Development of a generic approach to sustainable
integrated marine aquaculture for European
environments and markets

  • Abstract
  • Objectives
  • Description of the work

    Abstract

    A generic sustainable integrated mariculture system will be developed. The systems are
    proposed as viable alternatives for open sea cage systems, for which environmental concerns
    are likely to become an increasing constraint. The system will be cost effective and applicable
    for key European environments and markets. The system consists of three components:
    Fish or shrimp are the nuclear culture species. Their effluents are treated by micro or macroalgae biofilters.
    The grown algae are utilised to feed marine herbivores, e.g., shellfish, sea urchins or brine
    shrimp, which convert the algal low-value byproduct into a high-value commodity.
    Special attention will be given to product quality and health parameters of the cultured organisms.
    The integration concept is a versatile one, which will increase both mariculture product variety
    and job opportunities, while reducing energy use, pollution, and the depletion of wild stocks.

    Objectives

  • Development of a generic integrated system for European environments and markets.
  • The specific objectives are:
  • To understand and evaluate the integrated system dynamics in terms of key nutrients (N, C, P),
       temperature, and the performance of the culture organisms.
  • To optimize and intensify the performance of the pilot system in terms of water, nutrients and
      waste management.
  • To study aquatic pathogen management and consumer acceptance of the end products.
  • Development of a bio-economic model to explore the influence of key system parameters
      (biological, technical and economic) on financial requirements and economic returns.

    Description of the work

    The project's purpose is to evaluate a novel land-based integrated mariculture system
    and transfer it for commercial application. The system consists of three components:
    fish or shrimps are the nuclear culture species.
    The effluent from this first compartment is treated by micro or macroalgae biofilters.
    The grown algae are transferred to feed marine herbivores, e.g.- shellfish, sea urchins or brine
    shrimp, which convert the low-value algal byproduct into a high-value commodity.
    Special attention will be given to product quality and health parameters of the cultured organisms.
    The integration concept is a versatile one, which will increase both mariculture product variety
    and job opportunities, while reducing energy use, pollution, and the depletion of wild stocks.

    The work of the project will be carried out by a consortium of three academic / research partners
    in Israel, France and UK that are experts on integrated systems along with SMEs four end-users
    from the same countries.
    Together covering the wide range of geographical/environmental scope of the project's objectives.
    The SMEs include a wide spectrum of the aquaculture industry from design to commercialization.

    The work contains the following elements:

  • Definition phase which includes, initial planning and consortium agreement
  • Training, which includes assimilation of the State of the Art to the SMEs
  • Evaluation of prototype integrated systems (e.g. nutrient and heat budget, control of
      microalgae, performance of the cultured organisms and environmental impacts).
  • Product quality control and acceptability to consumers.
  • Modelling of the system, economic and market evaluation.

    The integrated systems technology will be available immediately for commercial
    enterprises requiring an environmentally friendly marine aquaculture system with potentially high
    financial returns and diverse products.


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