Use of Alternate Dietary Lipid and Protein Sources to Reduce Flesh Organohalogen Contaminant Concentrations in Farmed Atlantic salmon while Concurrently Maintaining EPA and DH

Description

The overall goal of this study is to dramatically reduce flesh concentrations of all the major ubiquitous global contaminants (PCDDs, PCDFs, PCBs, PBDEs, PAHs and 20 OC pesticides) in farmed Atlantic salmon by developing cost effective formulated diets that are extensively based on plant lipid (which contain very low or undetectable levels of the contaminants of concern noted above), and/or animal lipid (i.e., poultry fat) sources and, in two cases, oilseed protein concentrates blended with some fishmeal and some contaminant-reduced fish oil. Via these nutritional strategies, we will aim to formulate diets that will reduce in a major way the level of contaminants in the flesh of farmed Atlantic salmon so that levels are within or even lower than the range observed in wild Atlantic salmon populations without compromising all of their other flesh quality attributes. A minimum but nevertheless adequate concentration of fish oil will be included in the test diets to ensure that the essential fatty acid needs of the salmon are met for optimal growth and health (salmon require ~ 10% of the dietary lipid content as n-3 HUFAs).

Program Name

Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP)

Year(s)

2005 to 2007

Ecoregion(s)

Pacific: Vancouver Island West Coast

Principal Investigator(s)

Dave Higgs
Email: HiggsD@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca