Examining how maternal stress and rearing environment enrichment influence offspring performance in commercially-farmed Chinook salmon

Handling practices commonly used in aquaculture can be stressful for spawning fish. When a fish is repeatedly exposed to stressors, circulating levels of the hormone cortisol are chronically elevated, which can cause elevations in egg cortisol. When egg cortisol levels are increased, offspring quality is reduced. Compounded with these intergenerational effects is the influence of rearing environment on
offspring survival traits. Performance of juveniles reared in barren tanks is inferior to juveniles reared in tanks enriched with physical structures and substrate. In collaboration with Yellow Island Aquaculture Ltd, the independent and cumulative impacts of maternally-induced stress and rearing environment on commercially-farmed Chinook salmon offspring survival, growth, flesh quality, behaviour and immune function will be examined. A diagnostic tool of maternal stress will be developed and will help aquaculturists design and implement handling and rearing strategies that produce the highest quality animal while minimizing costs and ensuring animal welfare.

Faculty Supervisor:

Christina Semeniuk

Student:

Partner:

Yellow Island Aquaculture Ltd

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of Windsor

Program: