New case study: biomarker detection to support salmon farming

Development of a mobile laboratory to assess seawater readiness at smolt hatcheries

Atlantic salmon farming relies on transferring fish from freshwater hatcheries to seawater sites at the right time. This process, called smoltification, prepares fish for life in seawater. If fish are moved too early, they risk disease and mortality; too late, and they revert to freshwater form. Traditionally, readiness is assessed using lab-based tests that measure gill enzyme activity, but these methods are slow and require off-site analysis.

This project set out to create a rapid, portable solution that could be used directly at hatcheries. The team developed a mobile laboratory and a biomarker detection assay, aimed at giving hatchery managers immediate, accurate results to guide transfer decisions.

Valued at £78k, the partners were Europharma Scotland, PrimerDesign, and University of Stirling with support from SAIC.

The outcome was a validated, low-cost method for assessing seawater readiness on-site. By reducing delays and improving accuracy, this innovation could help farmers optimise fish health and welfare, minimise losses, and support sector growth. Although commercial development did not continue for various business reasons, the project delivered valuable knowledge and demonstrated the potential of mobile diagnostics in aquaculture. Europharma expressed interest in revisiting the concept with new partners in the future.

The full title of this project is ‘Mobile biomarker detection for seawater readiness monitoring’.

Read the full case study