Fish farming practices in the UK

Question 1

Aquaculture

Answer 1

• The farming of aquatic organisms including fish, mollusc, crustaceans, reptiles, mammals and aquatic plants for commercial and recreational purposes

Question 2

Fish farming

Answer 2

• Raising fish for commercial purposes, particularly for food

Question 3

Fisheries

Answer 3

• The science of sourcing fish and other aquatic resources from natural
environment for commercial and recreational purposes

Question 4

Seafood

Answer 4

Aquatic animals caught or farmed for human consumption in marine and freshwater settings

Question 5

Fish farming can play a major role in;

Answer 5

• feeding growing world population

* meeting global food security

Question 6

Commercial fish farming industry in the UK

Answer 6

• Fish farming is a rapidly growing industry
• The youngest animal farming sector in the UK
• Total production in 2017 – 222, 249 tonnes, with value £590million
• Atlantic salmon dominates finfish production •It is a major player in the UK export economy
• Provide valuable employment in rural sector (e.g. Highlands and Islands)

Question 7

Fish farming systems - classification

Answer 7

1. Water conditions
2. Type of structure
3. Stocking density
4. Number of species cultured

Question 8

Water conditions

Answer 8

Salinity
1. Fresh water fish farming
2. Sea water fish farming (mariculture)
• Traditionally in-shore or off shore
• Now marine fish are cultured on-shore

Temperature of water

1. Cold water fish farming <20oC
2. Warm water fish farming >20oC

Question 9

Type of structure and water flow

Answer 9

Water flow management
• Static water
• Flow through systems
• Re-circulation systems
Cages
Raceways
Ponds/lakes/ reservoirs

Question 10

Stocking density

Answer 10

Extensive systems
• Minimum human intervention, low stocking density
•Semi-intensive systems
• Fish are with feed and Feed and fertilisation
• Intensive systems
• High stocking density, high level of input and management

Question 11

Monoculture

Answer 11

• Culture of single species

Question 12

• Polyculture

Answer 12

• Culture more than one species

Question 13

Types of fish farmed in the UK

Answer 13

• Trout – rainbow trout and brown trout
• Salmon – Atlantic salmon
^ Salmonids
• Carp – common carp breeds, Koi carp and Crucian carp
• Cleaner fish – wrasse and lump fish
• Other species – Arctic char, ells, sea bass, cod, halibut

Question 14

Trout farming in the UK

Answer 14

• Around 290 small to medium scale trout farms
• Geography - Central and southern Scotland, south England and North Yorkshire
• Average yearly production – 17,000 tonnes
• table use and sports fishery
• Containment - freshwater tanks, ponds, raceways, pens and marine pens
• Semi-intensive rearing practice
• Rearing conditions
• Clean water supply and flow • dissolved oxygen >8mg/L

Question 15

Production of trout

Answer 15

Using artificial breeding, hatcheries produce ova and milt from brood stock
Eggs are reared to produce fry Diploid trout
Triploid trout
Once fry become fingerlings they are sold on to producers to growing into restocking or table trout.

Question 16

Atlantic salmon

Answer 16

• Most farmed fish in the UK
• Commercial production only started in late 80s
• High impact on export economy
• Dominated by larger multinational companies
• Production sites are located in North West of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland
• Total production during 2018 was 156,025 tonnes
• Involve with fresh water and sea water stages

Question 17

Atlantic salmon – life cycle

Answer 17

Ova
Alevins
Fry
Parr
Smolt
Adult Salmon

Question 18

Salmon farm structures

Answer 18

Atlantic salmon farming method mimics fresh water sea water life cycle
• Fish are artificially spawned
• Freshwater-hatcheries and nurseries rear fry to pre-smolt
• Seawater-stock smolt in net‐pens and rear on growing to harvest (2yearsinthesea)

Question 19

Carp farming

Answer 19

• Carp is a popular coarse fish in the UK
• Hardy fish, gain weigh fast and can tolerate different water conditions
• Farmed extensively in purpose built or natural water bodies
• In hatchery phase they are farmed intensively

Question 20

Cleaner fish farming

Answer 20

Sea-lice infestation is the biggest threat salmon production

• Cleaner fish offers an attractive alternative biological method to the use of chemicals or medicines

Question 21

Lumpfish or lumpsuckers

Answer 21

• Small marine fish of the family Cyclopteridae.

* They are found in the cold waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans.

Question 22

Role of vets in aquaculture

Answer 22

• Diagnosticians and clinicians
• Health managers and farm managers
• Research and development (vaccines, feed, treatments)
• Training and teaching
• Government animal health control

Question 23

Fish farming in the UK

Answer 23

• Non-traditional animal farming sector
• Dominated by Scottish Atlantic salmon industry
• Had a rapid growth influencing export economy in the UK
• Other industries include trout and carp
• Compared to other sectors produce large numbers of animals, welfare status become paramount