Sablefish nutrition research: protein and energy needs

Description

The goal of this project is to provide information for the development of improved feeds for expansion of viable and sustainable aquaculture production of Sablefish in BC. The study consists of three experiments that will provide information concerning:

1. the impact of dietary lipid level on growth rate of sablefish during the "slow-growth" period of 1-1.5 kg;
2. optimize dietary fish oil and fishmeal utilization for growth of this species, as opposed to the use of plant based oils; and,
3. reducing the fishmeal in Sablefish grow out diets.

Data collection for trials 1 and 3 are continuing, but the results of trial 2 indicated that the best growth of juvenile fish was achieved using very high lipid (approx. 33%) and fishmeal (43%) levels and low carbohydrate. This information is useful to the feed industry to improve production of a high value native food fish.

Program Name

Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP)

Year(s)

2010 - 2012

Ecoregion(s)

Pacific: North Coast and Hecate Strait

Principal Investigator(s)

Ian Forster
Email: Ian.Forster@dfo-mpo.gc.ca