Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • The European Super League is announced
    • REVIEW: An Evening with Sally Wainwright
    • Love & Loyalty: The Best Mothers in Literature
    • REVIEW: An Evening with David Olusoga and Adam Rutherford
    • Podcasts Prevail During Lockdown
    • 10 Ways to Improve Your Revision
    • REVIEW: Beauty Subscription Boxes
    • Managing Your Mental Health in Lockdown
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Flickr
    Seren
    • News & Politics
      1. Local News
      2. UK News
      3. Uni News
      4. World News
      5. Politics
      6. Comment
      7. Business
      Featured

      SABB Election: The Full Result Breakdown

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      A guide to the recent Dutch elections

      April 8, 2021

      FCA warning : Young Investors at Risk

      April 5, 2021

      What?! Bangor University burned down two weeks ago?!

      April 1, 2021
    • Arts & Culture
      1. Books
      2. Games
      3. Film
      4. Music
      5. TV
      6. Creative Corner
      Featured

      Bangor alumni podcast earns Hollywood cameo & BBC features

      By Amelia SmithMarch 7, 20210
      Recent

      REVIEW: An Evening with Sally Wainwright

      April 18, 2021

      Love & Loyalty: The Best Mothers in Literature

      April 17, 2021

      REVIEW: An Evening with David Olusoga and Adam Rutherford

      April 17, 2021
    • Lifestyle
      1. Fashion
      2. Food and Drink
      3. Social
      4. Health and Beauty
      5. Travel
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      10 Ways to Improve Your Revision

      April 16, 2021

      REVIEW: Beauty Subscription Boxes

      April 16, 2021

      Managing Your Mental Health in Lockdown

      April 16, 2021
    • Discovery
      1. Science
      2. Environment
      3. History
      4. International
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      How 3D printing can revolutionise medicine

      April 15, 2021

      #DanceYourPhD- Scientists explain their thesis through interpretive dance

      April 8, 2021

      A guide to the recent Dutch elections

      April 8, 2021
    • Sport
      1. Varsity 2019
      2. Varsity 2018
      3. Varsity 2017
      4. Varsity 2016
      5. Varsity 2015
      6. Varsity 2014
      7. Varsity 2013
        • Varsity 2013 Results
        • Varsity 2013 – In tweets
      Featured

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      By Jade HillMarch 23, 20210
      Recent

      The European Super League is announced

      April 19, 2021

      Formula 1’s ‘Drive to Survive S3’ is released

      April 7, 2021

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      March 23, 2021
    • Students’ Union
      1. Union News
      2. Societies
      3. Volunteering
      4. Clubs
      Featured

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      By Caroline CartmillMarch 17, 20210
      Recent

      Bangor University Feminist Society

      March 30, 2021

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      March 17, 2021

      LGBT History Month in Bangor

      March 4, 2021
    • Issues
      • Current Issue
      • This year’s issues
      • Last year’s issues
      • Seren Archive
      • Seren Teams
    Seren
    Home»Everything Else»Can You Get A Sexy Salmon?
    Everything Else

    Can You Get A Sexy Salmon?

    Charlotte BilsbyBy Charlotte BilsbyMay 13, 2019Updated:February 17, 2021No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    New research reveals that farmed salmon have smaller ‘jaw hooks’ or ‘kype’- a secondary sexual trait, likened to the antlers of a stag, making them less attractive to females than their wild salmon cousins.

    This new finding published in the peer–reviewed science journal Royal Society Open Science, implies that farm-bred salmon are less sexually attractive than their wild brethren, and that despite only being bred in captivity since the 1970’s, within some 12 generations, that they are already diverging from wild salmon.

    The findings form part of a wider research project into the differences between wild, farmed and hybrid salmon.

    William Perry, a PhD student at Bangor University’s School of Natural Sciences and the paper’s lead author explains:

    “Farmed Atlantic salmon do sometimes escape from the nets and can interbreed with wild salmon, creating hybrids.

    “Initially, the fact that any escaped salmon are less ‘attractive’ because of their smaller ‘kype’ may seem like good news, as they’re less likely to breed. That’s not the whole story however.  Because farmed fish do not have to compete for mates, there is no element of sexual selection happening, making the farmed and hybrid fish poorly adapted to breeding in the wild. So, when you do see high levels of farmed escapees, and inevitable interbreeding within a wild salmon population, this could  reduce the long term health of that population.

    Farmed or hybrid salmon are not only less likely to breed successfully in the wild, they are also less likely to return from the ocean to freshwater rivers to spawn.”

    William holds a four year old mature male Atlantic salmon during the final round of sampling at the Institute of Marine Research’s fish rearing facility at Matre, Norway.

    “Identifying that this secondary sexual trait is less pronounced in farmed salmon is another sign that as a diverging species, farmed fish are less well adapted, and are less able to compete than wild salmon. A pattern that may be repeating in many other aquaculture species”

    Prof Gary Carvalho, William’s PhD supervisor at Bangor University’s School of Natural Sciences commented:

    “This is the first study to look at the effect of domestication and hybridisation on sexually selected traits in salmon. Our findings demonstrate that when animals are kept in unnatural conditions, such as in a fish farm, rapid evolutionary change can take place, that can affect future reproduction and survival, after just 12 generations. Such changes are of special concern when hundreds of thousands of farmed fish can escape into the wild, and potentially interbreed, with wild relatives. .

    Williams’s PhD is funded by the NERC ENVISION Doctoral training programme which is preparing the next generation of environmental scientists. He is working with the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen Norway. William gained a first degree and a Masters degree from Bristol University and was attracted to Bangor University by the opportunity to work with leading fisheries geneticist Prof Gary Carvalho.

    Will, who is 24, works closely with the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research making regular trips to Bergen, Hordaland which is twinned with his home city of Cardiff

     

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Charlotte Bilsby

    Science Editor 2018-19

    Related Posts

    How 3D printing can revolutionise medicine

    April 15, 2021

    #DanceYourPhD- Scientists explain their thesis through interpretive dance

    April 8, 2021

    Bangor scientists breed the extinct Welsh dragon

    April 1, 2021

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Related/Similar Articles
    • Dine-in Deals for Two
      Dine-in Deals for Two
      February 12, 2021
    • My Favourite Soy Wax Candles
      My Favourite Soy Wax Candles
      February 26, 2021
    • INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive
      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive
      March 17, 2021
    • Women in STEM: Celebrating International Women's Day
      Women in STEM: Celebrating International Women's Day
      March 20, 2021
    MORE INFORMATION
    • ABOUT
    • ADVERTISE
    • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED
    • MEMBERS
    Links
    • Bangor University Bangor University
    • Google+ Google+
    • Undeb Bangor Undeb Bangor
    About

    Seren is Bangor University Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper

    We have editorial independence from both Bangor University and Bangor Students’ Union. Seren is written by students for students and we’d love you to get involved!

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.