RESEARCH - Research Summary

Animal Production Theme

Research Summary

To complement salmon farming and improve Canada’s global competitiveness, researchers, private sector entrepreneurs and government agencies in Atlantic Canada have focused on advancing the farming of coldwater marine fish species that have a particular competitive advantage. Especially important has been the hatchery production of significant numbers of juvenile Atlantic halibut, Atlantic cod and haddock, once considered a major stumbling block for commercialization of these species. Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture farmers are eager to produce on-demand halibut and cod, but the economic uncertainties in rearing these new species make investing into large scale production a high risk. This project will assess the grow-out potential of two of these key marine species – halibut and cod, working in partnership with the Atlantic aquaculture industry. The pre-commercial development work will gather biological and financial information regarding the grow-out of these species in a sea cage environment. It will also address the much needed benchmark economic information requirements which the industry, financial institutions and government agencies will require for commercialization to occur.

The project will place 80,000 juvenile halibut and 40,000 juvenile cod in sea cages to complete performance-based trials. A single year class of fish will be stocked to allow for the tracking of performance over one production cycle from 2005 to 2008. The research will focus on early maturation, growth performance, optimal stocking sizes, fish health, production efficiencies and marketing. These research priorities have been developed through consultation with industry partners and the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture and include determining the optimum size of halibut juveniles for transfer to grow-out sea cages, monitoring halibut health and productivity and impacts of vaccination, assess strategies to delay sex maturation in cod, explore gender implications on growth and maturation, identifying market opportunities for farmed halibut, cod, and haddock and assess the profitability of new species farming in the Bay of Fundy. The close networking of scientists, graduate students and industry personnel working together at industry cage facilities will encourage communication, problem solving and training of researchers and fish culturists on grow-out technology of marine finfish.

Network Investigators

Dr. Tillmann Benfey, Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB
Dr. Larry Hammell, Aquatic Animal Health Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Price Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE
Ms. Debbie Martin-Robichaud, Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick – Fredericton and DFO Saint Andrews Biological Station, Saint Andrews, NB
Dr. Sandi McGeachy, Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick – Fredericton and New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Food and Aquaculture
Dr. Neil Ridler, Department of Economics, University of New Brunswick, Saint John’s, NB
Dr. Ed Trippel, Faculty of Biology, University of New Brunswick – Saint John and DFO-Saint Andrews Biological Station, Saint Andrews, NB