Aquaculture
Global marine aquaculture production is steadily approaching the volume of capture fisheries, exceeding 60 Mt when taking into account both farmed fish and shellfish (30.8 Mt in 2018) and seaweed production (30 Mt in 2018).
At a local scale, Galicia has a strong tradition in aquaculture, whose production exceeds fishing catches in weight (>200,000 tons) although not in value (200 M €). Galicia also dominates mussel and turbot farming in Spain (97% and 99% of the production, respectively). Galicia has also pioneered the adaptation of new species for aquaculture, as is the case of Atlantic pollock (abadexo).
Nonetheless, aquaculture in the EU has been experiencing some degree of stagnation for the last decade, mostly due to decreased production associated with diseases, fish meal dependency, lack of regulated spaces to increase their production and environmental problems associated with the farming process. Aquaculture needs to overcome these constraints to be able to respond to the increasing human demand for marine protein by introducing new species to aquaculture, mainly low-trophic-level species, applying a multi-species farming approach and expanding offshore to reduce pressure on coastal areas.
Sustainable aquaculture requires innovations that ensure environmental protection, animal health and welfare, and public health and safety. The IIM-CSIC has a long tradition of collaboration with the aquaculture industry.
You can read about all our capabilities and associated services below.
Research groups
- Marine ecology and biodiversity
- Marine & coastal social sciences
- Ecophysiology, Biomarkers & Sustainable Management of Bivalves
- Recycling and Valorization of Waste Materials
- Food Biochemistry
- Organic Geochemistry Lab
- Marine Molecular Pathobiology
- Immunology & Genomics
- Aquatic Biotechnology Lab
- Chemistry of Marine Products
Capabilities
- Capabilities | Development of immunostimulants and vaccines for aquaculture species
Application of the most advanced -omic techniques, together with immunology, microbiology and protein biochemistry, to develop immunostimulants and vaccines for aquaculture species.
- Capabilities | Definition and description of marine ecosystemsFisheries Aquaculture Ecosystem Services & Governance Coastal & Environmental Protection Maritime Spatial Planning
The definition and description of ecosystems involving marine resources, in terms of scale, extent, structure, and functioning. This includes characterizing the spatial, structural, and functional aspects of marine-coastal ecosystems as basic units for environmental land-use planning.
- Industrial Secret | Industrial production protocol for seahorses (Hippocampus reidi)
Authors: Miquel Planas Oliver; Alexandre Chamorro Valverde
Description: Development of integrated culture procedures for the industrial production of seahorses of the species Hippocampus reidi.
- Capabilities | Development of new food products from fisheries and aquaculture by-products
Development of processes for the transformation of discards and seafood by-products into new raw materials (fish mince, fish oil, etc.) with added value for the generation of innovative processed food products (hamburgers, nuggets, etc.), ensuring traceability, nutritional value and safety in new value chains.
- Capabilities | Development of bioprocesses (biorefineries) for the extraction of bioproducts and bioactive compounds from food industry by-products
Development of processes that allow extracting useful components of industrial interest from discards and food industry by-products and effluents. Biochemical characterization of useful components present in different kinds of fisheries products and by-products, such as skin collagen, visceral enzymes, chondroitin sulphate present in cartilage, chitin from crustacean shells and cuttlebone or protein hydrolysates obtained from muscle. Evaluation of potential applications of these compounds through the characterization of their biological activities (antioxidants, etc.) and functional properties for their use in different industries, such as biomedical, chemistry, cosmetic, food, etc.
Services
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PEACHESEA - Ocean Acidification Analysis
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SEMAIM - Optical Microscopy & Image Analyses
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Advanced Chromatography and Omics
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Genomics & Bioinformatic Analyses
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Biobank Technical Unit
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Metals Determination in the Marine Environment
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LNREMB - National Reference Laboratory for Bivalve Mollusc Diseases
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Fish Functional Genomics
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Life History
Active projects
- Oyster-Watch -
<p>Herramientas para la monitorización y control de las vías de expansión de la ostra rizada</p>
Principal investigator:GarcíaPeteiroLauraFunding body:Agencia Estatal de InvestigaciónFunding for IIM-CSIC:190973€Fromto - BIVALNET -
<p>Red para el estudio y promoción de los servicios ecosistémicos de bivalvos</p>
Principal investigator:FernándezBabarroJose ManuelFunding body:Ayuda RED2022-134186-T financiada por MICIU/AEI
/10.13039/501100011033. Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades - Agencia Estatal de InvestigaciónFunding for IIM-CSIC:18300€Fromto - LIFE REFISH -
<p>Flexible biorefinery to valorise discards and by-products of the European fish and seafood production (REFISH)</p>
Principal investigator:VázquezÁlvarezXosé AntónFunding body:LIFE Environment (Nature & Circular Economy)Funding for IIM-CSIC:357637€Fromto - METDISHFISH -
<p>Terapias metabólicas para el tratamiento de enfermedades infecciosas en peces de cultivo</p>
Principal investigator:NovoaGarcíaBeatrizFunding body:Ayuda cofinanciada por el Fondo Europeo Marítimo y de Pesca y el Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación.Funding for IIM-CSIC:324175€Fromto - ECOMUSSEL -
<p>Servicios ecosistémicos del cultivo de mejillón</p>
Principal investigator:ÁlvarezSalgadoXosé AntónFunding body:CSICFunding for IIM-CSIC:48500€Fromto - INMUNOCTOPUS -
<p>IMMUNITY IN COMMON OCTOPUS: NON-SELF RECOGNITION AND IMMUNE RESPONSE INDUCED BY PATHOGENS</p>
Principal investigator:GestalMateoMaría CaminoFunding body:Proyecto PID2020-119906GB-I00 financiado por MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033Funding for IIM-CSIC:120000€Fromto - IMANREFIVIR -
<p>IMMUNE ANTIVIRAL RESPONSE OF FISH AGAINST RNA VIRUSES</p>
Principal investigator:NovoaGarcíaBeatrizFunding body:Proyecto PID2020-119532RB-I00 financiado por MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033Funding for IIM-CSIC:160000€Fromto - Contrato Programa -
<p>AYUDA CONVENIO ENTRE CSIC Y LA AXENCIA GALEGA DE INNOVACIÓN -GAIN- PARA EL DESARROLLO DE PROGRAMAS DE I+D+i EN LOS INSTITUTOS DE INVESTIGACIÓN DEL CSIC EN GALICIA Y EN LOS CENTROS OCEANOGRÁFICOS DEL INSTITUTO ESPAÑOL DE OCEANOGRAFÍA (CSIC-IEO). 2021-2022</p>
Principal investigator:SaboridoReyFranFunding body:Agencia Galega de InnovaciónFunding for IIM-CSIC:521824€Fromto - ResiduoZero_2 -
<p>Residuo Zero: Puesta en marcha de una planta piloto par ala transformación y elaboración de nuevos productos procedentes de la transformación de dorada y lubina Culmárex y en los planes de etiquetado de nuevos Productos.</p>
Principal investigator:MedinaMéndezIsabelFunding body:Culmarex S.A.Funding for IIM-CSIC:24705€Fromto - ERM -
<p>Ecología y Recursos Marinos</p>
Principal investigator:PierceGraham JohnFunding body:Ayudas cofinanciadas con fondos de la Agencia Gallega de Innovación de la Xunta de GaliciaFunding for IIM-CSIC:333321€Fromto