Use of Alternate Dietary Lipid Sources to Reduce Flesh Contaminant in Farmed Sablefish

Description

The present study is being proposed to remove through nutritional means the basis for negative viewpoints on a commercially important finfish species in Canada that deposits large amounts of lipid in its flesh, namely, farmed sablefish. In this regard, we have devised a two-year plan of research that is specifically aimed at reducing flesh organochlorine contaminant levels (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, furans, toxaphene and dieldrin) and organochlorine pesticides in farmed sablefish by replacing most of the supplemental fish oil in diets for the preceding species by plant (flaxseed oil) and/or animal (poultry fat) lipid sources. Successful completion of the research will identify the most effective dietary lipid supplements for reducing the foregoing flesh contaminant concentrations in the aforementioned farmed species so that the concentrations are below those reported in wild counterparts. Successful completion of this research should not only dramatically reduce dietary concentrations of fish oil and consequently contaminants, but also maintain excellent growth, feed utilization, health, survival, and flesh quality of the aforementioned species.

Program Name

Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP)

Year(s)

2005 - 2007

Ecoregion(s)

National

Principal Investigator(s)

Michael Ikonomou
Email: IkonomouMD@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca