This project proposal has been initiated in order to determine the nature of Atlantic salmon GI tract communities, in healthy and SGS afflicted fish in relation to environment factors and diet. Changes in sea surface temperatures coupled with the use of feeds designed to reduce the reliance on fish meal, have coincided with the occurrence of Summer Gut Syndrome (SGS) a condition that significantly impacts the salmon industry through reduced productivity. The lack of a specific pathogen and workup to this date indicate the problem may relate to an interaction between environmental conditions leading to physiological stress in the fish that in turn perturb or modify gastrointestinal tract microbial communities leading to general inappetence and thus slow or negative weight gains in summer.

The research will provide the Salmon aquaculture industry with vital information that could lead to supplemented diets designed to reduce the impact of SGS on productivity, whilst increasing the sustainability of the industry by reducing the reliance on antibiotics and fish meal. The project will provide new information on the GI tract health of Atlantic salmon in relation to environmental conditions and possible changes in these conditions. The studies could be applicable to other finfish species that may have management issues arising from changing environmental conditions such as increasing surface water temperature.