Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology

Projects

== ONGOING PROJECTS ==

VAL@rtemia

Met VAL@rtemia onderzoekt het Artemia Reference Center van UGent samen met partners Valodirect en Thinkubate technische, juridische en economische aspecten om een schaalbaar en duurzaam model voor artemia-biomassaproductie te realiseren op reststromen uit de voedingsindustrie. Artemia is een klein kreeftje dat een rijke voedselbron is voor andere diersoorten, zoals pootvissen en garnalen of zelfs huisdieren. Het project wil innovatieve aquacultuurtechnologie aan reststroomverwerking en markttoepassing koppelen. 

  • ARC involvement: Coordinator
  • Project partners: Valodirect, Thinkubate
  • Project duration: 3 year, 01/01/2026 to 31/12/2028
  • Total budget: 373.330 € of which 169.790€ from EU
  • Funds: EFMZVA and FIVA
  • ARC contact person: mieke.eggermont@ugent.be 
  • Project website

VLIR Short Initiative: Enhancing Asian catfish farmer livelihoods through sustainable farm-made feed innovations

This VLIR-UOS SI (Short Initiative) in Indonesia focuses on strengthening local capacities of catfish farmers. Asian catfish (Pangasius sp.) farming plays a vital role in the livelihoods of many small and medium-scale producers in Indonesia. However, rising production costs - especially for feed, which accounts for up to 80% of the total expenses - are putting pressure on farmers and reducing profit margins. This project supports local farmers by improving the quality and cost-efficiency of farm-made feeds using locally available ingredients. Together with IPB University, practical and affordable feeding solutions will be developed, aiming to help producers reduce costs, increase productivity, and strengthen their resilience. Beyond technical improvements, the project fosters collaboration among farmers, researchers and other stakeholders to build a shared vision for the future of Asian catfish farming. The ultimate goal is to enhance food security, improve livelihoods and boost the competitiveness of Indonesian aquaculture in a sustainable and inclusive way.

ARC involvement: project coordinator

Project partners:

  • Ghent University, Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center (ARC)
  • IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia

Project duration: 2025 - 2027

Total budget: € 69 991,90

Funds: VLIR-UOS

ARC contacts: vincent.vermeylen@ugent.be

Website: link

VLIR Short Initiative: DEPUREMOS

Project: Mollusc depuration in Ecuador for food safety and market expansion

This VLIR-UOS SI (Short Initiative) in Ecuador focuses on improving the food safety and autonomous management of depuration systems along the coastline. Mollusc consumption is an important part of Ecuadorian gastronomy. However, these molluscs are often sold and consumed without purification, contributing to frequent outbreaks of enteric diseases. To address this issue, a bivalve depuration technology was developed at ESPOL (Ecuador), where a prototype system was successfully designed, constructed and validated. This project aims to implement and promote mollusc depuration plants in coastal communities across Ecuador, enhancing food safety and expanding the bivalve market. An awareness campaign targeting both producers and consumers will highlight the socio-economic benefits of depuration system - including increased productivity, improved food safety and availability, and positive impacts on public health. Through this initiative, we seek to demonstrate to government authorities the importance of establishing public policies that make depuration a mandatory step in ensuring food and human health.

ARC involvement: project coordinator

Project partners:

  • Ghent University, Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center (ARC)
  • Espol University, Guayaquil, Ecuador

Project duration: 2025 - 2027

Total budget: € 69 993,00

Funds: VLIR-UOS

ARC contacts: vincent.vermeylen@ugent.be

Website: DEPUREMOS

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 European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (EUP AH&W) is a collaborative initiative aimed at advancing animal health and welfare across Europe. The objectives of EUP AH&W align with the European Green Deal and the Farm-to-Fork strategy, reflecting a commitment to a fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly food system.

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:

 Project duration: 2024 – 2029

Total budget: €114 500 000

Funding: Horizon Europe

Project website

more info: deepti.patel@ugent.be & amaliaputri.firdausi@ugent.be

Reefcovery

Recovery of Oyster Reefs on Marine Infrastructure for Nature Restoration and Creation

Reefcovery will generate and combine new knowledge which is essential for the creation of large-scale European flat oyster nature-inclusive-design solutions (oyster NIDs) for offshore marine infrastructure. The goal of this project is to scientifically substantiate the design of a variety of oyster NIDs with a strong potential to be applied on an industrial scale in future offshore marine projects – going well beyond the current state of the art. As such, Reefcovery will deal with the main fundamental questions that are crucial for: i) the successful colonisation and reduction of flat oyster spat mortality rate of newly created flat oyster reefs, and ii) the facilitation of large-scale restoration interventions.

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:

Project duration: 2023 - 2026

Total budget: €9.600.000

Funding: Horizon2020 Europe

Project website

More info: mieke.eggermont@ugent.be

KaviXton

Project doelstellingen:

  • 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.

  • 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

  • duration: 42 months; September 2024- March 2028

  • funding by: HORIZON-MISS-2023OCEAN-01

  • budget: € 8,375,060.00

  • project website

FLAVOREDUC

Het FLAVOREDUC project bekijkt verschillende methodes om grondsmaak te voorkomen en te elimineren in vis die wordt gekweekt in recirculatie aquacultuursystemen (RAS).

AquaVlan

== PAST PROJECTS ==

BioRAS Kaviaar

Development and optimization of integrated cultivation of tropical shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) with the green caviar macroalga Caulerpa lentillifera in RAS and Bioflocs.

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 BlueMarine project aimed to investigate the possibility of developing a multispecies hatchery and nursery for 3 commercial marine species groups: crustaceans, bivalves and macroalgae. This project tackled various objectives in terms of biological and technical feasibility for cultivating the 3 different species groups, system sustainability, the use of local species and/or local culture conditions, as well as ecological impact and economic feasibility. The focus of the project was cultivating larval and nursery stages of the species groups in a RAS environment.

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

VLIR Interuniversity Cooperation (IUC) with Hué University

The VLIR Institutional University Cooperation programmewith Hué University is 12-year partnership between Hue University and the five Flemish universities aiming at empowering the university as to better fulfill its role as development actor in society. the Programme consists of a transversal project (P1) on institutional management and 3 thematic projects: aquaculture and livestock nutrition (P2), ecosystems (P3) and rural health care development (P4). P1 sets up a framework for research-based education and university governance through seminars, workshops, conferences, visits and short training courses with PhD training; P2-3-4 focus  on research but in balance with PhD training.

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:

EURASTIP

The European Asian Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EURASTiP) is a three year research, development and innovation project, funded through the EU Horizon 2020 programme, and developed in response to EU call “reinforcing international cooperation on sustainable aquaculture production with countries from South East Asia”.  EURASTiP provides a structured basis for multi-stakeholder dialogue in the aquaculture community between South East Asia and the EU.

  • 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:

EDULIS

Offshore mussel culture in wind farms

Edulis studies the feasibility of mussel culture in offshore wind farms, 30 to 50 kilometers off the Belgian coast. In spring 2017 an experimental mussel culture system was installed in the C-Power wind farm to assess mussel seed capture, mussel growth and the impact of environmental factors. A second mussel culture system  placed in the Belwind concession in Nov 2017 measures the forces exerted by the sea on the mussel longline and will allow to determine the minimum requirements for a mussel culture system in open sea.

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.

AQUAEXCEL2020

AQUAEXCEL2020, a Horizon 2020 research infrastructure project, aims to support the sustainable growth of the aquaculture sector in Europe. AQUAEXCEL2020 comprises a large group of leading European aquaculture research facilities that work towards advanced integration and standardisation of tools for aquaculture research. AQUAEXCEL2020 aims to offer services tailored to the needs of the European aquaculture community and support and conduct world-class aquaculture research.

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.

Kingfish

The Healthy, Happy Kingfish project focused on improving the welfare and health of larval and juvenile yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) and the water quality in the cultivation system of the Kingfish Company. Various feeds and feeding protocols were developed and their impact on the larval performance assessed. A detection system for the early recognition of skeletal deformities was also developed. Performance indicators include survival, growth and the presence and severity of skeletal deformities.

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 RASbiome project aimed at improving the sustainability of fish production in freshwater RAS (recirculating aquaculture systems) by further investigating the relationship between the systems’ microbiome and water quality. The focus lay on the implementation go two fundamentally biological water treatment strategies to improve the management of nitrogen compounds in RAS: anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria on one hand and heterotrophic nitrogen assimilating bacteria on the other. The project contributed to European guidelines on reducing, reusing and recycling aquaculture waste material.

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

Seacrops

Technical and economic feasibility of land-based seaweed aquaculture

The Seacrops project aimed to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of sustainable land-based production of seaweed for human consumption. The three main goals cover 1) optimization of technical cultivation parameters that affect both quantitative and qualitative seaweed production, 2) developing a modular recirculating aquaculture system for onshore seaweed production, and 3) assessment of the economical feasibility and the logistics of product upscaling. The target species in this project are Palmaria palmata (dulse) and Porphyra sp. (nori).

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

Seatamine

see Research Explorer - (F2022/IOF-StarTT/061, SEATAMIN) SEATAMIN: local, healthy and sustainable food from land-based seaweed cultivation in Belgium

UNITED

 Horizon 2020 project on offshore wind, flat oyster aquaculture & restoration, and seaweed research in Belgium.