Solid inorganic carbonate excretion in salmonid aquaculture; implications for carbon footprint and production technology shifts.

Norwegian salmonid aquaculture has a comparatively low carbon footprint, but is still by sheer volume a significant contributor in Norway. The newly discovered mechanism of solid inorganic carbon excretion by teleost fish may constitute a significant carbon sink/storage mechanism that may reduce the overall carbon footprint of the industry. Transfer to production technology that is overall more sustainable may be facilitated by increased inorganic carbon storage in such systems. We aim at adressing this emerging issue by performing theoretical calculations of current carbon storage effect of Norwegian aquaculture production, and calculate the potential increased carbon storage obtained by implementing new production technology. International collaboration with leading scientists within the field of physiology and climate will ensure quality of the deliverables, witch in addition to acientific papares and technical reports on the calculations will include a reasarch application adressing mechanisms, methodology for quantification and the effects of other environmental parameters on the process