Survival, growth and disease resistance in offspring of domesticated and wild Atlantic salmon and their hybrids

Escaped domesticated salmon and the consequences of gene flow into wild salmon populations is a major concern in Norwegian salmon farming and for management of wild salmon. The project will investigate the performance of offspring domesticated and wild At lantic salmon and their hybrids, and the ultimate causes for differences among the groups. A number of families will be compared in natural river habitat and in laboratory studies. Eggs will be incubated to the eyed egg stage in a hatchery, whereafter the major material will be transferred to and incubated in a natural river habitat. Studies in the river will focus on survival and growth to the smolt stage, and on the ultimate causes for potential differences. Special attention will be given to predatatio n mortality. Laboratory studies will focus on first feeding at low and high temperatures, and resistance to ISA, furunculosis and salmon louse.