Aquaculture Ghent University

Centre of Excellence – Research & Development

Dr. ir. Margriet Drouillon, Business Developer

1 februari 2012

LARVICULTUREof

fish & shellfish

DISEASE CONTROL

NUTRITION

EGG QUALITYbroodstock nutrition

ZOOTECHNICALASPECTS

MICROBIAL CONDITIONSprobionts / pathogens

COMMERCIALCOMPETITIVENESS

UGent Aquaculture R&D Consortium 3 faculties – 12 departments

Aquaculture Ghent University: IOF-consortium

Interfacultair Centre of Excellence

Sustainable Aquaculture – Blue Economy Multidisciplinary 3 faculties 7 research groups; 9 professors ~100 researchers

Blue biotechnology at work for People, Planet and ProfitMorphological development

Aquatic veterinary medicine

Nutritional

research

Genomics

Microbial management

Environmental monitoring

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Industry Improved yields Improved quality Reduced disease

Society Sustainability Food security

Key Partners in Aquaculture Ghent University

Fac. Bio-Science Engineering – Patrick Sorgeloos (promotor)– Peter Bossier (co-promotor)– Colin Janssen– Nico Boon

Fac. Sciences

– Dominique Adriaens– Marnik Vuylsteke

Fac. Veterinary Medicine

– Hans Nauwynck– Annemie Decostere– Wim Van den Broek

Main goals of Aquaculture Ghent University

Increase interaction with industry Building a strategic patent portfolio Valorization of available technology and IP Partnering (industry/stakeholders) Diffusion of knowledge Boosting synergy among members

Sustainable aquaculture – the “learning curve”from an empirical approach to a knowledge-based industry

Bottlenecks for the aquaculture industry:– yields and rentability very variable, still too un predictable – limited knowledge of the biology of the cultured species– limited automation & system control

Husbandry techniques

Nutritional research

Microbial managemen

tBreeding

Priorities for future aquaculture

resulting in new concepts & products for a sustainable aquaculture

from empiricial farming

towards

a knowledge-based bio-industry

1. Complete independence from natural stocks through DOMESTICATION2. Improved / more cost-effective SEED PRODUCTION3. Better targeted SPECIES SELECTION4. Development of more efficient stocks through SELECTIVE BREEDING 5. More MICROBIAL MANAGEMENT for more sustainable production 6. Better understanding of IMMUNE SYSTEMS in vertebrates and

invertebrates7. More INTEGRATED PRODUCTION SYSTEMS for plant and animal farming8. COASTAL AND OFF-SHORE FARMS of food and energy9. Full independence from fisheries stocks for LIPID AND PROTEIN

INGREDIENTS in aquatic feeds 10. More attention for INTEGRATION of restocking activities with FISHERIES

management11. SOCIETAL LEVERAGE:

• multi-stakeholder interaction• International cooperation on a win-win basis

1. Microbial management in larviculture

Goal: health management– Improve larval survival– Alternative techniques for disease prevention

How? By steering host-microbial interactions– Stimulating the host’s immune response

• Immunostimulants: yeast cell wall-bound glucan• Heat shock proteins: upregulate immune system

– Influencing microbial numbers or microbial activity• Polyhydroxybutyric acid• Quorum sensing

2. Morphology

Morphological development of larvae Gastro-intestinal development in larvae

– Artemia (brine shrimp)– Seabass

Opercular deformaties in gilthead seabream

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Methodological testing for in-depth analysis of skeletal deformities

Bone Mineralisation Bone Cell Proliferation Bone Matrix Organisation 3D Characterisation of

deformities 3D Modelling of mechanically

induced deformities Kinematics of vital functions

Based on micro CT data

3. Aquatic Veterinary Medicine

WSSV research

Edwardsiella & Flavobacterium fish diseases

Hydrocephalus in burbot (Lota lota L.) larvae

Swim bladder hyperinflation in burbot (Lota lota L.) larvae

4. Nutritional research

Live food production– Artemia: culturing biology, natural occurrence, production

techniques, strain characterization, nutritional value enrichment; automation in production & cleaning techniques

– Rotifer culture and enrichment – Micro-algae– Special focus on production, nutritional manipulation

(lipids, vitamin C and E)

5. Genomics

Genome sequencing of Artemia

Proof-of-concept as a model organism for Crustaceans

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6. Environmental monitoring & design of integrated concepts

Biofloc technology– Nitrogen recovery– Waste to feed

Biopolymers– Compound poly--hydroxybutyrate (PHB)– Disease control and growth promotion

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For more information: www.aquaculture.ugent.be

Contact: margriet.drouillon@ugent.be