Sustainable Aquaculture

Sustainable Aquafood Systems

Unravelling the complexity of concerns in circular food systems includes studies into trade-offs between agriculture and aquaculture and studies into new forms of private and public sector governance to manage biological and climate risks and encourage sustainable aquaculture production. Integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA), low trophic aquaculture (LTA) of bivalves or seaweed in the marine environment and circular agrifood systems, which use residual flows to produce animal feed, all represent approaches to make aquafood systems more sustainable.

Governing aquaculture systems

Prof. Simon Bush of the Environmental Policy group (ENP) is an expert in the design of governance arrangements for global sustainable seafood.

Future Food Systems

Dr Killian Chary from the Aquaculture and Fisheries group (AFI) is interested in spatial planning of aquaculture and in multi-objective formulation of fish feeds to help formulate more sustainable aquaculture food systems, optimising the use of space and resources with a system perspective.

Dr Eugene Rurangwa from Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) has a cross-over expertise in aquaculture. He contributes to sustainable development of aquaculture in sub-Saharan Africa through innovation, adapted technology transfer, hands-on training of local experts and facilitation for different stakeholders.

Ecological intensification in ponds

Dr Marc Verdegem and Dr Kazi Kabir from the Aquaculture and Fisheries group (AFI) have optimised the ecological intensification concept, which enhances the role of natural food in ponds while using local feed ingredients. It also replaces more expensive or less sustainable ingredients like fish meal in the diet. Feeds are formulated for both the needs of the culture species and nutrient flows in pond ecosystems.

Kazi Ahmed Kabir is an adjunct researcher in aquaculture and fisheries group of Wageningen University and Research. He is a scientist in CIRAD. His research is focused on tropical aquaculture system inclusive of smallholders.

Marine ecotoxicology

Prof. Tinka Murk and Dr Ronald Osinga from the Marine Animal Ecology group (MAE) study bivalves and sponges. These can offer important ecosystem services, because they are able to function as a biological filter through their extensive pumping capacities. They can also can absorb viruses, bacteria, toxic algae, and polluted organic particles from the ambient environment.

At the Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation (WCDI) we work on processes of innovation and change through facilitating innovation, brokering knowledge and supporting capacity development. This includes courses on aquaculture smallholder business development and responsible aquaculture development.