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Since 1999, a Water Quality (WQ) programme run by KPMG, NIVA and NHL for Atlantic salmon farming, has studied nearly 130 hatcheries along the coastline of Norway, as well as farms in UK. Through the fry, parr and smolt stage, we have monitored raw water quality at normal and flood situations, and the results of water treatment and tank water quality on performance prior to sea, and 3 months after stocking in sea cages. Biomarkers like gill metal accumulation and antioxidant reactions in blood have been linked to water and gas pressure conditions and health status. For 2004, the program includes examination of deformities on the fry stage, as well metal analyses by passive samplers (DGTs) and in situ fractionation. The WQ programme has led to a Research Programme financed by The Norwegian Research Council (NFR) and the Fishery and Aquaculture Industry Research Fund (FHF), where detail studies on fish performance in intensive farming (low specific water flow, high PaO₂ and PaCO₂) include growth, osmoregulation, antioxidant responses, deformities, cataract and disease studies (IPN). A monitoring programme for other marine species is being developed, focusing on the intensive recirculation environment at hatcheries and land based on growing facilities for these species. The negative effects of too intensive farming conditions will be demonstrated at the meeting.

Dr. Bjorn Olav Rosseland is a fish physiologist and Professor in Ecotoxicology and Co-ordinator of Aquaculture Environment and Production Technology in the Akvaforsk-alliance at the Agricultural University of Norway (NLH). He holds a part time position as Senior Scientist at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA). He has been working with water quality criteria for fish related to acid water and micropollutants in natural ecosystems and aquaculture since 1975. He has coordinated fish studies in 5 EU-projects. He has more than 200 scientific publications, and is a member of The European Academy of Sciences.

Contact Details : Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management ; The Agricultural University of Norway, NLH ; Urbygningen, Ole Sverres plass 1 ; P.O. Box 5003 ; N-1432 Ås ; Norway ; Phone: +47-64948489 ; Fax:  +47-94848502 ; bjorn.rosseland@ina.nlh.no