Flatfish
They know their plaice
Could this be the next species for commercial farming? BY VINCE MCDONAGH
T
RIALS aimed at breeding plaice under farming condi�ons have proved highly successful, less than two years a�er ge�ng underway. The results have even surprised the scien�sts at Norway’s Ins�tute of Marine Research (IMR), which is conduc�ng the experiment. Plaice may not be quite as fashionable as it was, say, in the 1970s (in the days before farmed salmon became plen�ful), but it remains a popular whitefish choice among diners. This is a fish that can live for up to 50 years. However, they are slow growers, which means wild stocks are under increasing pressure. So around two years ago the IMR decided it was to �me to see if they could breed successfully in cap�vity. It may surprise some people to learn that the first serious a�empt at plaice farming was carried out in 1945, just a�er the end of the Second World War. Fry produc�on was the main goal at the �me and the researchers managed to breed several thousand of them using live shrimp as feed. It was seen as a major breakthrough, although – un�l today – nothing much more was done a�er the 1940s. Back then there was an abundant supply from the sea so it failed to a�ract much interest from poten�al backers. Just over a year ago Fish Farmer magazine reported that trials into plaice farming had resumed, picking up where the 1940s researchers had le� off. Now the 21st century IMR team has just announced that their trials have produced very young fish with no disease, few deformi�es and virtually no serious mortality problems.
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Using past experience with halibut farming – one of the most difficult species to cul�vate – as a basis for the research, they seem to have created the perfect fry. IMR researcher Anders Magnor-Jensen says the results have been “absolutely fantas�c”. He adds: “Now we are le� with two family research groups that can give us a brood-stock for the future.” Magnor-Jensen is now following up the work on larger fish. As he explains: “Biologically, the experiment did present
www.fishfarmermagazine.com
13/10/2021 10:17:53
