Water quality and its effects on aquaculture operations

Summary

Since 1999, a Water Quality (WQ) programme run by KPMG, NIVA and NHL for Atlantic salmon farming, has studied nearly 130 hatcheries along the coastline of Norway, as well as farms in UK. Through the fry, parr and smolt stage, we have monitored raw water quality at normal and flood situations, and the results of water treatment and tank water quality on performance prior to sea, and 3 months after stocking in sea cages. Biomarkers like gill metal accumulation and antioxidant reactions in blood have been linked to water and gas pressure conditions and health status. For 2004, the program includes examination of deformities on the fry stage, as well metal analyses by passive samplers (DGTs) and in situ fractionation. The WQ programme has led to a Research Programme financed by The Norwegian Research Council (NFR) and the Fishery and Aquaculture Industry Research Fund (FHF), where detail studies on fish performance in intensive farming (low specific water flow, high PaO2 and PaCO2) include growth, osmoregulation, antioxidant responses, deformities, cataract and disease studies (IPN). A monitoring programme for other marine species is being developed, focusing on the intensive recirculation environment at hatcheries and land based on growing facilities for these species. The negative effects of too intensive farming conditions will be demonstrated at the meeting.