AEI

Aquaculture Environment Interactions

AEI is a gold Open Access journal and a multidisciplinary forum for primary research studies on the environmental sustainability of aquaculture.

Online: ISSN 1869-7534

Print: ISSN 1869-215X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/aei

Impact Factor2.5 (JCR 2025 release)

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Volume contents
Aquacult Environ Interact 5:155-162 (2014)

Triploid (sterile) farmed Atlantic salmon males attempt to spawn with wild females

ABSTRACT: Genetic interaction between farmed escapees and wild conspecifics represents one of the major environmental challenges faced by the Atlantic salmon aquaculture industry. In order to mitigate genetic interactions, triploid (sterile) farmed fish can be produced. However, triploids may still develop secondary sexual characteristics, and potentially attempt to spawn with wild fish. Here, triploid farmed salmon males were placed into 2 spawning arenas containing either a wild and a farmed female, or a wild and a farmed female and wild males. Qualitative observations demonstrated that triploid male Atlantic salmon displayed the full range of spawning behaviors of wild males, and stimulated the wild female to spawn in the absence of wild males. Quantitative aspects of the observed behaviors, such as their frequency among triploid males and the competitive ability of farmed triploid males compared with diploid farmed and wild males, require investigation before full-scale production of triploid salmon is initiated commercially.

KEYWORDS

P. G. Fjelldal (Corresponding Author)

  • Institute of Marine Research, Matre Aquaculture Research Station, 5984 Matredal, Norway
pergf@imr.no

V. Wennevik (Co-author)

  • Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway

I. A. Fleming (Co-author)

  • Fish Evolutionary Ecology Research Group and Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador A1C 5S7, Canada

T. Hansen (Co-author)

  • Institute of Marine Research, Matre Aquaculture Research Station, 5984 Matredal, Norway

K. A. Glover (Co-author)

  • Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway