According to the information Nofima’s better farmed cod result in welfare improvements for the fish and financial improvements for the fish farmers. The scientists have prepared a set of operational recommendations so that fish farmers can produce more robust fish with a low rate of malformation. This new recipe is presented in a new book about how to avoid malformations in cod and other fish species, which will be published this winter.
Nofima Scientist Synnøve Helland said that they need to consider the biological limits in the fish. She further said that the fish is programmed how it shall develop. The majority of malformations occur in the first six months of the cod’s life, but they can also form later. She has together with other scientists at Nofima spent considerable time finding out how to prevent malformations in farmed fish. The recipe – or protocol as the scientists call it – provides a detailed step-by-step guide.
Helland also said the temperature and speed of the water that flows through the tanks is important. The optimal temperature for normal development may be lower than the temperature that gives the greatest growth. This recipe allows the cod to grow slower in the first couple of months, which gives a more robust fish. Since it is so flawless, it will compensate with growth later in life.
Cod with fewer malformations provide enhanced fish welfare and better profits for the aquaculture industry. The scientist said that it costs the same to feed a fish with malformations, but the slaughter weight will be about half a kilo lower. Fish without malformations provide better earnings for the industry, while it is also of great significance for the welfare of the fish.
