Acronym Breedwell
Category
Aquaculture
Title Breeding for improved fish welfare in aquaculture Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Hanne-Marie Nielsen Coordinator email hanne.nielsen@nofima.no
Coordinator institution
NOFIMA - Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Norway)
Institutions involved
NMBU - Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway) ,
NA - Not available (Sweden) ,
KU - University of Copenhagen (Denmark) ,
WUR - Wageningen University and Research (Netherlands) ,
Start year 2009 End year 2013 Funding (€) € 845,947 Website https://prosjektbanken.forskningsradet.no/en/project/FORISS/190457?Kilde=FORISS&distribution=Ar&chart=bar&calcType=funding&Sprak=no&sortBy=date&sortOrder=desc&resultCount=30&offset=0&Organisasjon.4=NOFIMA+AS+AVD+TROMS%C3%98 Summary Ensuring welfare of farmed fish is part of European Union policy for sustainable aquaculture. Consumer surveys show that concerns about fish welfare are increasing, indicating that fish welfare will be an important feature of farmed salmon in the near future. The project consists of three work packages (WP). (1) In WP1 heritabilities of field survival in freshwater and seawater as well as genetic correlations with traits already selected for in Atlantic salmon will be estimated. The breeding company SalmoBreed contributes to this WP; (2) In WP2, genetic parameters of social interactions (competition, aggressive behaviour) on welfare traits (growth, survival and fin damages) of Atlantic cod will be estimated by mixed model methodology; (3) In WP3 methods to derive non-market values for welfare traits to be included in the breeding goal for Atlantic salmon will be developed by performing three studies about consumers' attitudes towards fish welfare and their willingness to pay for products with improved fish welfare. Selection response based on both economic values from the literature and non-market values estimated in this project will be discussed with actors in farm breeding, authorities, and animal welfare organizations to find how animal welfare in fish breeding should be emphasized versus higher farmer profit or lower prices to consumer. Finally, we will optimize a salmon breeding program. The project will contribute knowledge about fish welfare traits for breeding, possibilities of undesirable/desirable genetic changes in fish welfare, and people's willingness to support genetic improvements of fish welfare traits. This knowledge is important for deciding policies on fish welfare regulations and when considering breeding for fish welfare.
Goals:
(1) Work out and apply methods to determine non-market values for traits related to animal health and welfare for farmed animals; (2) Adapt and use questionnaires based on stated preference methods (CV) to determine non-market values for health and welfare in breeding goals for farmed salmon; (3) Work out methods to combine results from CV studies, economic values from profit equations and methods based on desired gain indices to define animal breeding goals; (4) Apply the methods developed in point 3 above to arrive at breeding goals for salmon production by using a participatory approach with different players in fish breeding, farming and animal welfare activities.
Keywords
Genetic;
Fish;
Selective breeding;
Salmon;
Animal welfare;
Marine Region
41
Norwegian Sea (27.IIa)
1
Marine Region Map
