Leteisha Prescott
Thesis Topic
The effects of sustained swimming on long-term changes to Chinook salmon form and composition.
PhD Start Date
July 2021
PhD Project Objectives
Recently, New Zealand King salmon aquaculture has proposed to move their salmon farming to offshore sites. This means the salmon, which have been genetically selected for current farming conditions, will be exposed to high energy environments.
This PhD project, a collaboration with Cawthron Institute, UTAS and Skretting, aims to determine how sustained swimming at increased velocities may cause changes to Chinook salmon form, function, and chemical characteristics.
Outcomes generated from this PhD, such as changes to product quality, nutritional requirements, and sustained swimming abilities, will indicate necessary changes to commercial practice required to transition salmon farming to high energy environments while continuing to produce high-quality King salmon.
COMPLETED THESIS
December 2024: The effects of sustained swimming on long-term changes to Chinook salmon form and function
RELATED NEWS
Published articles
Aquaculture, Elsevier
Prescott, LA, Canepa, MM, Symonds, JE, Walker, SP, Miller, MR, Semmens, JM & Carter, CG 2025, ‘Consequences of long-term circular swimming on growth, muscle physiology, and lateral symmetry in Chinook salmon’, Aquaculture, Elsevier, p. 742423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742423
Genetics Selection Evolution
Genetic parameters and genotype‑by‑environment interaction estimates for growth and feed efficiency related traits in Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, reared under low and moderate flow regimes. DOWNLOAD PAPER
Aquaculture, Elsevier
Prescott, L.A., Symonds, J.E., Walker, S.P., Miller, M.R., Swift, L., Herbert, N.A., Semmens, J.M. and Carter, C.G., 2024. The mismatch between swimming speeds and flow regimes when optimising exercise regimes to improve Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, performance. Aquaculture, p.740705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2024.740705
Aquaculture, Elsevier
Long-term sustained swimming improves swimming performance in Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, with and without spinal scoliosis. (2023). Aquaculture, [online] 574, p.739629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2023.739629
Blue Economy CRC workshop presentation: Aspects of Atlantic Salmon Biology
9th August, 2023, Hobart
Biography
I earned my Bachelor of Science and Masters of Research at James Cook University in Marine Biology, where I focused on early respiratory and ionoregulatory development in coral reef fish embryos. Since then, I have attained several research assistant positions, where I was involved in studies focusing on fish, algae and mice. I am now based at Cawthron Institute in Nelson, New Zealand, where I am undertaking my PhD. Outside of work, I enjoy playing netball, hanging out at the beach and camping.
Supervisory Team
Primary Supervisor: Professor Chris Carter
University of Tasmania
Co-Supervisor: Dr Matt Miller
Cawthron Institute
Co-Supervisor: Professor Jayson Semmens
University of Tasmania
Research Advisor: Dr. Jane Symonds
Cawthron Institute
2024 Participants Workshop Poster
As part of the 2024 Participants Workshop, our PhD Scholars exhibited a poster on their research.
