LEEI-FA | WOLFFISH

LEEI-FA | WOLFFISH

What is the aim of this initiative?

Europe needs to increase its aquaculture production, which today represents 18.8% of the total world production.

Control of reproduction and ecological knowledge of a species are crucial aspects of fish domestication and the formation of a sustainable aquaculture industry.

The marine fish aquaculture industry in Europe is dominated in the North by Atlantic salmon (S. salar) and in the South by sea bream (S. aurata) and European sea bass (D. labrax). For emerging aquaculture species, challenges in successful reproduction and high quality gametes can affect egg supply and achieve economic viability.

This initiative focused on wolf fish, a valuable species in northern Europe, which is commercially produced on a small scale with future expansion dependent on addressing difficulties related to broodstock management.

This includes: short sperm supply, lack of gamete synchronisation, inability to recreate the best conditions for broodstock, insufficient control over spawning and lack of tools for broodstock selection. Therefore, the main objective of this bilateral initiative was to improve sperm management, contributing to welfare and reducing pressure on salvage breeders.

The Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR) is the promoter of the initiative with Nord University, Norway, as an associated partner. The knowledge generated in recent years on wolf fish reproduction by the Norwegian partner and the experience in techniques related to sperm management of the promoter of the initiative made this partnership a perfect combination to obtain successful results.

This initiative culminated with a report on the subject.

• Spotted wolffish, the fish species which has been studied between Portugal and Norway