PREVENT ESCAPE: developing technology and knowledge for reducing fish escapes from aquaculture cages

Experts in technologies and aquaculture from the Basque AZTI-Tecnalia research centre, together with a number of researchers from the Industry & Transport and Energy Divisions of Tecnalia Research and Innovation, have worked jointly on the “Prevent Escape“ project in order to provide solutions to concrete aspects such as (a) quantification at an EU level; (b) evaluation of the structural operational causes of escapes; and (c) response of installation materials and nets to environmental loads.

Escapes (understood as by fish or viable gametes) from aquaculture cages are a serious threat to the natural biodiversity of European waters. Nevertheless, information on their real effects on the environment has only been available due to research undertaken on the Norwegian salmon sector and has been limited or non-existent for the Atlantic cod, sea bass or the Mediterranean sea bream sectors. This is why a project was launched in which representatives from Norway, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Malta, Greece and Canada have worked in order to document the scale of escapes in European aquaculture, focusing on the following aspects: (i) operational and biological risks and causes, (ii) ecological effects, (iii) the economic repercussion on the sector, (iv) prevention and (v) developing strategies and technologies for their mitigation.

These individuals may cause undesirable genetic effects amongst the native populations through cross-reproduction, as well as ecological effects through depredation, competition and transference of pathogenic agents to wild fish.

These escapes are caused both by environmental or biological events as well as by technical or operational faults such as the rupture of cage structures during severe meteorological phenomena, tears and holes in nets due to fish or predators biting through nets, or accidents during the handling of nets. Any of these can result in farmed fish and/or their gametes escaping.

The project reported that, between 2010 and 2012, nine million escapes by fish took place in Europe, the Mediterranean sea bream representing 75% of the total. Faults in mooring systems are the most significant cause of escapes in European aquaculture, followed by holes in nets due to biting by sea bream and cod (16%) or marine predators entering (14%). The recent application of the NS9415 technical standard in the Norwegian Atlantic salmon sector has managed to prevent escapes, regulating specific measures for the structure of the cages, the mooring systems and for auxiliary equipment. During the 2010-2012 period, the EU sea bream, sea bass, cod and salmon sectors have suffered economic repercussion (understood as loss of income by first sale/per year/per country per product) of 47.5M €.

The more than 20 scientific journal-indexed publications arising from the project have been published in high-impact scientific journals and have been compiled in a book which can be downloaded from the following link: http://preventescape.eu/?page_id=51.

Participants:

1. SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture, Norway.
2. Hellenic Centre of Marine Research, Greece.
3. University of Alicante, Spain.
4. Scottish Association of Marine Science, the United Kingdom.
5. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Norway.
6. Nofima Institute of Food, Fishery and Aquaculture, Norway.
7. University of Crete, Greece.
8. Marine Institute, Ireland.
9. University of Malta.
10. AZTI-Tecnalia and Tecnalia Research and Innovation, Spain.
11. University of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, Spain.

Bioman 2013 fisheries campaign to evaluate anchovy population in Bay of Biscay

The Basque Government has commissioned the Azti-Tecnalia Food & Fisheries Technological Centre to undertake the ‘Bioman 2013’ fisheries campaign, the goal of which is to evaluate the anchovy population in the Bay of Biscay on the spring season terminating. The Department of Economic Development and Competitiveness highlights the importance of the data from this study and believes that they confirm the good situation of the fishery grounds thanks to the responsible management thereof. The research will determine the area of reproduction of the species, its egg production and its fecundity. Scientists from the Technological Centre are on board the “Ramón Margalef” and the “Emma Bardan” oceanographic research vessels in order to carry out this study. The data gathered over approximately one month at sea will act, together with other technical reports, to estimate the biomass of the species at the end of the spring season.

Knowledge about and preservation of the anchovy biomass is fundamental for the Basque fishing fleet. Based on this, the Basque Government has been promoting Bioman research campaigns since 1987. Once again, specialists from Azti-Tecnalia, having sailed out from the Port of Pasajes, will gather samples of anchovy spawn at numerous points in the area under study in order to determine the egg production of the species. In a parallel manner, they will make catches of adult anchovies to determine their level of fecundity. With all this data they will make an estimate of the anchovy biomass in the Bay of Biscay by what is known as the Egg Production Method.

The scientific team will also analyse the characteristics of the habitat of the anchovy from a hydrographic and biological point of view, an increasingly relevant aspect in fisheries scientific research. They will also gather data such as temperature, salinity and chlorophyll content.

The results of ‘Bioman 2013’ will be compared with existing information from past campaigns, as well as from that obtained by the French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer). The French experts are currently developing their campaign to calculate anchovy biomass, based on acoustic techniques, emitting ultrasounds into the water and analysing their echoes to estimate the biomass in the zone under study.

On terminating the campaign, in the month of June, the data will be analysed and a report will be drawn up with the estimate of the anchovy biomass in the Bay of Biscay. The date will be presented at the International Council for Exploration at Sea (ICES). Taking these results into account and those obtained by the French Institute, the ICES will issue scientifically-based guidance to fishery management bodies within the European Union, setting out management measures for anchovy fishing.

Procedimiento de contratación por concurso para los servicios de análisis taxonómico de comunidades de fitoplancton

Fecha límite para presentación de ofertas: 24/05/2013

Criterios y Características: Servicios de análisis taxonómico de comunidades de fitoplancton