This project is funded by the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (FHF).
Nofima
Nofima has presented the project 'Performance of Large Smolt in the Sea Phase' (PreSSS), funded by the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (FHF), which aims to prevent large smolt from entering the sea in poorer condition than traditional smolt.
The 2025 Fish Health Report indicates that certain production disorders continue to be common when fish remain longer in land-based facilities. Based on these findings, recommendations can be developed to help identify and prevent production disorders associated with extended land-based rearing periods.
Specifically, researchers are analyzing how the size and timing of release affect performance during the marine phase, as well as conducting sampling across several different large smolt production systems, from the hatchery stage and throughout the marine phase until harvest.
"Concerning the heart, we have not yet analyzed all the sample material, but we are observing a relatively high incidence of abnormal hearts before and immediately after sea transfer in the groups analyzed so far. It is interesting that the prevalence of different deformities appears to vary between the different groups," explained Ida Beitnes from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
Additionally, deformities such as classic vertebral fusions, cross-stitch vertebrae, and short vertebrae (platyspondyli), and changes in the head, jaw, and ribs, have been detected. The incidence of these conditions decreases in most groups after the fish are transferred to the sea.
In this project, DNV, NORCE AS, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), and Cermaq Group AS act as partners, together with several industry collaborators who provide production data and fish for sampling.
