents the single largest operational expense of fish farming with the lipid component of fish feed accounting for as much as 25% of the diet cost. This project is directed to establish the optimum dietary levels of lipid for sablefish, haddock, cod and Atlantic halibut (market-size fish only). This information will also facilitate least cost diet formulation, reduce the discharge of organic matter and nitrogen into the aquatic environment and improve the lipid utilization of these commercially important finfish species.

The findings of this study will make recommendations concerning the most cost-effective alternative sources of lipid from animal and/or plant sources for use in formulated diets for sablefish, haddock, cod and Atlantic halibut considering fish growth, health and flesh quality responses in relation to diet treatment. Special emphasis will be also directed to the flesh qualities so that potential human health benefits of highly unsaturated fatty acid in these fish products are maintained. The information obtained from this project will have a direct use for the Canadian feed industry. There is also significant potential to increase the use of Canadian vegetable oils and poultry fat in aquafeeds and to reduce the importation of marine fish oils into Canada. Studies on the adverse consequences of dietary lipid oxidation on the growth, health and physiology of Atlantic salmon, sablefish and haddock will provide important information for maintenance of proper diet quality assurance programs for these species. Improvement of the health management of alternate species through an understanding of their basic immune system and how this is influenced through lipid nutrition is an essential component of this study. New information on pathogen susceptibility and immune response to vaccination will be obtained for sablefish and Atlantic halibut in relation to life history stage and water temperature. All the findings from this study will have a direct application to the Canadian aquaculture industry.

Network Investigators

Santosh P. Lall, NRC-IMB, Halifax, NS
David A. Higgs, West Vancouver Laboratory, DFO, West Vancouver, BC
Brent Skura, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, UBC, Vancouver, BC
Fereidoon Shahidi, Dept. of Biochemistry, MUN, St. John’s, NL