Participating organizations (WP leader in bold): P1. HCMR, P3. IRTA, P23. ARGO and P30. CULMAREX
The tasks will address the size variability presented during pre-growing, the effect of the rearing environment during cage rearing andthe development of an appropriate feeding system for the meagre.
Task 20.1 Size variability at juveniles. Size variability in juvenile pre-grow out makes regular grading essential to avoid cannibalism and grades of smaller fish may be related to poor performance when transferred to sea cages. Experiments will be carried out with meagre juveniles of a mixture of 5-6 known families, to simulate the commercial hatchery situation and in order to study differences in growth rate. Juvenile fish will be stocked in triplicate tanks at the same initial density and fed the same commercial diet. At the end of the experiment fish will be genetically characterised for parentage assignment (HCMR, Task 2.4 from WP2 Reproduction and genetics - meagre) to establish if differences in growth rate is a consequence of genetic origin).
Task 20.2 Effect of rearing environment
Task 20.3 Development of feeding methodology. The development of an appropriate feeding methodology will be implemented in 5 Steps (subtasks):
The tasks will address the size variability presented during pre-growing, the effect of the rearing environment during cage rearing andthe development of an appropriate feeding system for the meagre.
Task 20.1 Size variability at juveniles. Size variability in juvenile pre-grow out makes regular grading essential to avoid cannibalism and grades of smaller fish may be related to poor performance when transferred to sea cages. Experiments will be carried out with meagre juveniles of a mixture of 5-6 known families, to simulate the commercial hatchery situation and in order to study differences in growth rate. Juvenile fish will be stocked in triplicate tanks at the same initial density and fed the same commercial diet. At the end of the experiment fish will be genetically characterised for parentage assignment (HCMR, Task 2.4 from WP2 Reproduction and genetics - meagre) to establish if differences in growth rate is a consequence of genetic origin).
Task 20.2 Effect of rearing environment
- Sub-task 20.2.1 Effect of cage depth. Trials in 180 and 290 m3 cages will be performed in the HCMR pilot farm using two groups of sizes. In both cases the final stocking density will be 15 kg m3. The duration of each trial will be 8 months. Growth performance will be estimated with monthly samples while every second month haematological, biochemical, immunological, hormonal, evaluation will be performed. Also, the vertical distribution in cages will be monitored using an echo integrator.
- Sub-task 20.2.2 Effect of light intensity in the cage. Test cage rearing with and without shading at an SME farm applying standard commercial procedures for 2 rearing periods (each with 2 cages) with groups of different ages. Growth performance will be estimated on monthly basis, while the vertical distribution in cages will be monitored for a specific periods of time (2 weeks per trial) using an echo integrator.
Task 20.3 Development of feeding methodology. The development of an appropriate feeding methodology will be implemented in 5 Steps (subtasks):
- Sub-task 20.3.1 Test of different feeding stimuli (mechanical, optical etc).
- Sub-task 20.3.2 Test of different feeding methods.
- • Self feeder
- • Automatic feeding three times per day
- • Hand feeding
- Sub-task 20.3.3 Test in cages of 2 feed distribution methods.
- Sub-task 20.3.4 Comparison of hand and industrial demand type feeding in cages.
- Sub-task 20.3.5 Development of feeding system for industrial application
