Line of action:

Status:

Execution date:

Overall objective of the project: To develop innovative technical and scientific knowledge on new, more sustainable technologies applicable to marine fish farms, in order to diversify farmable species and reduce organic emissions in their effluents.

Specific objectives of the project:

SO 1Collect and analyse existing scientific information in the field of new technologies that reduce or minimise the need for water capture and emission in aquaculture farms.
OE2Design and evaluate the new biofloc technology in different stages of marine fish culture: in the fattening of Lisa and in the larval culture of turbot.
OE3Study the needs for the transfer of more sustainable farming methods to the Spanish aquaculture sector.
OE4Promote and encourage new, more sustainable aquaculture farming technologies.

A0. COORDINATION MEETINGS

A1. EVALUATION OF THE STATE OF THE ART IN RELATION TO BIOFLOC TECHNOLOGY.

A2. DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PILOT TESTS TO APPLY BIOFLOC TECHNOLOGY IN MARINE FISH

A3. ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSFER TO THE AQUACULTURE SECTOR OF THE APPLICATION OF NEW, MORE SUSTAINABLE FARMING TECHNIQUES

A4. OUTREACH ACTIONS

During the implementation of the FISHFLOC project, existing technologies that could improve the sustainability of the aquaculture industry in Spain have been studied from different perspectives.

Following a thorough state-of-the-art analysis of Biofloc Technology (TBF), two pilot tests were carried out to assess its applicability in two different areas of aquaculture. Firstly, TBF was studied in the fattening of a new species of potential interest for the sector such as the Lisa; and on the other, in the larval culture of a species already consolidated within the sector, turbot. The results of the pilot tests showed the feasibility of applying TBF for mullet fattening. However, the biofloc technology proved not to be compatible with the conditions required for the larval culture of turbot, nor for the cultivation of the species used for feeding at this stage (brine shrimp and rotifer). Even so, the bioflocs obtained contained probiotics that improved the survival and metamorphosis speed of turbot larvae.

On the other hand, a review of the different existing or developing technologies that are potentially usable by the aquaculture industry was carried out to improve its sustainability from the point of view of R+D.

A survey of the aquaculture industry was also carried out to find out which technologies they considered of interest to improve sustainability. Specifically, the survey showed that all the companies surveyed considered that biofloc technology offers application possibilities mainly in the pre-fattening phase. But its application still requires a greater effort in research and development, in addition to providing technical training to facilitate its use in crop farms. The survey showed that companies do not consider mullet as a potential species for cultivation in their current production models at the moment due to its difficult adaptation to their production models and low market interest. Although they value its characteristics as a sustainable aquaculture species positively.