Objectives

1. Aim

The aim of the project is to lay the foundations for Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) on Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN) resistance in Atlantic salmon by

1) identifying DNA markers associated with IPN resistance,

2) assessing the genetic gain and costs/benefits associated with MAS by means of simulations, and

3) performing a pilot experiment on real life MAS.

1.1 Sub-goals:

1. To identify Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for IPN resistance in Atlantic salmon by means of a genome scan.

2. To test genes in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) clusters, as well as other candidate genes, for population-level association to IPN resistance.

3. To estimate the extra genetic gain to be expected from applying MAS on IPN resistance, using markers 1) in linkage or 2) in linkage disequilibrium with causative genes.

4. To provide a detailed cost-benefit analysis on the use of MAS on IPN resistance in Norwegian salmon breeding.

5. To perform a pilot experiment on the use of MAS for IPN resistance, with selection based on genotypes at markers identified in the current study.

6. Based on the sub-goals above, to provide the aquaculture industry with recommendations on how and when MAS should be applied to IPN resistance or related traits.

Objectives

Investigate if swimming performance can be linked to the function and morphology of the heart- and circulatory system, thus being an indicator for selection for a more robust salmon.

Objectives

Investigate genetic components for resistance to pancreas disease (PD), and if there is genetic correlations with resistance to other diseases.

• Transfer of 20.000 1+ finclipped smolt to a PD-exposed sea site belonging to Marine Harvest in Hordaland.
• Tissue sampling from dead fish throughout the sea phase rearing period with the intention of using it for parentage assignment.
• After parentage assignment – estimating genetic (co-)variance components.

Objectives

The main objective is to use unique, new and extensive salmon biobank data, high-density SNP maps and high-resolution expression data in an integrative genomics approach to identify genes and biochemical pathways underlying economically important complex traits in farmed Atlantic salmon, for subsequent commercial exploitation.

Sub goals:

1. Identify a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Atlantic salmon and pig using the new generation of highly parallel sequencing technologies.
2. Use SNPs in a combined linkage and linkage disequilibrium gene mapping approach to fine map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying variation in economically important complex traits in farmed Atlantic salmon.
3. Use gene expression analysis to identify genes that are significantly up or down regulated in individuals with extreme phenotypes.
4. Identify genes and biochemical pathways underlying variation for selected traits by combining information from genotypes/haplotypes, transcript profiles and individual level phenotypic characteristics in a genetical genomics (eQTL) approach.

Objectives

The principal objective of the current project is to develop new, and improve the established laboratory methods for detection of IPN virus in samples from Atlantic salmon broodfish.

The achievement of this goal is a pre-requisite for implementation of new practices to effectively control vertical transmission of IPNV in Norwegian aquaculture, and for the reliable certification of IPNV-free salmonid eggs and sperm in both national and international trade.

The project is structured into 4 work packages, each representing a sub-goal of the project as a whole:

WP1: Aims to develop and document methods for testing prior to spawning (including non-lethal sampling methods)

WP2: Aims to quantify the sensitivity of various methods relative to sample tissue, and to establish the assay limits assuring good test reproducibility

WP3: Aims to develop testing methods allowing the simultaneous identification of IPNV strains carrying markers of virulence or persistence.

WP4: Aims to investigate the method-specific options for tissue conservation and storage, and to optimise the logistics of testing and operational control measures

Objectives

Principal objective

The principal objective of this project is to study the clinical importance of high and low virulent IPNV strains, including mixtures of these, in farmed Atlantic salmon.

Sub goals

• Establish and validate methods for differential detection of high and low virulent IPNV strains, based on Real-Time PCR and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis.
• Test newly established protocols on tissue samples from salmon experimentally infected with different IPNV strains and mixtures of these.
• Characterize the virulence motifs of IPNV strains isolated from Atlantic salmon broodfish using the newly established Real-Time PCR assays.
• Establish and validate a method for sensitive detection of IPNV in water. This method will be used to identify important means of horizontal transmission of IPNV in the fresh water phase.
• Examine the relative importance of high and low virulent IPNV strains in farmed Atlantic salmon during the fresh water phase of the production, by performing a study involving high-risk and low risk sites.
• Use generated knowledge to establish a few "IPN-free" fresh water production sites, and evaluate the cost/benefit effects of doing so.

Objectives

Investigate if swimming performance can be linked to the function and morphology of the heart- and circulatory system, thus being an indicator for selection for a more robust salmon.

Objectives

Investigate genetic components for resistance to pancreas disease (PD), and if there is genetic correlations with resistance to other diseases.

• Transfer of 20.000 1+ finclipped smolt to a PD-exposed sea site belonging to Marine Harvest in Hordaland.
• Tissue sampling from dead fish throughout the sea phase rearing period with the intention of using it for parentage assignment.
• After parentage assignment – estimating genetic (co-)variance components.

Objectives

Main objective:

Establish Fish Health Economics as a special field with recognized principles and methods based in the fields of fish health and economics.

Sub goals:

• Develop models for converting health related biological losses to monetary values.
• Perform a study of costs from diseases based on pancreas disease (PD) as a model disease.
  
• Disseminate the work in internal and external organizations in order to establish the acceptance of the model.

Objectives

The aim of preliminary study is to create a decision-making platform for whether and how a main project shall be designed to develop and construct a more automated and well-functioning process than is available today.

Objectives

Develop a machine for automatic sorting of salmonid eggs.

• Develop a full-scale prototype with minimum detection rate at 70 % of good eggs with a false-alarm rate of 0.5%, processing speed of 200 000 eggs/hour.
• Further developing the prototype to reach a detection rate of > 90 %.
• Implementation and practical use.

Objectives

Test of two commercial brood fish feeds in a population of individually tagged fish. Investigate if performance/fitness of the progeny is influenced by the two different feeds:

1. Egg size

2. Hatching/survival

3. Weight of first feeding fry and fingerlings.

Objectives

Establish methods/protocols for advancement of spawning time in Rainbow trout under Norwegian sea rearing conditions.

Objectives

Compare performance data from Aqua Gens salmon lines with samples from the Mowi and SalmoBreed strains and crosses between Aqua Gen and Mowi.

Aim:

• Estimation of strain differences between current salmon strains in Norwegian aquaculture.
• Correction/validation in relation to Aqua Gen’s breeding programme.

Objectives

Main objective:

Establish Fish Health Economics as a special field with recognized principles and methods based in the fields of fish health and economics.

Sub goals:

• Develop models for converting health related biological losses to monetary values.
• Perform a study of costs from diseases based on pancreas disease (PD) as a model disease.
  
• Disseminate the work in internal and external organizations in order to establish the acceptance of the model.

Objectives

1. Goal

The main goal is to develop and evaluate a system / demonstrator that can be used for on-line non-invasive determination of fat and carotenoid concentration in whole salmon, both live and slaughtered. The system will be based on visible and near-infrared spectroscopy.

Sub-goals

1. Determine the optical properties of skin, dark muscle and pink muscle, and how they vary from live fish through slaughter and rigor.
2. Define and evaluate promising optical setups for non-invasive measurements on whole fish.
3. Design and construct an instrument for test trials on whole fish.
4. Calibrate, test and evaluate the system with regard to the companies’ needs.
5. Produce and publish new knowledge on spectroscopic assessment of carotenoid, sensory colour, and fat content in complex and highly light scattering tissues of salmon at different stages ranging from live fish through slaughter and rigor.

Objectives

The aim of preliminary study is to create a decision-making platform for whether and how a main project shall be designed to develop and construct a more automated and well-functioning process than is available today.

Objectives

The principle objective of this project is to investigate if segregation during swim up and first feeding affects fish performance and production economy at later cost intensive stages of the production cycle

Sub goals:

I. To investigate family variation in time for swim-up, and whether cohorts of fry separated by time for swim-up perform differently at later stages of the rearing cycle, with particular respect to growth, sexual maturation, disease resistance, somatic deformities, and end-product quality

II. To compare inter- and intra family variation in developmental rate and time for emergence and first-feeding in families with known genetic background and stress coping phenotype (identified in project 172609)

III. To investigate if differences in time for swim-up and first feeding predicts stress coping ability of Atlantic salmon fry