The Newfoundland Salmonid Growers Association (NSGA), in
partnership with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Newfoundland
Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA), is working on an evaluation of the potential
risks and benefits of an alternate strain of steelhead to the Bay D’Espoir region.
Most of the steelhead growers in the Bay D’Espoir region currently use the "Silver Steelhead" strain from Trout Lodge, Washington. Because of insufficient hatchery production in the region, many of the growers import their fry from outside the province. The stock produced in the Bay D’Espoir region is all-female diploids, and the growers follow the strict rules of the Code of Containment to prevent escapement.
This Silver Steelhead strain is actually a hybrid cross between varieties – the Steelhead Rainbow and the (Jumper and Kamloops strains) Rainbow Trout. Although the strain performs well in the Bay D’Espoir estuary, it does not fetch as high a price in the American marketplace as its competitor, the salmon. Meanwhile, the Asia and European markets for steelheads are good, but they prefer the more salmon-like steelhead product of Norway. Some attributes which the growers demand in a new strain of steelhead are a lower condition factor (more streamlined), elimination of spots below the lateral line, elimination of the red "rainbow" color for a more silver like fish, and more tolerance to sea water.
The NSGA proposal, to be submitted to the Aquaculture Component of the Research and Development Program, DFO, will introduce a Norwegian strain of steelhead eggs to the Marine Institute’s (MI) quarantine facilities. The eggs will be imported from a reputed disease-free strain of superior-performing steelhead from Norway, and the process of achieving fish health certification, under the Fish Health Protections Regulations will be of utmost concern. The NSGA is in discussions with egg producers of Norway, and government officials from Newfoundland to make the venture possible. During the two-year interval required to obtain certification, a gynogenesis program will be implemented at the MI to develop a 100% all-female strain for Bay D’Espoir aquaculture purposes. Under the quarantine facilities at MI, an evaluation of strain performance will be implemented to confirm that juvenile performance at the MI is similar to the records of performance of the strain in the Norwegian hatchery.
The NSGA hopes to have the new strain of steelhead introduced in the Bay D’Espoir by 2004.
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