Fish are an important component of a healthy diet and regular consumption helps the combat against obesity-related diseases, the No. 1 cost to health services in the European Union. Consumer demand for seafood is mounting steadily. However, as the tonnage of landed ocean fish declines almost yearly, for a variety of reasons, Europe's fish farmers have struggled to fill the gap. European Union fish farming generated revenues exceeding 2 million euros in 2002, on over 600,000 tons produced [estimate for EU25], and accounts now for about 15% of total EU fish production, up from 12% in 2002. Since many hatcheries are already working to full capacity, one of the best ways to improve production is to increase their performance and efficiency.

Needs for research in reducing malformations

During 2003-2004, the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) conducted a series of small workshops to assess the health of Europe's varied fish-farming sectors. During these gatherings, hatchery managers from across Europe reported high levels of skeletal, backbone and gill malformations in fingerlings – juvenile fish about the size of a human finger. Since malformed fish can't be sold to consumers, and thus have to be discarded, they represent a major source of financial losses for SME hatcheries and growers. Another related problem that came up was that food conversion efficiency had decreased, i.e., production efficiency had declined, because stressed, malformed fish consume more food. The chief conclusion of FEAP's workshops was that a major study was needed to assess these problems and find solutions.

Malformation in wild fish versus farmed fish

On the question of abnormalities caused by the rate of growth, no evidence exists for this hypothesis. While abnormalities are sometimes found in farmed fish, these also occur in wild populations. However, a key difference is that the fish farmers monitor their fish and remove any with abnormalities, so we are more aware of them. We are investigating the causes of any abnormalities and these seem to be multi-factorial, that is the result of several factors such as combinations of environment and husbandry plus other possible influences. They are unusual, which makes tracing the causal factors more difficult. It is a very interesting issue but is not a direct result of improper farming practices.

Since fish don't have selective digestive processes like humans, they assimilate what they eat. An incomplete diet will thus be reflected in the state of the adult fish. The question is, at what point does this happen, at the egg, larvae or fingerling stage? Scientists will concentrate on early-life nutritional quality and its impact on bone mineralisation of both starter and grower diets. They will consider the hatcheries' physical conditions: tank design, gas supplementation, hydrodynamics and temperature. What direction do the fish swim in? How much light do they get?

The Collective project is the sector's first such large study. Unlike chicken farming, which uses the same species throughout the industry, fish farming deals with many different species, providing a complex problem. For example, the biological parameters affecting morphological development of salmon are very different from those of bream or bass. Much less work has been done to study fish than has been made on chickens – not surprising, since poultry is sold in far higher volumes.

Objective No. 1

Objective No. 1 is to provide SME growers with practical guidelines on how to avoid malformations, for better quality fish and better production yields. Fingerlings make up as much as 20% of the overall costs for growers in some sectors. Reducing that cost can lead to lower consumer prices for fish. Another possible result could be the supply of more effective, healthier fish feeds.

The project will also have impact on other levels:

The fish: Animal welfare considerations

Fish welfare is the subject of a Draft Convention of the Council of Europe and livestock rearing conditions are of increasing public importance; both the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) and Codex Alimentarius are also investigating this issue.

The concept of the incidence of malformation and rearing malformed fish is not acceptable to the general considerations of welfare and, therefore, this project addresses a very important issue within this domain. The reduction of malformed fish, particularly within the ongrowing part, addresses an integral element of welfare – since malformed fish may be subject to higher stress than normal fish.

Community social objectives:

The fish farming sector is rural and coastal in nature, providing valuable year-round jobs to many different professionally qualified personnel and staff. Hatcheries are relatively labour-intensive and the procedures are highly skilled in nature. It is thus that this sector of the aquaculture industry provides jobs to Europeans of all profiles but fulfils the objective of a ‘knowledge-based’ sector for Europe.

Aquaculture hatcheries, in particular, provide many jobs to women technicians and biologists – some 50% of the hatchery workforce in some SMEs.

There are over 500 professional hatcheries operating in Europe, employing an estimated 4,000 personnel, of which some 1400 are women.

Worldwide benefit

The results from the project will also have far-reaching benefits to aquaculture in other areas, especially in Asia and South-America.