Basque Enterprise Europe Network

Title

Innovative process of integrated culture of marine species

Reference

TOES20171006003

Last update

Mon, Oct, 23, 2017

Deadline

Thu, Oct, 18, 2018

Abstract

A Spanish university has developed a procedure for combining marine species culture in the same place (integrated multi-trophic aquaculture). The main culture may be any of the species used in aquaculture and the second one involves the culture of amphipods that feeds on waste generated by the main culture. The main advantage is the cost-effectiveness of this procedure: the same infrastructure is raising an additional specie. Companies for license or technical cooperation agreements are sought.

Description

The culture of amphipods and their use as potential trophic resource for other marine species, both as live prey and in the form of flour, has been widely studied because of their high commercial potential.

However, commercialization of amphipods has not become popular yet due to the management costs related to its development on land tanks and the cleaning and maintenance costs. To achieve adequate levels of profitability is necessary to collect large quantities of amphipods and to reduce costs. The procedure proposed by a Spanish research group solves these problems and increase the profitability of this product.

A Spanish research group has developed a new procedure based within the concept of Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA). This aims to combine the culture of a main species with other species capable of exploiting the waste generated by the main culture.

The main species may be any of those typically grow on marine aquaculture facilities which are fed with feed pellets. Part of these pellets are not totally consumed and are lost through fish cages to the marine environment.

The innovation driven by the researchers lies in the use of natural production, favoring the growth of other species such as amphipods which take advantage of this food wasted.

This requires finding native species capable to adapt to local conditions in offshore facilities, as those forming the so-called fouling (marine organisms developed on artificial surfaces such as concrete, wood or plàstic when they are submerged in the sea). Amphipods have been selected as the most appropriate organisms for their use in this IMTA system since they meet the established requirements and have an appropriate commercial value.

The culture system of amphipods is very easy. It is based on a series of structures with specific characteristics placed outside the sea cages. Amphipods are set naturally on these structures and develop their populations feeding on surplus feed (used to feed the main species). These structures are removed periodically from the cages, and amphipods are extracted following a specific protocol on the platform or once on land.

The main advantage of this technology is the cost-effectiveness of implementing this procedure in sea cages because with the same investment and infrastructure is raising an additional species reusing existing waste and diversifying production.

The additional species (amphipods) are part of the natural diet of fish and it can be processed to be used for human consumption.

The technology can be interesting for aquaculture companies. The Spanish research group is interested in transfer the technology (licensing agreement) to companies and technical cooperation agreements to adapt their traditional monocultive aquaculture infrastructures to integrated multi-trophic aquaculture infraestructures.

Technology Keywords

Resources of the Sea, Fisheries;Marine Science;Marine Environment

Keyword Codes:

07003;07003003;10004009

Current Stage of Development

Intellectual Property Rights

Patent(s) applied for but not yet granted

IPR Comments:

Spanish patent applied for but not yet granted

Exploitation of RTD Results

Organisation/Company Type

Organisation/Company Size

Organisation Comments

Detailed Market Application Codes (VEIC)

MA Keyword

Agro and Marine biotech;Marine products;Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Animal Husbandry & Related Products

MA Keyword Codes:

05008;05008001;09005

Application Domain Description:

Collaboration Type

Comments:

Type of partner sought: companies.
Specific area of activity of the partner: Marine aquaculture.
Task to be performed:
- Acquisitions of the technology through licensing agreement. -
- Technical cooperation agreements to adapt the technology to their needs.

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