The Effect of Ensiled Salmon Mortalities On Soil Quality.

Over the past decade, aquaculture has started to play a major role in Newfoundland’s economy. By 2009, aquaculture in Newfoundland grew substantially, with generated revenue of $84.275 million. This pushed Newfoundland up from one of the lowest producers, to the third highest value producers in Canada. One of the issues associated with salmon farm production is the management of mortalities. A common and efficient way for farmers to deal with these mortalities is to silage them in an acidic solution such as 3% formic acid. The product is an acidic slurry, which is high in protein and organic compounds. Salmon silage was investigated as a potential alternative to conventional fertilizer. Three rates of silage were used in a soil incubation study (80, 115 and 180 kg N/ hectare) and compared with a soil and lime control. Soil samples were collected for a period of 70 days in order to determine the effect of the silage on soil quality. Parameters tested were pH, mineral nitrogen and total carbon and nitrogen.