Seasonal variation in surface activity of Atlantic salmon in standard and manipulated sea-cage environments
The experiment will determine how salmon interact with surface layers (including via swim bladder-filling jumps) in standard, snorkel and freshwater-filled snorkel sea-cages (on-going experimen FOTS ID 9600). The experiment will be performed during different seasons in which shifting thermal stratification are likely to influence the magnitude of surface activity.
The animals are expected to experience minimal distress during the experiment. They will be netted from their cage, undergo tag implantation surgery under anaesthetic, and then will be returned to their respective cage. Steps will be taken to ensure that the fish are able to respire and stay under anaesthetic during surgery, and that this period is kept to a minimum (1-2 minutes).
It is anticipated that knowledge of farmed Atlantic salmon surface activity will improve our understanding of pathogen epidemiology in this system, specifically regarding salmon lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis and the amoebic gill disease agent, Neoparamoeba perurans. The information obtained may also give insights into how current preventive technologies against these parasites can be applied more effectively. This has potential benefits to society by advancing the sustainability of Atlantic salmon production for human consumption.
144 Atlantic salmon will be used.
Requirements for replacement, reduction and improvement have been fully adhered to by exhaustively reviewing the literature for possible methods to gather the required knowledge and examining how similar previous investigations have been carried out. It has been deemed that using data storage tags is the most appropriate method, because it enables frequent reliable recordings of swimming depth for individual fish. The number of individuals is based on a power analysis and tag loss rates from previous studies in the same sea-cages at the HI Austevoll research farm. This has enabled us to keep the numbers of fish to be used as low as possible.
The animals are expected to experience minimal distress during the experiment. They will be netted from their cage, undergo tag implantation surgery under anaesthetic, and then will be returned to their respective cage. Steps will be taken to ensure that the fish are able to respire and stay under anaesthetic during surgery, and that this period is kept to a minimum (1-2 minutes).
It is anticipated that knowledge of farmed Atlantic salmon surface activity will improve our understanding of pathogen epidemiology in this system, specifically regarding salmon lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis and the amoebic gill disease agent, Neoparamoeba perurans. The information obtained may also give insights into how current preventive technologies against these parasites can be applied more effectively. This has potential benefits to society by advancing the sustainability of Atlantic salmon production for human consumption.
144 Atlantic salmon will be used.
Requirements for replacement, reduction and improvement have been fully adhered to by exhaustively reviewing the literature for possible methods to gather the required knowledge and examining how similar previous investigations have been carried out. It has been deemed that using data storage tags is the most appropriate method, because it enables frequent reliable recordings of swimming depth for individual fish. The number of individuals is based on a power analysis and tag loss rates from previous studies in the same sea-cages at the HI Austevoll research farm. This has enabled us to keep the numbers of fish to be used as low as possible.