Bigger, leaner, firmer: two Kiwi scientists have decided that fit fish are tasty fish, so have invented a way of persuading farmed salmon to exercise around the clock.
The technology, called OptoSwim, uses flashing LED lights to trick the fish into thinking the water is moving so they swim to keep up.
Its creators, Dr Neill Herbert and Sunil Kudri from the University of Auckland, found the exercise boosted fish growth by 34 per cent and reduced the amount of feed needed by 20 per cent.
"It's behavioural trickery," says Herbert. "Generally fish activity in tanks diminishes over time, they become sluggish. We find putting them on a 24- hour exercise regime is key. Fish can exercise non-stop and still grow."
He dismissed concerns over the welfare of the fish. "Some people think that it sounds unethical but these salmon are used to traversing oceans." Exercise halves the stress hormones in the blood.
Animal welfare advocate Hans Kriek says he welcomes any methods that improve the life quality of farmed animals, but is firmly against factory farming. "Keeping salmon in highly concentrated numbers in a small space is no different to hens in cages and pigs in sow crates," Kriek says.
NZ King Salmon says the company is looking into trialling the technology.
Fish pass fitness taste test
A fit fish is a tasty fish. Photo / Thinkstock
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