A NZ$5.2m (US$3.9m) research project being led by New Zealand King Salmon is set to further improve the sustainability of salmon farming in the country.
New Zealand government, research and commercial groups are aligning with international salmon experts to develop a high-quality, species-specific feed that significantly improves on the generic products currently available.
The overall aim is to fully understand the specific dietary requirements of King salmon, which differ considerably from the common Atlantic salmon, trout and other salmon species farmed elsewhere in the world.
Currently, global suppliers produce feed based on environmental and economic considerations for the latter species. The research project sets out to define what the differences are so as to enhance aquaculture feed for the fish while at the same time reducing its environmental footprint.
“While New Zealand salmon farming is already widely acknowledged as the world’s most sustainable, we would expect the research to deliver even greater advantages in this area,” said Mike Mandeno, general manager, Seafood Innovations Ltd (SIL), which is part of the research group.
“A King salmon-specific feed would also have commercial benefits for New Zealand producers in terms of exports, job creation and ultimately the profitability of the industry,” he added.
Commercial interests are providing half the funding for the four-year project with SIL, a research partnership supported by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment providing the balance.
The research group comprises SIL, Nelson’s Cawthron Institute, the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) and Danish feed producer BioMar.
NZ King Salmon produces 55% of New Zealand’s salmon and supplies around 40% of the world’s King salmon, which is renowned for its high levels of healthy Omega-3s and superior culinary attributes.
