The salmon industry in Tasmania is economically significant, valued at over $1 billion AUD. This growth is partly due to the gains made from selectively breeding for desirable traits over the years. However, selective breeding for feed efficiency has been challenging due to the difficulties in measuring individual fish feed intake.

Feed costs make up a substantial part of production expenses in salmon farming, so enhancing feed efficiency is crucial for the economic and environmental sustainability of offshore aquaculture. This project builds on previous research that suggests traits like growth rate and body fat content may be linked to feed efficiency and aims to understand the drivers and mechanisms of feed efficiency in Atlantic salmon.

Using a translational approach, specific objectives include testing various methods of measuring feed intake, modelling growth performance across different genetic lines, and using OMICs technologies to uncover genetic and molecular mechanisms.

By optimizing feed efficiency, farmers can significantly lower operating expenses and this economic benefit is complemented by environmental advantages, as more efficient feed usage reduces the overall demand, decreasing the environmental impact of feed production and waste. Additionally, the project’s findings can be integrated into selective breeding programs, enabling long-term gains in productivity and sustainability, aligning with salmon aquaculture industry goals.