Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) has co-funded a new test for seawater readiness which hopes to boost Scottish exports.
The 12-month Rapid Response project aims to address when to transfer young salmon from freshwater hatchery and nursery facilities to seawater salmon pens.
Europharma Scotland Ltd, PrimerDesign Ltd, the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling and SAIC will invest a combined £78,190 in the project.
Nikos Steiropoulos, managing director at Europharma Scotland, said: “Around 50m salmon juveniles are stocked in UK sea cages each year, each one needing to undergo the change from freshwater to seawater.”
He added: “The commercial possibilities of this project are, therefore, significant; production people know how challenging the smoltification process can be for fish health and that a good start in seawater is key. In addition, we will continue to work on extending capacity for on-site rapid diagnostics on key salmon pathogens.”
The SAIC-supported industry-academic collaboration is developing an on-site molecular test to provide farmers with near real-time information on whether salmon are physiologically ready to transfer to seawater.
These tests, if successful, will hopefully mean quicker decision-making, healthier fish and higher survival rates.
It is also hoped that the project techniques into a multi-purpose ‘lab in a suitcase’ platform, enabling farmers to test almost instantly for a variety of diseases and pathogens.
The project could also create new export opportunities for Scottish technological espertise, as well as boosting harvest volumes, according to SAIC’s CEO, Heather Jones.
She explained: "Aquaculture is a growing global industry, and we see real scope for the project partners to develop and export their on-site testing equipment in different contexts to the likes of Norway, Canada and Chile.”
“SAIC’s funding is offering a helping hand to an innovative idea that has the potential to boost both production and exports of Scottish salmon, as well as the country’s global reputation for innovation.”
