Acronym NA
Category
Aquaculture
Title Salmon lice project in the Hardangerfjord 2004-2007 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 Bengt Finstad Coordinator email bengt.finstad@nina.no
Coordinator institution
NINA - Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (Norway)
Institutions involved
NA - Hardanger Fish Health Network (Norway) ,
IMR - Institute of Marine Research (Norway) ,
NA - Marine Harvest Norway AS (Norway) ,
NA - Norsk sjømatsenter AS (Norway) ,
NIFA - Norwegian Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Norway) ,
NVI - Norwegian Veterinary Institute (Norway) ,
UBC - University of British Columbia (Canada) ,
Start year 2004 End year 2007 Funding (€) € NA Website https://www.fhf.no/prosjekter/prosjektbasen/552242/ Summary The aim of WP3 is to understand the environmental conditions affecting the salmon lice populations. We have been able to participate on regular cruises, typically every second month, collecting hydrographical and current data. Also the development of the numerical model for salmon lice growth and advection, which relies heavily on model results of hydrography and currents, is done in collaboration with similar IMR activities. The recent results indicate that the water temperature during the winter might be more important than we expected for the development of the salmon lice population present in the fjord in May when the wild smolt migrate out the Hardangerfjord. Model results confirm our previous findings that the salmon lice can potentially spread far (>100 km), fast (> 2 km/h) and that the variability can be huge. We are yet working on how clustering of fish farms in the Hardangerfjord will affect the abundance and distribution of salmon lice. Based partly on efforts in this project we have presented scientific advice to the National Food Safety Authorities about potential spreading of salmon lice resistant to slice in fall 2008 as well as advice on best practice for synchronized delousing on fish farms for the winters 2009 and 2010. Another aim was to complete the compilation and analysis of sea lice counts from salmon farms in the Hardangerfjord to establish epidemiological patterns of infections suitable for use in a DDE (differential difference equation) mathematical model. The work took place in close collaboration with the HFN and required extensive work to ensure the quality and validity of the final data to be used in the analyses. An Access data base was established and two characteristic epidemiological sea lice profiles were derived based on Hardangerfjord data from 69 salmon farms between 2004 and 2007. One profile was for lice infestation on sites stocked in autumn while the other was for sites stocked in spring. In collaboration with Grallator these profiles enabled various populations and environmental parameter sets to be investigated in a mathematical model that could describe each of the profiles. A first approximation which adequately models the sea lice infestation patterns on salmon farms in the Hardangerfjord has been identified, and this will form the basis of ongoing research into optimal lice control strategies in years to come.
Keywords
Open sea aquaculture;
Cage aquaculture;
Parasite;
Salmon;
Fish;
Animal welfare;
Marine Region
76
Not associated to marine areas
0
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