"Investigations of increased mortalities on marine salmon sites due to Gill Pathologies"
Research Measure: Industry Research Measure
Funding Type: NDP Marine Research Sub-Programme
Funding Year: 2007
Project Duration: 36 months
Project Type: Project-Based Award
Total Grant-Aid: €452,474
Lead Partner: MEFSS, Marine Institute
Project Partners:
- Vet-Aqua International
- Coastal & Marine Resources Centre, UCC
- Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute
- Irish Salmon Growers Association
Project Summary:
This project aims to enable the Irish finfish sector to manage the risk of mortalities due to gill pathologies through research and development in three key areas:
- Determine the epidemiology (cause and extent) of the problem in Ireland;
- Develop protocols and diagnostic tools for the monitoring of environmental parameters and causative agents; and
- Integrate the protocols and diagnostic tools into an early warning system and develop and test mitigation measures.
The project will provide information on the underlying causes of gill pathologies in salmon in Ireland. This will result in increased awareness at industry level and the adoption of suitable management and mitigation procedures on marine sites. This would reduce the mortality (and increase the welfare) of marine reared finfish and thereby increase the competitiveness of the Irish finfish aquaculture sector.