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Gut enteritis is the inflammation of the intestines and can disrupt normal digestion and nutrient absorption. In cultured fish, that is fish bred, raised or harvested in controlled environments, gut enteritis is an economic, environmental and welfare issue because it leads to reduced growth, increased mortality, lowered nutrient intake and higher susceptibility to pathogens and environmental stressors.

While the cause of gut enteritis is unknown in the absence of pathogens, it is believed that an imbalance of the gut microbial community (dysbiosis) underlies its development.  A key challenge in finding the cause(s) of and managing fish gut enteritis is the need for a non-lethal test to identify gut enteritis early.

This project will develop and validate a fecal test to assess gut dysbiosis, a sign of enteritis, in farmed Chinook salmon.

The test will guide the development of improved feed formulations and  husbandry strategies to control gut enteritis in farmed Chinook Salmon. This project brings together the academic partner, BC Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences, and three industry partners: Creative Salmon, an organic Chinook salmon producer; Taplow Ventures Ltd., an organic fish feed producer; as well as Barry Milligan Aquatic Veterinary Services. This collaboration will ensure that the project results are implemented to optimize feed efficiency, fish health and fish welfare in the aquaculture and salmon enhancement industry.