Effects of acute and chronic stress on lumpfish health and immunity
Lumpfish deployed for the role of biological delousing agent in salmon aquaculture has seen a tremendous growth during recent years. With this rapid expansion, increasing welfare issues have started to appear, with concerning reports of health and mortality of this species. These issues can be categorized partially by the lack of comprehensive knowledge on the stress physiology of lumpfish, as well as lack of information on certain biological requirements such as dietary needs. It is, therefore, necessary to establish the effects of chronic stress on health and performance. An increased understanding of the links between stress response, nutritional imbalances and health disorders can lead to the development of nutritional strategies that promote immune function, alleviate stress-related nutritional disorders and ultimately promote better welfare. The project aims to contribute to a better welfare management of lumpfish used in salmon aquaculture, by expanding knowledge on the stress physiology and specific dietary needs of lumpfish. The trials in this study have the potential of developing informative tools farmers will be able to use to monitor and interpretate more accurately data regarding stress status of lumpfish, while also opening a door for research on nutritional strategies to improve lumpfish health and welfare.
The project envisions two trials of moderate severety, where the physiological response to an acute and chronic stress will be investigated, as well as the effects of stress on certain specific parameters, such as immune functions, health disorders, free amino acids in plasma. The stress to be applied on the lumpfish used in this study is not expected to cause severe health issues, but simply elicit a verifiable stress response that will highlight potential links between the stress status, health, immune functions and nutritional status. Any potential severe health issues will be promptly mitigated, being regarded as an humane endpoint.
Since it is not feasible to accurately assess a broader physiological response to stress without using live individuals, 568 lumpfish will be used throughout the project, as suggested by the power analysis. This is the minimum number of individuals necessary to obtain valid results. Lumpfish health will be regularly monitored to ensure that no severe health issues are present. In order to decrease the potential distress when performing the health monitoring, fish will be lightly sedated during the assessment.
The project envisions two trials of moderate severety, where the physiological response to an acute and chronic stress will be investigated, as well as the effects of stress on certain specific parameters, such as immune functions, health disorders, free amino acids in plasma. The stress to be applied on the lumpfish used in this study is not expected to cause severe health issues, but simply elicit a verifiable stress response that will highlight potential links between the stress status, health, immune functions and nutritional status. Any potential severe health issues will be promptly mitigated, being regarded as an humane endpoint.
Since it is not feasible to accurately assess a broader physiological response to stress without using live individuals, 568 lumpfish will be used throughout the project, as suggested by the power analysis. This is the minimum number of individuals necessary to obtain valid results. Lumpfish health will be regularly monitored to ensure that no severe health issues are present. In order to decrease the potential distress when performing the health monitoring, fish will be lightly sedated during the assessment.