Recent advances in biosensors offer increased opportunities to monitor the well-being of fish in aquaculture. However, before new biosensors are deployed, their suitability and possible applications need to be further investigated.
This study focused on how different physiological parameters in fish can be measured and how the measurement results can be used to assess fish welfare. By using small implanted devices, we were able to observe and analyse behavioural patterns and physiological changes in the fish. The parameters studied included heart rate, acceleration and oxygen consumption, all of which can provide valuable information on fish health and welfare.
The results showed that the acceleration of the fish was related to its swimming activity and that both heart rate and acceleration can be used to predict oxygen consumption, which is a measure of the fish's energy expenditure. We also found that certain physiological changes, such as increased oxygen consumption and increased levels of stress hormones in the blood, correlated with specific behavioural patterns in the fish.
Monitoring the behaviour of fish while measuring selected physiological parameters can thus give a good idea of their health and welfare. This is of great importance for the aquaculture sector, as it can help improve conditions for fish and reduce the risk of disease and other problems.
Reference
Morgenroth D, Kvaestad B, Økland F, Finstad B, Olsen R-E, Svendsen E, Rosten C, Axelsson M, Bloecher N, Føre M, Gräns A. 2024. Under the sea: How can we use heart rate and accelerometers to remotely assess fish welfare in salmon aquaculture? Aquaculture 579, 740144