SelectOrganic · Development of selective breeding programs for boosting organic fish farming that respect high animal welfare requirements, maintain biodiversity and improve fish health and resource efficiency

The overall objective for SelectOrganic is to develop selective breeding programs for the organic farming of European sea bass, 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 at fish utilizing as much alternative feed materials as possible. This will contribute to “develop and improve good practices in organic aquaculture, make sustainable use of biodiversity"".Four Case Studies are outlined with different tasks in 5 WPs. Each case study addresses each of the four key species above and specific traits of economic and welfare importance in addition to key challenges in organic aquaculture. We will define breeding objectives, develop phenotyping of “new organic” traits, estimate genetic parameters and develop the required organic reproduction technology and selection methods to address critical knowledge gaps or challenges. A specific welfare auditing WP will exploit experiments from two other WPs on resource efficiency, bacterial disease resistance and heat wave resilience to test and apply species-specific fish welfare indicators. The project outcome will be technologies, methods, and strategies for selective breeding for organic fish farming, while maintaining genetic diversity and contributing to non-toxic environments and to maintain biodiversity. Finally, successful innovations, including many aiming at precision farming, will be integrated in cost-effective breeding plans for organic aquaculture. Socioeconomic studies on non-market valuation of public goods as fish welfare and ecosystem services in addition to policy incentives will involve a broad range of actors. Together with communication, dissemination, and training activities, this ensures successful exploitation and significant impact of the project output and expanded organic aquaculture in Europe.""