Report of the 2005 ICES/NASCO Symposium on Interactions ...

NINA SPECIAL REPORT 34
investigated fur<strong>the</strong>r: snout tagging (coded wire tags) and a
stand-by, contingency approach, based on naturally
occurring characteristics <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fish. Based on <strong>the</strong>se
recommendations, a project group led by Dr. Øystein
Skaala, Institute <strong>of</strong> Marine Research, with specialists in
genetics, chemistry and population biology, has been put
toge<strong>the</strong>r. A steering group, jointly led by <strong>the</strong> Fisheries
Directorate and <strong>the</strong> Directorate for Nature Management,
was also put toge<strong>the</strong>r. A project has been designed to
test out <strong>the</strong> precision <strong>of</strong> methods that potentially can be
used for tracing escaped salmon back to sea pen <strong>of</strong> origin.
The focus is put on naturally occurring characteristics <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> fish, and a stand-by contingency approach. Samples <strong>of</strong>
salmon from all fish farms in <strong>the</strong> Hardangerfjord basin, and
escaped farmed salmon, will be collected. DNA pr<strong>of</strong>iles,
lipid acid pr<strong>of</strong>iles, trace element composition and stable
isotope composition will be established, and <strong>the</strong> usefulness
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> various methods in tracing <strong>the</strong> sea pen <strong>of</strong> origin <strong>of</strong>
escaped salmon will be investigated.
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