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
Capabilities
- 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.
- Capabilities | Control of traceability and labelling
Development of specific biomarkers and -omic techniques to quantify allergens and to track species composition and geographical origin for quality traceability and prevention of food fraud and unregulated fisheries.
- Capabilities | Optimization of fish meals
Development of new formulations and sustainable diets to be provided to farmed species to enhance their quality as well as their welfare.
Services
-
PEACHESEA - Ocean Acidification Analysis
-
SEMAIM - Optical Microscopy & Image Analyses
-
Advanced Chromatography and Omics
-
Genomics & Bioinformatic Analyses
-
Biobank Technical Unit
-
Metals Determination in the Marine Environment
-
LNREMB - National Reference Laboratory for Bivalve Mollusc Diseases
-
Fish Functional Genomics
-
Life History
Active projects
- LIFE REFISH -
Flexible biorefinery to valorise discards and by-products of the European fish and seafood production (REFISH)
Principal investigator:VázquezÁlvarezXosé AntónFunding body:LIFE Environment (Nature & Circular Economy)Funding:357637€Fromto - METDISHFISH -
Terapias metabólicas para el tratamiento de enfermedades infecciosas en peces de cultivo
Principal investigator:NovoaGarcíaBeatrizFunding body:Ayuda cofinanciada por el Fondo Europeo Marítimo y de Pesca y el Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación.Funding:324175€Fromto - ECOMUSSEL -
Servicios ecosistémicos del cultivo de mejillón
Principal investigator:ÁlvarezSalgadoXosé AntónFunding body:CSICFunding:48500€Fromto - INMUNOCTOPUS -
IMMUNITY IN COMMON OCTOPUS: NON-SELF RECOGNITION AND IMMUNE RESPONSE INDUCED BY PATHOGENS
Principal investigator:GestalMateoMaría CaminoFunding body:Proyecto PID2020-119906GB-I00 financiado por MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033Funding:120000€Fromto - IMANREFIVIR -
IMMUNE ANTIVIRAL RESPONSE OF FISH AGAINST RNA VIRUSES
Principal investigator:NovoaGarcíaBeatrizFunding body:Proyecto PID2020-119532RB-I00 financiado por MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033Funding:160000€Fromto - Contrato Programa -
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
Principal investigator:SaboridoReyFranFunding body:Agencia Galega de InnovaciónFunding:521824€Fromto - ResiduoZero_2 -
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.
Principal investigator:MedinaMéndezIsabelFunding body:Culmarex S.A.Funding:24705€Fromto - ERM -
Ecología y Recursos Marinos
Principal investigator:PierceGraham JohnFunding body:Ayudas cofinanciadas con fondos de la Agencia Gallega de Innovación de la Xunta de GaliciaFunding:333321€Fromto - ACUIECO -
ACUICULTURA SOSTENIBLE Y ECONOMÍA CIRCULAR
Principal investigator:FernándezBabarroJose ManuelFunding body:Consello Regulador do Mexillón de GaliciaFunding:11925€Fromto - SUSTAINFEED -
Development of highly sustainable less/zero competing-food aquafeeds for European aquaculture using low carbon and zero waste ingredients
Principal investigator:MedinaMéndezIsabelFunding body:EIT-Food project co-funded by the European UnionFunding:138961€Fromto