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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Orono, Maine » National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #303377
Title: Growth evaluation of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) raised in seawater or freshwater and fed either fishmeal based or marine-free diets

Author
item Burr, Gary
item Wolters, William
item Barrows, Frederic
item Grimm, Casey
item Dowd, Michael

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2014
Publication Date: 6/2/2014
Citation: Burr, G.S., Wolters, W.R., Barrows, F., Grimm, C.C., Dowd, M.K. 2014. Growth evaluation of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) raised in seawater or freshwater and fed either fishmeal based or marine-free diets. Aquaculture Canada, St. John, NB, Canada, June 2, 2014. p. 15.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A forty week feeding study was conducted with Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts in two recirculating aquaculture systems. Two identical systems were used and contained either freshwater (0 ppt) or seawater (about 30 ppt). Fish were fed one of two diets, a control diet containing fishmeal and fish oil, or a marine-free diet that did not contain fishmeal or fish oil. A significant diet × water interaction for average weight gain and fish fed the reference diet growing slightly better in seawater and fish fed the marine free diet growing slightly better in freshwater. The fish fed the marine-free diet had significantly lower whole body crude protein levels (54.4 percent to 59.4 percent) compared to salmon fed the reference diet. Fish grown in seawater had significantly higher color scores compared to fish grown in freshwater (8.4 a - 6.1 a). Fish fed the marine-free diet had significantly less eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5 n-3) (1.6 percent of lipids – 9.9 percent of lipids) docosahexaenoic acid (22:5 n-3) (0.5 percent of lipids – 3.2 percent of lipids) compared to fish fed the reference diet. Overall the salmon had similar performance regardless of diet or water salinity, but did appear to have more pigment in the flesh when grown in seawater.