Training school

Enrichments and micro diets preparation for emerging marine species in aquaculture (NUTRILARVI).

1. Aims and scientific programme of the training school.

Successful enrichment of live prey and correct formulation of first feeding diets are some of the most critical steps for massive and predictable supply of healthy and high quality juvenile for aquaculture marine species. Usually the development of larval rearing protocols for new species is limited to the used of commercial products or light modification over them. The design and development of new products such as enrichments or microdiets for commercial or experimental porpoise should consider a broad range of aspects including target species, knowledge of nutritional requirements, type of prey to be enriched, sources of nutrients and manufacturing. The aim of the training school is to widening the knowledge of different expertise trainers on aquaculture nutrition for enrichments or microdiets formulation, providing practical demonstrations with self made enrichments and micro diets for emerging species such as seriola, octopus or tuna.

The training school will be organized as follows:

• The duration of the training school will be 3 days .
• Program includes 6 lectures of 1-1.5 hours from expert trainers and 3 half-day demonstrations in the lab.
• For the demonstrations, participants will be divided in 3 groups.
• The selection of up to 20 participants will be done by the organizing committee.
• Each speaker will provide a copy of his/her slides and/or a text corresponding to his/her contribution.
• The official language of the training school will be English.
• Participation is open to 9 no larvanet members ( students or commercials) at their own expenses (see registration for fees).

2. Background of local organizer

GIA is a Joint Research Unit of University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) and the Canary Institute of Marine Sciences (ICCM), composed by 40 members, with 30 years experience in aquaculture RTD with fish, feed and pharmaceutical producers. GIA is considered an EU leading group in fish nutrition, coordinated by Prof. Izquierdo, and has study the effect of essential fatty acids (EFAs), protein sources, vitamins, pigments and minerals on fish spawning and flesh quality, growth, metabolism, behavior, health and welfare in species such as seabream, sea bass, red porgy, halibut, haddock, flounders, yellowtail or shrimps, among others. GIA has developed an expertise in in vitro studies to clarify the biological mechanisms involved in the regulation of several tissues functioning by dietary nutrients, and on histological and immune-histological studies. Besides, GIA includes genetists, microarrays development, and molecular markers for health (such as TNF or IL11), stress and welfare (glucocorticoid receptors (GR), HSP70, 90 or cytochromes) or lipid metabolism (delta 5/6 desaturases). GIAs has been a major partner of E.U. FAIR, 5th, 6th and 7th FP programs, related to fish physiology, including larval studies (PUFAFEED, LARVANET), alternative lipid sources (RAFOA, FORM), physiological aspects of fish (COLORED), domestication of marine fish (FAIR-CT95-0152), the application of genetics to aquaculture (AQUAFIRST), new species for aquaculture (SUDEVAB) or several INTERREG research projects, among others.

Material resources: GIA´s facilities include two experimental hatcheries, a mesocosms unit for larval rearing and the facilities a Warm Water Species Selection Unit (WWSSU) with a completely equipped laboratory of Molecular Biology and Quantitative Genetics techniques, a Marine Biosecurity Station (MBS) with three RAS and Fish Pathology, Anatomy-pathology and Microbiology Labs, a Feed Ingredients-additives Testing Unit (FITU) with labs for nutrition (GLCs, HPLCs and GLCs/HPLC-MS), processing, feed production, laboratory, digestibility and wet labs with computer controlled photoperiod and feeding for either larvae (including automated start feeding), juveniles or broodstock of marine fish species, both commercial or new species for aquaculture.