The orexigenic agouti-related protein (AgRP) and the anorexigenic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) are crucial players in the control of feed intake in vertebrates, yet their role in teleosts has not been fully established. Triplicate groups of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) post smolts were subjected to (1) fasting for 3 days (fast) and (2) normal feeding (fed), resulting in a significant (p < 0.05) upregulation of hypothalamic agrp1 transcripts levels in the fast group. Moreover, the mRNA abundance of agrp1 was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with the stomach dry weight content. Corresponding inverse patterns were observed for pomca2, albeit not statistically significant. No significant differences were found for the other paralogues, agrp2 and pomca1 and b, between fed and fast groups. The significant correlation between stomach fullness and agrp1 mRNA expression suggests a possible link between the stomach filling/distension and satiety signals. Our study indicates that hypothalamic agrp1 acts as an orexigenic signal in Atlantic salmon.

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The effect of photoperiod manipulation on growth, smoltification and maturation was assessed in Atlantic salmon through an observational study performed in a commercial RAS facility from June (25.0 ± 11.0 g) to October 2018 (151.1 ± 25.5 g). Half of the commercial cohort 721 was raised in continuous light LD24:0 (LL) while the other received a 6‐week LD12:12 winter signal (WS) for smoltification from 12 August to 21 September. Parameters related to growth (body weight, gene expression of pituitary gh1 and gh2, and liver ghr1, igf1 and igfbp1a), smoltification (condition factor, plasma sodium and cortisol, gill NKA activity and nka1a, nka1b and nkcc1a expression) and maturation (GSI and pituitary fshb and lhb expression) were analysed. Afterwards, a multivariate analysis was performed on production data from five commercial cohorts raised in the facility (including 721) to identify variables potentially linked to early maturation in RAS. Results from the observational study indicated weak compensatory growth and slightly better smoltification in WS, although signs of size‐induced smoltification were present in LL. Smoltification indicators were poor in both treatments, suggesting that smolts may not be yet ready for seawater. No maturation was observed in any photoperiod treatment; however, the multivariate assessment suggested that such lack of maturation might be rather linked to the low mean temperature and SGR experienced by our cohort.