1. Salmon Elaine Christian

2. Taxonomy *Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)* Salmon Trout (Salmo gairdneri --> Oncorhynchus mykiss) – Anadromous: Steelhead salmon/Ocean trout – Non-anadromous: Rainbow trout Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

3. Facts Angling, food, commercial values Market price: $5-7/kg Market locations: everywhere Norway, Chile, United States: Maine & Washington

4. Life Cycle Salmon Life Cycle Song

5. Reproduction in Captivity Anaesthetized Eggs/sperm stripped Mix, wash, place into freshwater tanks Adults placed in clean, aerated water to recover

6. General Production Methods Hatched from eggs, raised in freshwater tanks 12-18 months (smolt: juvenile) put in floating sea cages/net pens anchored in bays along the coast Kept in pens for another 1-2 years Harvested

7. Production Methods Modern Commercial Hatcheries – Shift from net pens to RAS – water recycled within the hatchery – Doesn’t have to rely on freshwater source Conventional Hatcheries – Spring water flows through hatchery – Eggs hatched in trays, smolts produced in raceways – Waste discharged into local river – Use more than 100 tons of water to produce 1kg of smolts

8. Sea Cages/Net Pens Large cage can hold 90,000 fish Seafarm: cages placed side by side with floating walkways alongside Other nets around the cages to keep out predators Stocking density for Atlantic Salmon: 8-18kg per cubic meter

9. Production Methods

10. Feeds & Feeding Carnivorous fish Currently: fish meal with wheat byproducts, soybean meal, feather meal Various carotenoids to make their flesh match the color of wild salmon Need proteins, 5-20% fat, 9-12% carbohydrates 2-4kg wild caught fish = 1kg of salmon

11. Conditions Good water quality High water exchange rates Currents fast enough to prevent pollution of the bottom but not fast enough to cause pen damage – Heavy metals collect (copper, zinc) Dim light Reasonable water depth Distance from infrastructure (ports, airports)

12. Advantages/Disadvantages Money ($1.6 billion industry - Chile) Farmed fish = large numbers = less $$ Health benefits – Omega-3 Diseases/parasites Toxins found in flesh (heavy metals accumulate) Escapes – compete with native wild species for food & habitat – Reduce genetic diversity Consume more fish than they produce as a final product