Improving the health of farmed salmon

This project aimed to enhance the survivability of salmon in sea pens along Ireland's west coast by addressing health issues linked to increasing planktonic biomass in Irish waters. Over the past 4-5 years, rising plankton levels have caused fish health problems and, in severe cases, mortality. A collaboration between salmon producers, the Irish Seafood Development Agency (BIM) and plankton identification experts, the project explored the use of a ‘bubble curtain’ or ‘bubble screens’ in salmon farms. This innovative solution creates a virtual barrier around the fish pens, reducing the influx of planktonic species and thereby improving environmental conditions for the fish.