Evaluating the Effect of Salmon-Based Silage As An Agricultural Soil Amendment On Crop Growth and Soil Nutrient Dynamics in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) aquaculture industry generates over 12,000 metric tonnes of finfish each year. The salmon industry estimates that approximately 10% of salmon stock grown in pens will die before reaching production, creating a growing amount of salmon waste that cannot be used for human consumption. Because salmon mortalities contain essential plant nutrients, they should provide a valuable resource as an agricultural soil amendment. A project was initiated in 2010 to examine soil nutrient dynamics and crop production using salmon-based liquid silage. Silage rates were calculated on the basis of total nitrogen values obtained from fish-silage analysis. It is hypothesized that silage material will provide N-P-K fertility that is effective in terms of nutrient supply to both the crop and soil. Agricultural field studies were conducted in St. John’s, NL  at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research station over three growing seasons with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and corn (Zea mays) to determine the effect of salmon silage on crop production compared to traditional chemical fertilizers used by the NL dairy industry. Early indicators suggest that adding fish silage as a soil amendment may be of value for management of agricultural soil fertility. The dairy industry of NL relies heavily on imported chemical fertilizers, and providing a locally sourced soil amendment could decrease dependence on imported fertilizer, contributing to food security and sustainable industry practices in the province.