SMOLTPRO

1. SMOLTPRO -sustainable smolt production, an integrated approach Jörgen I. Johnsson

2. WHAT IS SMOLTPRO? AIM BACKGROUND RESEARCH OUTREACH A four-year strategic project funded by the Swedish Research Council Formas Started in January 2010

3. WHAT IS SMOLTPRO? AIM BACKGROUND RESEARCH OUTREACH A four-year strategic project funded by the Swedish Research Council Formas Started in January 2010 Includes 17 senior researchers, 3 post-docs and 6 PhD students from Scandinavia and Canada

4. The SMOLTPRO team

5. Aims Aims To develop ecologically and ethically sound methods for supplementary rearing of salmonids, using a multidisciplinary approach

6. Aims To develop ecologically and ethically sound methods for supplementary rearing of salmonids, using a multidisciplinary approach To increase the socioeconomic returns of hatchery-produced salmon and trout in Sweden and Scandinavia

7. SMOLTPRO WG2 Post-release experiments WG1 Hatchery experimental design and sampling WG3 Meta analysis of existing data WG4 Stake holder interactions and outreach WG5 Economic and ethical analysis Development of new hatchery guidelines for sustainable smolt production

8. WHAT IS SMOLTPRO? AIM BACKGROUND RESEARCH Main questions Work groups Methods Model systems OUTREACH Experiments in full-scale model systems to evaluate the generality of effects across climate zones in the Baltic Sea, Kattegat and the North Sea

9. WHAT IS SMOLTPRO? AIM BACKGROUND RESEARCH Main questions Work groups Methods Model systems OUTREACH Norrforscompensatory hatchery and research facility by the River Umeälven. Managed by Experiments in full-scale model systems to evaluate the generality of effects across climate zones in the Baltic Sea, Kattegat and the North Sea

10. WHAT IS SMOLTPRO? AIM BACKGROUND RESEARCH Main questions Work groups Methods Model systems OUTREACH Älvkarleby Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences research station by the River Dalälven Experiments in full-scale model systems to evaluate the generality of effects across climate zones in the Baltic Sea, Kattegat and the North Sea

11. WHAT IS SMOLTPRO? AIM BACKGROUND RESEARCH Main questions Work groups Methods Model systems OUTREACH IMS The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) field station by the River Imsa Experiments in full-scale model systems to evaluate the generality of effects across climate zones in the Baltic Sea, Kattegat and the North Sea

12. WHAT IS SMOLTPRO? AIM BACKGROUND RESEARCH Main questions Work groups Methods Model systems OUTREACH DCV Randers The Danish Centre for Wild salmon (DCV) hatchery and research facility by the River Villestrup Experiments in full-scale model systems to evaluate the generality of effects across climate zones in the Baltic Sea, Kattegat and the North Sea

13. Manipulation of hatchery rearing Density Feeding strategies Structure “Personality”-sorting Tracking of movement patterns Behavioural observations and swim performance tests Regular monitoring and sampling Lab analysis of smolt physiology, stress levels, brain size, disease resistance and genetic traits Return rates

14. Structuralenrichment reduces stress and fin deterioration, and increases shelter-seekingbehaviour in pre-smolt Atlantic salmon Näslund et al. 2013 CJFAS

15. Feed reduction and starvation increases migration speed in two-year old Atlantic salmon smolt

16. Reduced rearing density strengthens intestinal primary barrier in one-year Atlantic salmon smolts Trans-epithelial Resistance

17. Reducedrearingdensityenhancesseaward migration in one-year old Atlantic salmon smolts

18. Reducedrearingdensityincreasesspawningreturnsafteroneseawinterin one-year old Atlantic salmon smolts 37 low-densitysalmon vs. 19 High-densitysalmon so far!

19. Summary I Reducedrearingdensity: generallyresults in improvedperformance • Reduced stress and fin damage • Strengthens the intestinalprimarybarrier • Adaptive behaviour (lifeskills) • Increased smolt migration • Increasedreturn rates(preliminaryresults) • Positive effectsneedto be evaluatedagainstincreasedproductioncosts (economicmodel)

20. Summary II Structuralenrichment: variableresults, positive effects in some studies • Reduced stress and fin damage • Increasedshelteringbehaviour • Interactiveeffectswithdensity? – further studies needed • Any positive effectsneedto be evaluatedagainstincreasedcleaningcosts and infection risks in the hatchery

21. Summary III Feedreduction: variableresults, depending on smolt size/age • No or negative effects on smolt migration in one-year old smolts • Positive effects on smolt migration on largertwo-year old smoIts • May be effective on larger smolts tostimulate migration behaviour • Further studies neededtodelimit under whichconditionsfeedreduction and/or starvationcan be useful

22. SMOLTPRO WG2 Post-release experiments WG1 Hatchery experimental design and sampling WG3 Meta analysis of existing data WG4 Stake holder interactions and outreach WG5 Economic and ethical analysis Development of new hatchery guidelines for sustainable smolt production

23. Final thoughts • So far, ourresultssuggestthat a reductionofconventional • rearingdensity is the mostpromising and general waytoincrease the • qualityofone-yearhatchery-producedsalmon smolts • Alternative modificationsofrearingmethods, e.g. structuralenrichment • and feedreductionmayalso be usefuldepending on localhatchery • conditions and smolt age/size. Further studies areneeded • In general, ourresultssuggestthat an increased focus on qualityrather • thanquantity is critical for sustainablesupplementary smolt production • If increased smolt qualityboostsreturn rates, willthiscompensate for the • increasedhatcheryproductioncosts? Economic analyses are on theirway • There is also an ethicalaspect: the goalofsupplementary smolt production • must be tominimize stress and allownaturalbehaviourto be expressed

24. Visit ourhomepage: http://www.smoltpro.science.gu.se/