SELECTIVE BREEDING PROGRAMS FOR BOOSTING ORGANIC FISH FARMING
Introduction and project objectives
One of the main obstacles to increase production in the European aquaculture sector today is the high mortality and welfare challenges associated with diseases in conventional farming systems. Conventional farming is also challenged by high CO2-emissions from feed production and environmental pollution from e.g. feed residues, with negative impacts on climate, eutrophication and wild biodiversity1,2,3,4. Thus, further growth of the sector requires a green transition and stronger actions on improving fish welfare. Organic aquaculture may play a major role, as stressed in the European Green Deal5 and Farm to Fork Strategy6.
To our knowledge, only a few breeding programs currently fully meet organic standards in European finfish aquaculture. The current low demand and income from sales of organic juveniles makes the sale of organic seed to fish farmers less profitable for breeding actors. It is therefore necessary to get further insights on how to implement cost-effective breeding programs for organic aquaculture.
The overall objective of the SelectOrganic project is to develop selective breeding programs for the organic farming of European seabass, gilthead seabream, rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon, respecting high animal welfare requirements and aiming at improving species resilience, disease resistance, product quality and resource efficiency. Furthermore, we aim for fish utilizing as much alternative feed materials as possible.
Organisation of project work
The critical areas that SelectOrganic will push beyond the state of the art are: i) advancing a broad set of methodologies from defining breeding goals for organic aquaculture to include non-market values of public goods (e.g. low environmental impact), ii) phenotyping and validating fish health, welfare and stress resilience using conventional welfare indicators and innovative sensor technology, and iii) innovative alternative feed materials, reproductive strategies and breeding designs. Finally, new knowledge, methods, technologies and breeding strategies will be utilized and integrated into holistic plans for breeding programs for organic aquaculture as shown in Figure 1. Socioeconomic studies on market dynamics, fish welfare, environmental valuations and regulatory frameworks, together with breeding strategies involving a broad range of actors, will ensure realistic and successful implementation. Hence, we foresee substantial impact and expanded organic aquaculture in Europe.
Figure 1 Overall technical workplan (WP2-WP6) for SelectOrganic
Results and expected Impact
Preliminary results from a review and qualified inventory of gaps and challenges faced by organic selection programs will be presented. This will include prioritized selected traits of economic and welfare importance for improvement in selective breeding programs for organic fish, together with an assessment of their relevance and applicability within the European organic regulatory framework.
All project deliverables will drive research and innovation-based development by increasing genetic gain in growth, feed efficiency using alternative feed materials, product quality and survival from bacterial infections and heat waves. We expect to enhance competitiveness and growth of the aquaculture industry and stimulate consumer demand for, and sales of seafood.
Acknowledgment
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program (Grant No. 101182188).
References
1. Moldal, T, Wiik-Nielsen, J, Oliveira, VHS, Svendsen, JC og Sommerset, I. (2026). Fiskehelserapporten 2025, Veterinærinstituttets rapportserie nr. 5a/2026, (Norwegian) Fiskehelserapporten 2025
2. Sherry, J. & Koester, J. (2020). Life Cycle Assessment of Aquaculture stewardship Council Certified Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar). Sustainability 2020, 12, 6079. doi/10.3390/su12156079
3. Pelletier N, et al. (2009). Not All Salmon Are Created Equal: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Global Salmon farming systems. Environmental Science & Technology, 43(23):8730-6. doi.org/10.1021/es9010114
4. Wang, C. D., & Olsen, Y. (2023). Quantifying regional feed utilization, production and nutrient waste emission of Norwegian salmon cage aquaculture. Aquacult Environ Interact, 15, 231-249. 10.3354/aei00463
5. EC. 2019. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1588580774040&uri=CELEX%3A52019DC0640
6. EC. 2020. A Farm to Fork Strategy. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0381