BOOSTING BIOMASS GAIN AND MEAT QUALITY OF RAINBOW TROUT Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) - AN APPROACH FOR FOSTERING ROMANIAN AQUACULTURE

Abstract

Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) is one of the most widely cultured fish species, with a high market value. Although in the Black Sea there is a well-established tradition of cage farming in Turkish waters, in Romania rainbow trout farming has been limited to inland mountain areas. Whereas there is an increasing interest of Romanian economic operators to engage in sea cage farming, this research aimed at testing the adaptation of rainbow trout to the Romanian Black Sea marine environment, determining its growth rate, establishing the optimal size for transfer to saltwater, and increasing meat quality. The research was performed for 7 months, during the cold season, and comprised two batches of O. mykiss individuals transferred to marine water from a mountain trout farm (with initial mean biomasses of approximately 300 g and 180 g, respectively). Upon completion of the experiment, growth parameters showed values much higher compared to freshwater culture, and the biomass gain was remarkable in both batches (reaching final biomasses of approximately 1,700 g and 1,600 g, respectively), the results indicating smaller fish as best fitted for transfer to marine water. The carotenoid-enriched feed provided to the fish resulted in a highly nutritious meat, with the much-appreciated pink colorization