Optimisation and implementation of sterile triploid salmon in Scotland

The production and farming of triploid salmon, which are reproductively sterile, could be a highly beneficial culture option to industry to help prevent potential interbreeding between farmed escapees and wild salmon populations, thus allowing sustainable and environmentally sound aquaculture to be practiced whilst maintaining a food product of high nutritional quality and health status beneficial to the human diet. However, although triploid salmon can be easily produced, significant problems during culture have prevented the adoption of this technology within the farming sector.The proposed research seeks to overcome welfare concerns and production bottlenecks associated with the farming of reproductively sterile triploid Atlantic salmon in order to reduce the environmental impact and increase the sustainability of the aquaculture industry in the UK.