October 23, 2024

Norway launches US$1.37 million initiative to tackle complex gill disease in salmon

Norway's aquaculture and fisheries fund, FHF, has awarded NOK 15 million (US$1.37 million) to research preventive measures and develop new tools for evaluating gill function in salmon at the cage edge, Fish Farmer reported.

According to FHF, the challenges posed by complex gill disease have increased in recent years. This includes a rise in both frequency and geographical spread, as well as greater complexity in the underlying causes. At present, few tools exist to address what FHF has described as a multifaceted problem.

The initiative's objectives will be pursued through three distinct sub-objectives, each requiring separate projects.

First, the effectiveness of current methods and strategies used in the industry to combat complex gill disease will be evaluated. Second, the project will focus on establishing and validating new methods to assess the respiratory capacity of the gills at the cage edge. Finally, the project will test new measures aimed at reducing the risk of gill disease and preventing the development of severe gill inflammation.

FHF's call for tenders aims to generate valuable knowledge on both preventive and mitigating strategies for this disease and to improve tools for assessing gill function in salmon.

-      Fish Farmer