Projects
== ONGOING PROJECTS ==
BioRAS Kaviaar
The BioRAS Kaviaar project investigated the potential of integrating the cultivation of a fed aquaculture species (white leg shrimp or Penaeus vannamei) with an extractive species (the macroalga Caulerpa lentillifera). Two different cultivation setups were investigated for this integrated cultivation. Shrimp and macroalgae were cultivated in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) to identify the biological and technical challenges. Secondly, integrated cultivation was also investigated in a biofloc environment, in accordance with the current cultivation method of the only tropical shrimp farmer in Belgium. Technical and economical feasibility of upscaling were also assessed.
The Laboratory of Aquaculture was involved in various work packages on macroalgae cultivation as well as water quality assessment under different integrated cultivation setups.
Project partners:
- AAtechnics, Belgium
- CreveTec, Belgium
- Ghent University
- Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center
- IOF consortium BLUEGent
- Phycology Research Group
- Krechnologies
- Bert Sercu BVBA
Project duration: 2020 - 2023
Total budget: € 688 254
Funding: EFMZVA - FIVA
More info: mieke.eggermont@ugent.be & vincent.vermeylen@ugent.be
BlueMarine3.COM
BLUEprint for a viable multispecies hatchery of 3 MARINE COMmercially attractive species groups
The Laboratory of Aquaculture is responsible for various work packages on system design and experimental trials with larval and juvenile crustaceans and bivalves, as well as the integrated cultivation of the three species groups.
ARC involvement: project coordinator, work package leader
Project partners:
- Ghent University
- Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center (Coordinator)
- Phycology Research Group
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology (GhEnToxLab)
- IOF consortium BLUEGent
- IMAQUA bvba
- Proviron Algae
- De Oesterput
- Colruyt Group
- Sioen
- DEME
Project duration: 2019 - 2023
Total budget: € 1 135 434
Funding: VLAIO
More info: vincent.vermeylen@ugent.be & margriet.drouillon@ugent.be
Entoboost
Strengthening insect-based agriculture: resolving key knowledge gaps on insect welfare, safety and gut health benefits of insect products.
In the EntoBOOST project we investigate the use of insect-based ingredients for animal feeds. The project focuses on black soldier fly larvae (Hermetica illucens), that have a strong capacity to convert organic wastes into a nutrient-rich biomass. A team of leading research groups on farmed insects in Flanders addresses knowledge gaps on stress in insects (metabolic, phenotypical and behavioral), the use of under-utilized organic streams as feed for the black soldier larvae, and the impact of processing methods of the insect ingredients on the animal gut health.
The Laboratory of Aquaculture will screen the insect fractions for their bioactivity in the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana. This includes the effect on disease resistance and Artemia pathogen load, as well as an evaluation of the immune-stimulatory activity of these bioactive insect fractions.
Project partners:
- KU Leuven: IP&P lab; NAMES lab; Livestock Technology Group
- UAntwerp:Toxicological Centre
- Ghent University: Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center (partner)
- Inagro: Insect farming unit
- Thomas More - Kempen: Sustainable Biomass and Chemistry
- University of Insubria, Italy: iS&D
Project duration: 2024 - 2026
Total budget: €1 671 993
Funding: FWO
More info: mieke.eggermont@ugent.be & vincent.vermeylen@ugent.be
EUP AH&W
The European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare
The Laboratory of Aquaculture is responsible for several sets of activities (SOAs), including SOA7, which focuses on understanding diseases that affect wildlife and aquatic organisms across Europe to develop strategies for monitoring and managing these diseases. SOA8 involves the surveillance of veterinary pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance profiles to develop better management and treatment strategies. SOA11, known as KNOW-PATH, aims to enhance knowledge about priority pathogens and infectious diseases, improving detection methods and control measures. Lastly, SOA12, BETO, is dedicated to developing and improving diagnostic tools for infectious diseases, creating more accurate, efficient, and accessible methods for disease diagnosis and management.
Project partners:
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Austria
- Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Spain
- Eidgenössisches Departement des Innern - Institut für Virologie und Immunologie (EDI-IVI), Switzerland
- Estonian University of Life Sciences (EULS), Estonia
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), France
- Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), Germany
- Ghent University (UGent), Belgium
- Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Spain
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Italy
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana (IZSLT), Italy
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZLER), Italy
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale" (IZS – Teramo), Italy
- National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research (INIAV), Portugal
- National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), France
- National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Sweden
- National Veterinary Research Institute (PIWet), Poland
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NVI), Norway
- Sciensano, Belgium
- Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain
- Statens Serum Institut (SSI), Denmark
- Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark
- University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark
- University of Padua (UNIPD), Italy
- University of Surrey (SURREY), United Kingdom
- Wageningen University & Research (WR), Netherlands
Project duration: 2024 – 2029
Total budget: €114 500 000
Funding: Horizon Europe
Project website
more info: deepti.patel@ugent.be & amaliaputri.firdausi@ugent.be
Kingfish
The Laboratory of Aquaculture was involved in supporting the research on and the development of the feeds and feeding protocols for the yellowtail kingfish hatchery, as well as nutritional analyses on the feeds and larvae.
Project partners:
- Kingfish Zeeland BV, The Netherlands
- Wageningen University, The Netherlands
- Ghent University:
- Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center (partner)
- Department of Biology
Project duration: 2020 - 2023
Total budget: € 1 036 389
Funding: European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
more info: vincent.vermeylen@ugent.be
MPVaqua
Marine Floating PhotoVoltaic Panels
The Blue Cluster Marine Floating PV project is an industrial research project. Its objective is to investigate innovative marine floating PV technology and associated know-how for offshore electricity production. Besides renewable energy, synergies and compatibility with the marine environment and mariculture will be explored.
The Laboratory of Aquaculture is involved in the work package on integration of the floating PV with marine aquaculture. Specifically, we will evaluate the performance of oyster aquaculture with this floating PV system. The focal species is the native European flat oyster Ostrea edulis, monitoring growth and survival during an outdoor trial period.
Project partners:
- Tractebel ENGIE, Belgium
- DEME Group, Belgium
- Jan De Nul Group, Belgium
- Soltech, Belgium
- Ghent University, Marine@UGent Group
Project duration: 2019 - 2024
Total budget: € 1 166 300
Funds: VLAIO
More info: molly.hughes@ugent.be & vincent.vermeylen@ugent.be
Rasbiome
Microbial management in RAS for sustainable aquaculture production
The Laboratory of Aquaculture was responsible for investigating lab-scale systems on heterotrophic bacterial N-assimilation on simulated trout waste water.
Project partners:
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Norway
- Danish Technical University, DTU Aqua, Denmark
- Ghent University: Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center (partner)
- Assentoft aqua Aps, Denmark
- Leroy Seafood AS, Norway
- Krüger Kaldnes AS, Norway
Project duration: 2020 – 2023
Total budget: €1 233 486
Funds: EU FWO
More info: vincent.vermeylen@ugent.be
Reefcovery
Recovery of Oyster Reefs on Marine Infrastructure for Nature Restoration and Creation
Consequently, the target of Reefcovery is to investigate all conditions that are necessary to ‘kick-start’ self-sustaining large-scale flat oyster reefs in North Sea conditions. The oyster NIDs which will be investigated within Reefcovery will support future restoration of habitats and marine ecosystem functioning and will provide added value to the portfolio of the project partners and the wider Flemish industry.
Project partners
- Jan de Nul
- DEME
- ResourceFull
- Ghent University: Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center (project coordinator); Magnel-Vandepitte Laboratory; Coastal Engineering Laboratory
Project duration: 2024 – 2028
Total budget: € 2 930 000
Funding: VLAIO
More info: molly.hughes@ugent.be
Ultfarms
Circular Low Trophic oFfshore Aquaculture in wind farms and Restoration of Marine Space
The Ultfarms project is a direct follow-up of the European United project. It aims to move beyond the current application of low-trophic aquaculture (LTA) systems with novel engineering, technical, ecological and biological processes to optimize production in harsh offshore conditions, as well as their integration within offshore wind farms (OWF). The project involves stakeholders from across the value chains of both LTA and OWF to ensure an environmentally sound, low-carbon and safe LTA products. A total of 5 associate regions are include throughout the project, allowing to various offshore pilots to be tested.
The Laboratory of Aquaculture is responsible for the coordination and monitoring of the Belgian pilot. Besides, our lab is also involved in supporting the oyster cultivation techniques and nature-inclusive design for oyster reef restoration.
Project partners:
- Stichting Deltares, The Netherlands
- FuE FH KIEL, Germany
- Ghent University, Belgium
- RBINS, Belgium
- Stichting Wageningen Research, The Netherlands
- Danish Technical University DTU, Denmark
- VLIZ, Belgium
- Nordic Seafarm, Sweden
- KMF&Co, Germany
- BBE Moldaenke, Germany
- Jan De Nul, Belgium
- Bla Biomasse, Denmark
- Orsted Wind Power, Denmark
- Submariner Network, Germany
- Parkwind, Belgium
- Hidromod Modelacao em Engenharia, Portugal
- University Goeteborg, Sweden
- Impact9, Ireland
- Bantry Marine Research Station, Ireland
- SPF Ocean Rainforest,
- Hortimare, The Netherlands
- SAS Van De Braak, The Netherlands
- Fundacion Corporacion Tecnologica de Andalucia, Spain
- OOS SMF, The Netherlands
- GL Garrad Hassan Deutschland, Germany
Project duration: 2023 - 2026
Total budget: €9.600.000
Funding: Horizon2020 Europe
More info: mieke.eggermont@ugent.be
KaviXton
- De veiligheid van de implementatie van dit (beschermde) AOP proces in kaviaarproductie aantonen.
- Het waterverbruik tijdens het afzwemproces bij kaviaarproductie met 75% verminderen.
- De afzwemtijd nodig om on-flavour kaviaar te bekomen verminderen van 6 tot 8 weken naar 3-4 weken.
- De economische rendabiliteit van de implementatie bij kaviaarproductie aantonen.
- De Gemial analyser finetunen en valideren in praktijkomstandigheden en hiermee de commerciële lancering mede mogelijk maken.
- De analyses van geosmine en 2-MIB in fillet op punt stellen en zo beschikbaar maken voor viskwekerijen
Partners:
- Odisee Hogeschool (promotor)
- AquaBio
- COK-KAT
- ILVO
- Laboratorium voor Aquacultuur, Universiteit Gent
Duur van het project: 2024 tot 2025
Budget: 360.000EUR
Financier: EFMZVA- EN FIVA-TEGEMOETKOMING VOOR EEN COLLECTIEF PROJECT OF PROJECT VAN GEMEENSCHAPPELIJK BELANG
Blue Connect
The BLUE CONNECT is a Mission Ocean funded project that addresses the urgent need to protect and restore marine habitats and ecosystems and to reach ambitious EU and global protection and restoration targets by 2030. Together with Marine Protected Area (MPA) managers, authorities, industries, and local communities from 12 Demonstration sites and beyond, BLUE CONNECT is co-developing, promoting, and demonstrating a systematic approach to marine conservation planning and management.
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partners: SUBMARINER Network; VLIZ; RBINS; CCMS; SALT; UGent; DELTARES; NIVA; UMA; UTARTU; WWF MED; WWF Spain; WWF Italy; SUBMON; University of the Azores; Jan De Nul; INCDM-NIMRD; HELCOM; BBF; FMB; BHTC; MITERD; WWF Adria; UHI Shetland
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duration: 42 months; September 2024- March 2028
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funding by: HORIZON-MISS-2023OCEAN-01
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budget: € 8,375,060.00
- project website
FLAVOREDUC
AquaVlan
UNITED
== PAST PROJECTS ==
VLIR Interuniversity Cooperation (IUC) with Hué University
Prof. Peter Bossier is the Flemish programme coordinator and project leader of the aquaculture component.
- duration: 2013-2024 (6+4+2 years)
- budget: 350.000 EUR/y
- contact: Jean Dhont
EURASTIP
- partners: SUBMARINER Network; VLIZ; RBINS; CCMS; SALT; UGHENT; DELTARES; NIVA; UMA; UTARTU; WWF MED; WWF Spain; WWF Italy; SUBMON; University of the Azores; Jan De Nul; INCDM-NIMRD; HELCOM; BBF; FMB; BHTC; MITERD; WWF Adria; UHI Shetland;
- duration: 2017-2019
- budget: 2.000.000 EUR
- project website
- contact: Mieke Eggermont
EDULIS
Offshore mussel culture in wind farms
This ambitious pilot project is largely financed by private funding and facilitated by Flemish and European funding. It is a collaboration between Ghent University, the Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Research (ILVO), 5 private partners: Belwind, Brevisco, C-Power, Colruyt Group and DEME Group, and a third research partner: OD Natuur.
- duration: 2016 - 2018
- project website: www.edulis.ugent.be
- contact: Sara De Vos
AQUAEXCEL2020
Similar to the forerunner project AQUAEXCEL (2011-2015), one of the key aspects of AQUAEXCEL2020 is to provide subsidised access to its top-class aquaculture facilities as well as numerous highly pertinent services for researchers from academia and industry. AQUAEXCEL2020 will also provide training for transnational access users, aquaculture researchers, technical staff and industry stakeholders. Calls for transnational access will be announced on a regular basis here.
- website: aquaexcel2020.eu
Seacrops
Technical and economic feasibility of land-based seaweed aquaculture
The Laboratory of Aquaculture was responsible for the installation and optimization of the cultivation tanks in function of the technical requirements for successful macroalgae production.
Project partners:
- Ghent University
- Phycology Research Group
- IOF consortium BLUEGent
- Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center (ARC)
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology (GhEnToxLab)
Project duration: 2021 - 2022
Total budget: €100.000
Funding: IOF-ConcepTT
More info: tom.baelemans@ugent.be & vincent.vermeylen@ugent.be