Feasibility of sterile salmon farming
Triploid salmon contain an extra set of chromosomes — this renders them sterile, but has previously also been associated with high mortality, deformities and poor growth. Recent studies, however, do show that triploid salmon might be a good option for farming. The EU-funded 'Feasibility study of triploid salmon production' (SALMOTRIP)(opens in new window) project was established to improve knowledge about the rearing and performance of triploid salmon in the Atlantic salmon industry. Two key salmon-breeding companies joined forces with salmon farms and major EU research institutes to achieve the project’s goals. These were to improve understanding of the biological needs and welfare of triploid salmon, assess triploid production for farming purposes, and investigate the market and the cultural acceptance of these fish. The goals were achieved through several biological experiments and in-depth market research. Overall, triploid salmon performed similarly to the diploid variety in a farmed environment. Triploid fish were sensitive to extreme environmental conditions (oxygen and temperature changes, in particular), were slightly more likely to develop common deformities and grew faster. Researchers found that farming of these animals would require greater input into monitoring and environmental control, but was feasible using current farming systems. They also conducted market research, which revealed that approximately 50 % of consumers had a mixed reaction to sterile farmed salmon. Further research showed that added packaging information about triploidy did not influence consumers' attitudes. The SALMOTRIP study indicates that using triploid salmon is a feasible approach to reducing environmental pollution. The project has contributed techniques and knowledge about triploid salmon production and upkeep, and future work will aim to implement these practices in salmon farms.
