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Live chilling of Atlantic salmon: physiological response to handling and temperature decrease on welfare
A Foss1, E Grimsbø, E Vikingstad
1Akvaplan-niva Bergen, Bergen, Norway. af@akvaplan.niva.no
Fish Physiology and Biochemistry
|June 30, 2011
Summary
Atlantic salmon tolerate temperature drops well, but physical handling causes stress. Handling stress in salmon overrides thermal insult effects, showing resilience to rapid temperature changes.
Area of Science:
- Aquaculture
- Fish Physiology
- Stress Physiology
Background:
- Live chilling is a common practice in Atlantic salmon aquaculture.
- Understanding the physiological impact of temperature changes and handling stress is crucial for fish welfare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physiological effects of live chilling and handling on Atlantic salmon.
- To differentiate the impacts of thermal stress versus physical handling stress.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).
- Experiment 1: Fish were acclimatized to different temperatures and subjected to various horizontal and vertical transfers, with blood sampling at 1 and 6 hours.
- Experiment 2: Fish were exposed to rapid temperature drops without handling, with blood sampling 1 hour post-transfer.
Main Results:
- Physical handling, regardless of temperature change, caused immediate increases in blood lactate.
- Severe vertical transfers (16-0°C) led to loss of equilibrium and mortality.
- Rapid temperature drops without handling caused minimal physiological stress, except for a significant increase in stress parameters in the 16-0°C (1 h) group.
Conclusions:
- Atlantic salmon can tolerate significant temperature drops without major physiological stress indicators.
- Physical handling stress is a more significant factor than thermal stress in immediate physiological responses.
- These findings have implications for optimizing handling and chilling procedures in salmon aquaculture.
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