The second AQUAEXCEL²⁰²⁰ brokerage event was celebrated at Aquaculture Europe 2019 in Berlin, as part of the EATiP Day (October 9^th). This event provides an excellent opportunity to share with aquaculture industry stakeholders some of the many innovative outputs emerging from research within the AQUAEXCEL²⁰²⁰ project and through its Transnational Access (TNA) programme. The seven presented outputs had been selected by the AQUAEXCEL²⁰²⁰ Industry and Research Advisory Panel (IRAP) comprising professionals from the aquaculture industry and research sectors. Four of these outputs were derived from IATS-Nutrigroup and Pathology groups research and hosted TNAs.

Project Catalogues are available for download:

Defatted yellow mealworm larvae meal

AEFishBIT

Early life management protocol

Salmon AGD biomarkers

PhD student Ana Basto (CIIMAR) discussed outcomes of research from IATS-EXP TNA project INSECTFISH, focused on European sea bass feeding with mealworm Tenebrio molitor meal. The principal aim of this research was to assess the use of large quantities of insects as protein sources to replace fishmeal in diets for sea bass, and to examine possible effects on their growth and welfare. Dr. Josep Calduch-Giner presented a protocol for early life management for optimal fish performance, highlighting surprising findings in relation to low O₂ (hypoxic) conditions at early life stages of gilthead sea bream and its impact later in life. In terms of fish disease, Dr. Carla Piazzon presented on gene expression analysis of Atlantic salmon gills, derived from IATS-ANA TNA project AGDBIOMAR, and how it reveals certain key molecules during amoebic gill disease, one of the main health challenges for the marine Atlantic salmon industry worldwide. It is expected that the findings could contribute to a more timely and accurate detection of the disease which will prevent stock losses and improve fish welfare. Results of this work were recently published in an Open Access publication.

In addition to the knowledge outputs, Professor Jaume Pérez-Sánchez, as AQUAEXCEL²⁰²⁰ WP8 leader, presented the AEFishBIT device to the audience, with a video and an exposition of latest results and applications of this patented biosensor in sea bream and sea bass. This tiny device is designed to be attached to the operculum of farmed fish for individual monitoring of their metabolic traits. The newly patented tool is the result of collaboration amongst biologists, engineers and bioinformaticians from two AQUAEXCEL²⁰²⁰ institutes.

After the event presentations, interactive polls with audience overall revealed a major interest in most of the presented outputs. The next and final AQUAEXCEL²⁰²⁰ industry brokerage event will be held at next year’s Aquaculture Europe 2020 event in Cork (Ireland), presenting the latest high-potential industry-relevant outputs that will be resulting from the final year of the project.

A work led by Dr. Erick Perera, researcher of the Nutrigenomics and Fish Growth Endocrinology Group at the Institute of Aquaculture Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC) and the Full Professor of Zoology Dr. Juan Miguel Mancera of the University of Cadiz (UCA), and authored by Dr. Leandro Rodríguez from the University of Havana, Cuba, obtained the Annual Award of UH 2019. The Award was granted by the Chancellor of the UH and the President of the Cuban Academy of Science.

The results of this work were published in different scientific publication and led to four theses, including a PhD thesis co-directed by E. Perera (IATS-CSIC) and J.M. Mancera (UCA). The relevant participation of researchers from the Center for Drug Research and Development in Cuba and the Andalusian Institute of Marine Science (ICMAN-CSIC) made this work and example of fruitful international and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Link:

http://www.mispeces.com/nav/actualidad/noticias/noticia-detalle/Un-trabajo-de-cooperacin-Iberoamericana-sobre-dietas-para-langosta-espinosa-reconocida-en-premios-cientficos-en-Cuba/