First report on the isolation of immunoglobulin M of guppy, Poecilia reticulata, for the production of polyclonal antibodies

As guppies are one of the commercially important fish in freshwater ornamental aquaculture industry, it is important to gain an understanding of guppy immune response for infectious disease control. Till now, the number of study that examined the immune response of guppies is limited and effective tools for monitoring guppy antibody have not been reported. In this study, we successfully isolated guppy IgM using mannan-binding protein (MBP) affinity chromatography and produced specific polyclonal antibodies against guppy IgM heavy and light chains, that showed a molecular weight of approximately 74 and 23 kDa respectively. The produced polyclonal antibodies were used to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and have demonstrated to be an effective tool for the detection and quantification of antigen-specific antibody of guppies immunized with Pseudomonas fluorescens. In conclusion, the produced anti-guppy IgM polyclonal antibodies should prove its future implications for immunology and epidemiology studies in guppies.     

Guidance of groups of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to allow sorting by computer vision

Prior to marketing, ornamental tropical fish are currently sorted, graded and counted manually; a process that is labor intensive, stressful to fish and inaccurate. Manipulation of fish movements at our will is a key element in the development of a device for automatically sorting, grading and counting fish by a computer vision system, and the present study is one step towards the development of such a fish-friendly sorting device. The positive phototactic and rheotactic innate responses of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) were exploited to induce them to swim through transparent pipes or narrow channels, to render them ready for inspection by a computer vision system. Water flow direction and velocity, water level, and illumination were effective in inducing fish to move from one container into the other via a narrow transparent pipe. It was attempted to separate guppies moving in groups into individually spaced fish, by introducing an obstacle into a narrow channel or narrowing the transparent pipe.     

Enhancement of Stress Resistance of the Guppy Poecilia reticulata through Feeding with Vitamin C Supplement

This study investigated the use of vitamin C supplement in formulated diets and live Artemia juveniles to enhance the stress resistance of the guppy Poecilia reticulata . To evaluate the stress resistance, fish were subjected to osmotic shock in pre-aerated water containing 35 ppt sodium chloride. Ascorbyl acid-polyphosphate and ascorbyl palmitate were used as vitamin C sources for formulated diets and live Artemia juveniles, respectively. Results showed that guppies fed moist formulated diets supplemented with ascorbic acid at 1,000 mg/kg or 2,000 mg/kg diet displayed significantly higher levels of stress resistance than fish fed control formulated diet for 13 d. The stress resistance of fish fed a lower dose (200 mg/kg diet), however, did not differ significantly from that of the control. On the other hand, the stress resistance of guppies fed Artemia juveniles bio-encapsulated with 10% or 20% ascorbyl palmitate did not show significant difference from that of fish fed control Artemia after 20 d. The stress resistance of these three groups of Artemia- fed fish, however, was significantly higher than that of fish fed the control formulated diet. Biochemical analyses showed that raising the ascorbic acid level in feeds resulted in a concomitant increase in the incorporated ascorbic acid level in the whole-body tissue of the guppy. The increased stress resistance of the guppy fed a vitamin C supplemented diet has also been demonstrated in four commercial farms. The potential application of the improved stress resistance in the ornamental fish industry was discussed.     

United States of America Trade in Ornamental Fish

Ornamental fish production is among the leading cash crops of the United States of America aquaculture economy, and retail value of the fish trade is worth approximately US$l,000 million. However, few studies exist to document this trade. Using import and export documents we report trends in total values for the U.S. trade in ornamental fish. Also, we determined the number and value of the most commonly imported ornamental fish. In 1992, approximately 201 million fish valued at $44.7 million were imported into the U.S. The port of Los Angeles handled 39% of all trade activity, Miami 22%, New York 16%, Tampa 6%, and Honolulu 6%. Freshwater fish accounted for approximately 96% of the total volume and 80% of the value of the imports. Most freshwater ornamental fish were farm-raised and imported from Southeast Asia. Most U.S. exports of ornamental fish were cultured in the state of Florida. Although saltwater fish had a high market value (20% of the declared value of the imports), the volume of these fish was only 4%. Most imported and exported saltwater ornamental fish were collected from the wild. Of the 1,539 species declared as ornamental fish, 32 species dominated the trade. These were all of freshwater origin. The guppy Poecilia reticulala and neon tetra Paracheirodon innesi were the most popular ornamental fish kept in U.S. households. The average prices paid for imported ornamental freshwater fish were 45 cents for egg layers and 22 cents for live bearers. The results of this study document the importance of the ornamental fish industry and identifies the most valuable species in the trade for potential domestic culture and protection in the wild.     

Ornamental Fish Industry in Sri Lanka: Present Status and Future Trends

The aquarium fish industry in Sri Lanka has become a valuable foreign exchange earner during the past few years, earning Rs. 530 million in 1998. Sri Lankan ornamental fish exports for the international market include locally wild caught marine, brackish-water and freshwater species as well as captive bred freshwater fish. Presently, there are about 18 registered aquarium fish exporters and together they currently contribute approximately 1% of the world's demand for ornamental fish. Of the freshwater fish species exported from Sri Lanka, the guppy ranks the highest (67% by number), followed by swordtails, angels, platies and various species of tetras. This study aims to assess the present status and future trends in the ornamental fish industry in Sri Lanka; to overview the present fish production system which caters for the international market; and to identify present constraints within the industry. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The effects of illumination and daily number of collections on fry yields in guppy breeding tanks

Substantial loss of fry to cannibalism by brood-fish occurs in live-bearing ornamental fish farms. Previous results demonstrated that fry yields in breeding tanks of the guppy fish (Poecilia reticulata) can be increased by attracting the newborns by a light stimulus into net baskets from which they are collected. In the present study the effects of the number of daily collections and timing of lighting on fry yield in breeding tanks in the laboratory were tested. No difference in fry yield was found between one and two daily collections, and no effect of the timing of lighting (lighting during the day versus during the night). Contrasting of the morning and afternoon collections within the two-collection treatment under day lighting versus night lighting revealed that more fry were collected when the collection followed the lighting period than the no-lighting period. Experiments conducted in commercial farms revealed no difference in fry yields between one and two daily collections when the baskets were illuminated, concurring with the laboratory results. The farm experiments demonstrated that without illumination there is an advantage for two collections over one collection. Taken together, the results showed that the novel method of using light to attract newborn guppies into mesh baskets have a double benefit; it increases fry yields and concurrently lessens the labor required to harvest maximal fry yields in guppy breeding tanks.     

Culture of the guppy, Poecilia reticulata, in Singapore

Singapore is known internationally as a breeding centre for the guppy, Poecilia reticulata. About 30 domesticated colour pattern and tail shape varieties are reared, mainly for export. The culture of these varieties at two rural and eight resettled farms is described. All farms are small family concerns. The resettled farms practise monoculture of guppies while the rural ones integrated farming. Guppies are reared in large, shallow, outdoor, cement tanks and nylon cage-nets suspended in ponds. Water in aquaria and ponds has salinities from 0.5 to 9.0‰, at neutral or alkaline pH of 7.0 to 8.3. The sizes and stocking densities of aquaria and nets vary within and between farms. In breeding tanks, a male to female sex ratio of 1:3, 1:4 or 1:10 is maintained. Newborn fry are collected daily and placed in nursery aquaria. After 3 weeks, these fry are sexed: young males are transferred to grow-out cement tanks, and females to grow-out cagenets. Each farm has at least two ponds, one for water storage and the others for cagenet culture. Strains are cultured separately to maintain pure lines. Farmers improve colour patterns, size and fin shapes of the strains by continued mass selection. Four- to 6-month-old guppies are selected as brookstock and the rest which meet export quality are held in stocking aquaria and sold when demand arises.Each farmer prepares his own formulated diet for the fish. Supplemental foods like live tubificiids, commercial dried fish flakes, or floating pellets may be given to adults, and water fleas to fry. The rural farms add pig manure to fertilise the tanks.To remain viable in the future, farmers need to increase productivity by mechanising cleaning, draining, and filling tanks and ponds, feeding, and harvesting of the fish. This will cut down on labour and its increasing cost. Understanding the genetics of economically important characters will also help farmers produce higher quality and more exotic strains.     

Use of decapsulated Artemia cysts in ornamental fish culture

Two series of feeding experiments were conducted to study the feasibility of using decapsulated Artemia cysts for direct feeding to ornamental fish. The first series evaluated the dietary values of the dried and the brine decapsulated Artemia cysts against two conventional live feeds, Artemia nauplii and Moina for adults and fry of the guppy, Poecilia reticulata Peters. In the second series, brine cysts were used for feeding to fry of four other important ornamental fish species, viz. platy, Xiphophorus maculatus (Günther), swordtail, X. helleri (Heckel), molly, P. sphenops Cuvier & Valenciennes and black neon tetra, Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi Géry, and the results were compared with those fed Moina. Evaluation of the performance of the fish fed the various diets was based on stress resistance, growth and survival of the fish. Our findings indicated that decapsulated cysts could be used as a substitute for Artemia nauplii or Moina in freshwater ornamental fish culture. Apart from being a hygienic off‐the‐shelf feed, the direct use of the cysts also signifies a new area of application for low‐hatch cysts in the ornamental fish industry, with concomitant saving in feed costs.     

Use of endoscopy for gender and ovarian stage determinations in Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) grown in aquaculture

The Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) is native to the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea and the Azov Sea. It used to breed in the main incoming rivers, until dam construction in the mid 20th century blocked upriver spawning migration. Aquaculture of Russian sturgeon has only recently begun, prompted by their declining populations in natural habitats and the rise in meat and caviar prices. However, information on their gonadal development and puberty under culture conditions is incomplete.

Because sturgeons have no external sexual dimorphism and there are no external markers for sexing, internal examination of the gonads must be employed for gender identification as well as to monitor their development. The present study describes endoscopic and histological observations of the gonads of young Russian sturgeons aimed at identifying gender and monitoring ovarian developmental stage in females up to the age of 6 years, when they enter their first puberty cycle, as well as at 7 years of age, when they have completed vitellogenesis, under culture conditions. This information, as related to fish age and size, is of vital importance to commercial farming of Russian sturgeon for caviar production and reproduction.

For gonadal observations in both sexes, we used an endoscopic system consisting of a 4 mm, 14 cm long cystoscope sheath incorporated with fiber-optic light transmission, connected to a halogen cold light source and a miniature videocamera with a control unit attached to a color monitor. This system allowed us viewing of the fish's abdominal organs, and to save pictures of selected areas of the gonads on a computer as the fish's personal record. Ovarian biopsies were taken in parallel for histology at typical stages of gonadal development.

Gender could be identified with this system as early as at 3 years of age and the sex ratio under culture conditions of females, males and unidentified gender were 55, 40 and 5%, respectively.

Not only did large differences occur in the developmental stages of female of the same age group, but also ovarian development was highly asynchronous at the early vitellogenic stages. In late vitellogenesis, at the “gray egg” stage (1600–2600 μm diameter), the oocytes were quite regular in size and color, and remained so until the final stages of maturity.

Our study suggests that endoscopy is an efficient method for both gender identification at an early age, and for determination of gonadal development stage in sturgeon aquaculture. The ability to see the whole intact gonads of anesthetized fish can reveal important management and research information, with minimal damage or stress to the fish.     

Possible applications of modern fish larviculture technology to ornamental fish production

There has been rapid development in the marine foodfishlarviculture technology in Europe since the early eighties,especially in the flat fish, turbot and halibut, and the bass andbream species. The most significant improvements in the eightieswere the introduction of light control, artificial reproductiontechniques, appropriate water treatment and the use of rotifersand Artemia nauplii of specific sizes and in the late eightiesand early nineties the quality enhancement of live food organismsusing specific enrichment techniques. Present research is focusedon the implementation of several microbial techniques to improvethe hygiene of live prey and fish.Many of the modern larviculture techniques being used in marine foodfish could be adapted for application in the ornamental fish industry. For examples, research in the Onamental Fish Section, Primary Production Department, Singapore has demonstrated that the use of freshwater rotifers and Artemia nauplii would enable artificial rearing of Discus in the absence of the parent fish and improve the larval performance of Gouramis and Tetra larvae. The use of such small live food organisms is likely to facilitate breeding of new fish species with small larvae. Research has also indicated that the use of diets containing vitamin C and certain immuno-stimulants improved the stress resistance of guppy. Such techniques would have important application in the fish transport, an important aspect in the ornamental fish industry     

Application of sex reversal technology in ornamental fish culture

Many species of ornamental fish, includingboth egg-layers and livebearers, exhibit a marked sexualdimorphism due to the more pigmented bodies and larger finsusually observed in males. This results in male fish commandingup to four times the price of females. Because of this pricediscrepancy, the culture of monosex (all-male) stocks ofornamental fish could be of a significant economic advantage.This paper outlines the current sex reversal technology alreadydeveloped for several fish species important for aquaculture andexamines its potential applicability to ornamental fish culture.The methods to obtain all-male stocks include direct androgentreatment and the production of YY males. The direct approach iseasy to implement and straightforward. However, in somelivebearers such as the guppy, treatment of newly born fry iscomplicated because they already have sexually differentiatinggonads and the masculinization may be temporary. In this regard,the paper stresses the importance of correctly timing treatmentin relation to gonadal development to achieve permanentmasculinization     

Recent developments and improvements in ornamental fish packaging systems for air transport

Current ornamental fish packaging systems are characterized by very high fish loading densities and high metabolic wastes in the transport water after shipment. They focus mainly on management of the quality of transport water. Recent studies using the guppy as a model fish showed that post‐shipment mortality could be reduced through enhancement of the stress resistance of the fish, and hence emphases should also be placed on the preparation of the fish for transport and recovery of the fish after shipment. Farmers can contribute significantly by applying nutritional prophylaxis before harvesting. Exporters may use the salinity stress test to identify fish lots of good quality for transport, apply health prophylaxis to eradicate parasites and optimize other techniques such as starvation of the fish or addition of salt to the transport water to enhance the stress resistance of the fish. Importers may adopt proper acclimation procedure and allow fish to recover in low salinity water to reduce post‐shipment mortality. As the main bulk of post‐shipment mortality is stress‐mediated and occurs during the 1‐week recovery period, the industry should consider revising the basis of the current warranty system for their customers, from death on arrival to cumulative mortality at 7 days post shipment (or death after 7 days, DA7), in order to cut down fish losses after shipment.     

Short-term dietary supplementation with the microalga Parietochloris incisa enhances stress resistance in guppies Poecilia reticulata

Two trials were conducted to determine the effects of dietary enrichments with the microalga Parietochloris incisa , rich in arachidonic acid (ARA), on stress resistance in guppies Poecilia reticulata . The microalga was added to commercial diets as a neutral lipid (NL) extract and its fractions or as broken cells. Experimental diets were applied for a period of 14 days. In trial 1, commercial diets were supplemented with NL (containing 25 mg ARA and 0.11 mg β-carotene g⁻¹ feed), its triacylglycerol (TAG) fraction (containing 25 mg ARA g⁻¹ feed and no β-carotene) and the β-carotene fraction (containing 0.11 mg carotenoid g⁻¹ feed and minute amounts of ARA). Neutral lipid-fed fish demonstrated the highest resistance ( P <0.05) to osmotic stress (32-ppt NaCl), followed by fish fed with diets supplemented with TAG and β-carotene alone, which were more resistant than control ( P <0.05). In trial 2, fish fed diets supplemented with higher levels of broken alga (26.1 mg ARA g⁻¹ feed) were more resistant ( P <0.05) to stress as compared with fish fed lower ARA (16.3 mg g g⁻¹) or an unsupplemented control diet. We suggest a dietary supplementation with broken P. incisa cells to enhance stress resistance in guppies before a stressful event.     

Using attraction to light to decrease cannibalism and increase fry production in guppy (Poecilia reticulata Peters) hatcheries. II: the effects of light and cannibalistic adults

Predation of newborn fish by cannibalistic adults is a major cause of fry loss in guppy breeding tanks. The efficacy of using light to attract newborn guppies into a safe area, thereby reducing the cannibalism rate, was evaluated in aquaria. The aquaria were divided using small‐mesh netting into a section with adult fish and a safe section without adults, above which a light source was installed to attract the newborns. Both, the presence of cannibalistic adults and the light, increased the number of newborns in the safe section. The effect of the cannibals was pronounced during the day, and the effect of light seemed to be more pronounced at night. The presence of light significantly decreased cannibalism rate after 30 min, but not 16 h after the introduction of newborns. When tested with cannibalistic adults that have not been fed for 5 days prior to testing, cannibalism rate was higher and the effect of light on reducing cannibalism was evident both 30 min and 16 h after the introduction of newborns. The results demonstrated the potential efficacy of using white light in reducing cannibalism and increasing fry yields in guppy hatcheries.     

Using fish models to investigate the links between microbiome and social behaviour: The next step for translational microbiome research?

Recent research has revealed surprisingly important connections between animals’ microbiome and social behaviour. Social interactions can affect the composition and function of the microbiome; conversely, the microbiome affects social communication by influencing the hosts’ central nervous system and peripheral chemical communication. These discoveries set the stage for novel research focusing on the evolution and physiology of animal social behaviour in relation to microbial transmission strategies. Here, we discuss the emerging roles of teleost fish models and their potential for advancing research fields, linked to sociality and microbial regulation. We argue that fish models, such as the zebrafish (Danio rerio, Cyprinidae), sticklebacks (?Gasterosteidae), guppies (Poeciliidae) and cleaner–client dyads (e.g., obligate cleaner fish from the Labridae and Gobiidae families and their visiting clientele), will provide valuable insights into the roles of microbiome in shaping social behaviour and vice versa, while also being of direct relevance to the food and ornamental fish trades. The diversity of fish behaviour warrants more interdisciplinary research, including microbiome studies, which should have a strong ecological (field‐derived) approach, together with laboratory‐based cognitive and neurobiological experimentation. The implications of such integrated approaches may be of translational relevance, opening new avenues for future investigation using fish models.     

Use of avoidance response by rainbow trout to carbon dioxide for fish self-transfer between tanks

Convenient, economical, and reduced labor fish harvest and transfer systems are required to realize operating cost savings that can be achieved with the use of much larger and deeper circular culture tanks. To achieve these goals, we developed a new technology for transferring fish based on their avoidance behavior to elevated concentrations of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO₂). We observed this behavioral response during controlled, replicated experiments that showed dissolved CO₂ concentrations of 60–120 mg/L induced rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to swim out of their 11 m³ “growout” tank, through a transfer pipe carrying a flow with ≤23 mg/L dissolved CO₂, into a second 11 m³ “harvest” tank. The research was conducted using separate groups of rainbow trout held at commercially relevant densities (40–60 kg/m³). The average weight of fish ranged from 0.15 to 1.3 kg during the various trials. In all trials that used a constant flow of low CO₂ water (≤23 mg/L) entering the growout tank from the harvest tank, approximately 80–90% of the fish swam from the growout tank, through the transfer pipe, and into the harvest tank after the CO₂ concentration in the growout tank had exceeded 60 mg/L. The fish that remained in the growout tank stayed within the area of relatively low CO₂ water at the entrance of the transfer pipe. However, the rate of fish transfer from the growout tank to the harvest tank was more than doubled when the diameter of the transfer pipe was increased from 203 to 406 mm. To consistently achieve fish transfer efficiencies of 99%, water flow rate through the fish transfer pipe had to be reduced to 10–20% of the original flow just before the conclusion of each trial. Reducing the flow of relatively low CO₂ water near the end of each fish transfer event, restricted the zone of relatively low CO₂ water about the entrance of the fish transfer pipe, and provided the stimulus for all but a few remaining fish to swim out of the growout tank. Results indicate that the CO₂ avoidance technique can provide a convenient, efficient, more economical, and reduced labor approach for fish transfer, especially in applications using large and well mixed circular culture tanks.     

Treatment development for systemic Tetrahymena sp. infection in guppies,Poecilia reticulata Peters

Antibacterial and antiparasitic agents and a cysteine protease inhibitor (E‐64) were tested against Tetrahymena infection, a serious problem in guppy production worldwide. Chemicals were tested in vitro by a colorimetric assay for Tetrahymena survival. The most effective were niclosamide, albendazole and chloroquine, with 23%, 35% and 60% survival, respectively, following 2‐h exposure to 100 ppm. Longer incubation periods resulted in greater reductions in survival. Niclosamide was further studied in vivo at different dosages, administered orally to Tetrahymena‐infected guppies. Mortality rates were significantly lower in all treatment groups; in trial I, 30% and 33% mortality in 5 and 40 mg kg^?1 niclosamide‐fed fish vs. 59% mortality in controls; in trial II, 35%, 13% and 10% in 50, 100 and 200 mg kg^?1 niclosamide‐fed fish vs. 64% in controls. The effect of the cysteine protease inhibitor E64 was tested in tissue culture, by measuring histolytic activity of the parasite (Tet‐NI) on a guppy‐fin cell line, based on cell depletion. Tet‐NI feeding activity was significantly reduced following pretreatment with E‐64 relative to non‐treated Tet‐NI. E‐64‐pretreated Tet‐NI was injected i.p. into guppies: recorded mortality rates were significantly lower (35%) than that in non‐treated Tet‐NI (60%), suggesting inhibition of the parasite’s cysteine protease as a possible therapeutic approach.     

Health Status of Ornamental Freshwater Fishes Imported to South Africa: A Pilot Study

Keeping fish is a popular pastime in South Africa and the majority of ornamental fish are imported. A pilot study was initiated to examine the health status of ornamental freshwater fishes imported to South Africa. Four groups of thirty fish each were examined for the presence of external parasites, and processed for virus isolation and for bacterial and mycobacterial culture. The groups consisted of goldfish (Carassius auratus), koi (Cyprinus carpio), guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and cardinal tetras (Cheirodon axelrodi). Mycobacterium fortuitum was isolated from the goldfish and koi. No other significant bacteria were isolated and virus culture was negative for all groups. Skin scrapings and wet gill preparations were made to detect external parasites. Parasites were identified from fixed material. External parasites included Trichodina mutabilis, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, ciliophorans of the genus Tetrahymena, and monogeneans belonging to the genera Dactylogyrus and Gyrodactylus. This is the first report of Trichodina mutabilis in South Africa. Diseases imported with ornamental fish pose a risk to both indigenous fish populations and the aquaculture industry. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Preliminary estimation of tropical ornamental fish metabolite production rates

The rational design of closed aquaculture systems requires data on metabolite production rates. The metabolite of primary concern is often ammonia. Ammonia formation rates for a number of tropical ornamental fish types and sizes were determined. Cyprinus carpio, Barbus conchonius, Pseudotropheus auratus and Carassius auratus auratus were used as representative egg-layers while Xiphophorus variatus and Xiphophorus helleri represented the live-bearers. Specific metabolite production rates, R′, were determined not only in terms of mass of fish but also the amount of feed. For instance, R′ (Amm-N) for 1.33 g unit size Barbus conchonius was determined to be 155.9 mg Amm-N kg-fish⁻¹% feed⁻¹ day⁻¹. In an attempt to produce a general model for all the ornamental fish investigated, all values of R′ obtained were correlated with fish sizes to produce an equation R′ (Amm-N) = 1.57-[30×log(itUW)] where UW = unit fish size.     

Strategies and technologies in offshore farming

A more restrictive attitude to inshore farming, in addition to positive biological findings among offshore farmed fish, have increased the demand for suitable offshore fish farming cages/systems.

To develop such a cage/system, the requirements of the fish, the fish farmer, the insurance companies, the authorities and the moorings must be considered. The existing offshore concepts can be classified into: (1) simple flexible one-net bag cages; (2) integrated stiff semi-submersible one-net bag constructions; (3) simple stiff poly-net bag cages; (4) integrated stiff poly-net bag constructions; (5) submersible and submerged cages. An example from each group is described.

The Bridgestone cage and the Farmocean system, the only offshore concepts that have been in commercial use for some years, are compared with respect to strength and management. The other concepts are evaluated in various parts.

A suitable offshore concept should, in general, consist of a stable, strong and safe platform that should be easy and safe to tow, moor and board. It should allow a proper attachment of the net bag (preferably round, 15 m deep and 5000 m³ in volume), and guarantee its strength and shape during all weather conditions. The fish should be fed by means of a computer-controlled automatic feeder.

Faster growth, lowered mortality and reduced visceral fat content are reported among offshore farmed fish compared with those farmed inshore. A lower degree of self-pollution will also be a consequence of moving larger and deeper cages/systems offshore.

The tentative rules for the type approval of floating fish farming units that have been presented by “Det norske Veritas” (DnV) in Norway will be positive for the fish farming business if it starts to be valid and cover the rest of the fish farming countries.

Despite the higher investment required for the offshore cages/systems, it has been indicated that there is a better economic result and that the cost of producing 1 kg of fish is lower than in conventional fish farms.

As the single-net bag concept represents a lower risk for the fish farmer, insurance company and veterinary authority, it will probably be the preferred concept.