Shellfish as part of integrated aquaculture are there associated production opportunities?

Transcription

1 Shellfish as part of integrated aquaculture are there associated production opportunities? Gavin Burnell Aquaculture and Fisheries Development Centre, University College Cork, Ireland

2 Outline of presentation Background and definitions Our research in Aquaculture Development Centre, UCC Diversification and Innovation Questions

3 Typical Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture array

4 Typical RAS system with hydroponics (Waller et al. 2014)

5 Aquaponics = Aquaculture + hydroponics

6 Urban Farmers, Den Haag, Belgium

7 Why marine aquaponics? Hard to demonstrate nutrient recycling in oligo/mesotrophic open water IMTA Difficult to obtain licenses for mixed species culture in Ireland Closed RAS allows full control of inputs and outputs RAS allows behavioural observations Mix and match different species Reduced sampling variability (diurnal/tidal) Possible to test disease transfer between species = maraponics (

8 Converting an Intermediate Bulk Carrier (IBC) to a maraponics unit

9 IBCs make excellent experimental systems

10 Model maraponics ecosystem Pmy producer Tertiary consumer Pmy producer 11 Pmy consumers Detritivores P Pmy consumers Decomposer P

11 Our research questions Will rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) become steelheads and drive the system? What species of macroalgae and halophytes will grow in our system? Can we use fatty acid profiles to trace nutrients through the animals? Will sea urchins and sea cucumbers survive in MARAPONIC system. Can we tag them?

12 Species tested in maraponics systems Seaweeds: (Laminaria digitata; Ulva lactuca, Ascophyllum nodosum; Fucus serratus; F. vesiculosus; Pelvetia canaliculata, Palmaria palmate, Himenthalia elongata, Porphyra umbilicalis) Molluscs: Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) & abalone (Haliotis discus hannai and H. tuberculata) Echinoderms: Cotton spinner sea cucumber (Holothuria forskali) and sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus)

13 Mussels were feeding on feed and faeces

14 Abalone were feeding on feed/faeces Evidence of salmon feed/faeces markers in abalone tissue: 20:1n-9; 22:1n-11; ARA; DHA; EPA significantly higher in post-trial abalone Ratio of ω6:ω3 (W.H.O. recommends < 10:1) Farmed abalone (fed on Laminaria) - ω6:ω3 = 0.4 ± 0.0 Maraponic abalone ω6:ω3: 0.4 ± 0.0 (top); 0.3 ± 0.0 (bottom)

15 Maraponics & Salicornia europaea Unlike freshwater aquaponics, where there are a multitude of plant component choices (e.g. lettuces, herbs etc.), a marine system has a limited number of suitable plant species available S. europaea was chosen as a candidate species in an experimental IMTA/Maraponics system as it is extremely salttolerant and commercially valuable and has potential as a bio-filter

16 S. europaea growth trials Preliminary Research: Trial One: No pre-germination treatment. Controlled light conditions (16:8 light:dark), no temperature control. 5% seedling emergence Trial two: No pre-germination treatment. Temperature, humidity and light controlled growth room. 15% seedling emergence Trial three: Cold stratification pregermination treatment. Ambient light and temperature conditions. 100% seedling emergence

17 Aeroponics propagator

18 Using shellfish hatchery waste Treatment 1= 1 part saline wastewater: 2 part freshwater Treatment 2 = 2 part saline wastewater: 1 part freshwater Treatment 3: 100% saline wastewater

19 Waste nutrient % reduction after one week (Treatments 1 and 2) Ammonia ( mg/l) 96-98% Nitrite ( mg/l ) 91-98% Nitrate ( mg/l) 90 99% Phosphate ( mg/l) 80 85%

20 Summary of maraponics results Fish replaced by faeces/food/nh3 mix (3 Rs Replace, reduce, refine) Abalone and mussels fed on fish waste and grew. Their FA profiles can be changed. Both species have healthy ( : 1) ratio of ω6:ω3 (W.H.O. recommends < 10:1) Sea cucumbers did not grow very sensitive to water quality. Only Ascophylum and Ulva grew in IBC system Salicornia thrives in diluted shellfish hatchery waste

21 Diversification/Innovation Tourism New products for local markets Recycling effluent nutrients Outreach Education

22 Aquaculture tourism in Maine Abigail Carroll, a business consultant who has worked internationally, recently returned to her hometown in Scarborough, Maine. One of her first contracts was developing a business plan for an oyster farm. The aspiring oyster farmers plans didn't work out, and Carroll became the owner of the farm. She wasn t a fisherman. She had no background in marine science. Tours are Carroll s favorite part of the job. With her farm site on the Scarborough River, she's an easy visit for those coming down the coast. Each guest receives six freshly shucked oysters with lemons and mignonette while on Carroll s tour. She enjoys building relationships with the people she brings out on her boat, and a recent promotional effort called the Maine Oyster Trail is trying to bring that relationship to more oyster farms across the state.

23 Exploiting accidental IMTA in France NORMAND ALG, le SMEL, l Université de Caen et le Comité Régional de la Conchyliculture Normandie Mer du Nord Ulva intestinalis, and Porphyra sp. grew on oyster trestles. Palmaria palmata and Saccharina latissima showed potential

24 Mix and match in the Netherlands RAAK Salty Gold project ( ) Several projects looking at various combinations of shellfish, finfish, polychaetes and algae

25 Land-based IMTA research in France fremer_results

26 Cleaning fjords in Denmark As well as cleaning pollution from the sea, seaweed and mussels can also be used for human and animal food. Proteins in seaweed and mussels can, for instance, replace part of the huge quantity of soy that Denmark imports from South America. (Jens Kjerulf Petersen DTU, 2014) Researchers studied 1,100 tonnes of mussels from an 18 hectare area of Skive Fjord. They found that the tasty creatures reduce oxygen deficiency because they eat algae that is there in part because of nitrogen emissions from agriculture

27 Outreach 1. Ecoponics 2. Maraponics Miniponics 3 2

28 Education Projects (BSc, MSc, PhD) Laboratory materials (Second and third level) Young Scientists (second level) Allotments (Local community) Citizen Science (Local community) Incubators (Entrepreneurs)