Coppens projects
Restocking of Salmon
In the past the European river Rhine and its tributaries offered a perfect spawning habitat for the Atlantic Salmon. Every winter large numbers of these majestic fishes came bursting up the river in an urge to reach their spawning grounds.
The industrialisation of the past had a negative effect on the water quality, accessibility and suitability of the breeding grounds which led to extinction of the Rhine population by the middle of the 20th century.
In 2001 a salmon breeding centre was set up in Germany by "Der Atlantischer Lachs" to re-introduce salmon into the river Rhine. In its commitment to sustainable aquaculture with responsibility for the environment Coppens International cooperates with this organisation from the very beginning. In 2001 the first truly wild Atlantic Salmon eggs hatched at the Salmon Breeding Centre located in Hagen-Haspe and where fed with Coppens granulates. Coppens starter feeds, including the new Noblesse, are used to grow the alevins to the right size for restocking in the Rhine's feeder streams. The efforts made by the salmon organisation where successful and in the winter of 2003 the first fish originating from the first batch of eggs had returned! The returning salmon are used for reproduction and are fed with Coppens Repro. By using the returned salmon for reproduction the genes of the successful fish are passed on to the next generation of a new Rhine strain of wild salmon. Nutrition plays a key role to get strong and healthy fry that can overcome the challenges ahead. The same is true for the returners that require special nutrition to recondition and prepare them for another spawning. Coppens diets have a track record to give the best results. Although every year mature salmon return from previous restocking operations challenges like lack of sufficient effective fish ladders and estuary fishing remain. Therefore Coppens remains commited to Der Atlantischer Lachs and supplies high quality diets for fry, parr, smolts and broodstock to help with establishing again a self supporting salmon stock in the Rhine.
For more information:
www.lachsverein.de
