Organic Aquaculture - the linkage between sustainable production and superior products

This project will contribute to the successful establishment of organic trout farming in Denmark. It will develop and optimise new recipes for organic fish feeds with high levels of organic vegetable protein of Danish origin. These will be fed to trout to investigate feed quality as digestibility, effects on the environment, feed conversion, and growth. Effects of the feeds upon general health and welfare, and immunocompetence (vaccination efficacy), will be assessed. Objective sensory and biochemical analyses will provide an overall picture of the eating quality of trout raised with the new organic feeds at an organic farm. Consumer preference for trout with pale coloured meat will be explored, plus other market issues for organic trout (supply chain, traceability, export). Results will be disseminated to industry, consumers and regulatory authorities with open workshops. Guidelines will be prepared for optimal rearing and marketing of organic trout.