USC researchers to help ‘climate-proof’ salmon
University of the Sunshine Coast researchers are taking part in an exciting scientific project to help “climate-proof” Tasmania’s $270 million salmon aquaculture industry.
The project, led by Griffith University in partnership with USC and Salmon Enterprises of Tasmania, recently gained $100,000 in funding from the Federal Government’s Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.
Researchers will examine the impact of temperature variations on Atlantic salmon breeding stock of different ages in a bid to improve the survival rate of eggs.
University of the Sunshine Coast’s Professor of Aquaculture Biotechnology Abigail Elizur will work with PhD student Kelli Anderson and Honours student Rebecca Morgan in researching the molecular physiology of the fish.
Professor Elizur said Atlantic salmon in Tasmania were grown and produced in water temperatures that were starting to approach their upper tolerance limits.
She said warmer temperatures are believed to affect the reproduction of salmon by reducing the structural integrity of the egg envelope, leading to what is termed “soft shells”.
“In our research, we are isolating the genes for the building blocks of the eggs and for the hormones which are associated with triggering the synthesis of these proteins,” Professor Elizur said.
“We are looking at the expression of the genes to see when the genes are triggered in the reproductive process and which ones are temperature-affected.
“It will involve the study of the genes encoding for four to five hormones and their receptors, about four to six proteins which make the egg envelope, and a couple of enzymes responsible for the synthesis of gonadal steroid hormones.
Professor Elizur said the salmon research project would have world-wide benefits.
“We want to come up with a practical outcome for the industry so they can improve on their management and procedures for the growth of their broodstock,” she said.
— Terry Walsh