Mowi helps make an impact in breeding and nutrition - Fish Breeding
Three EU research projects as part of the Horizon 2020 (H2020) scheme, are now well-underway with Mowi’s participation.
The largest of these in terms of Mowi’s involvement is AquaIMPACT.
AquaIMPACT is a major effort to integrate fish breeding and nutrition to increase the competitiveness of the EU’s aquaculture industry, including Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, gilthead seabream and European seabass. It is hoped that this will ensure food and nutrition security and satisfy consumer demands for high-quality seafood with limited environmental impact.
AquaIMPACT will develop products and services based on genomic selection for the European aquaculture breeding industry, with a focus on cost-efficient trait recording and genotyping, and selection for traits that can only be recorded under commercial conditions. Through this, nutrition and feeding strategies will be upscaled and tailor-made specifically for genetically improved fish arising from breeding programmes that have incorporated emerging ingredients, essential nutrients and appropriate additives.
The use of genomic technologies will be economically optimised and applied in combination with the nutritional and digital solutions demonstrated to produce more robust, healthy, nutritious and resource-efficient fish. In turn, this will promote industrial practices of re-circular bioeconomy, zero-waste and more efficient use of natural resources.
Mowi Feed and Mowi Breeding are taking part in the AquaIMPACT project by hosting trials in Mowi’s Feed facilities in Ardnish, Scotland, and Averøy, Norway.
In summer 2021, the trial in Averøy concluded and now researchers from NOFIMA are analysing the samples collected while the Mowi Breeding team analyses the data. The trial in Ardnish is ongoing until May 2022.
Both trials will focus on the interaction between diet and genetic selection for improving pigmentation.
Mowi will report back on the outcomes of these trials.
To find out more about Mowi’s involvement in other Horizon 2020 projects, please follow the links below.