On 5th December 2022 a virtual demonstration of the innovations of the project iFishIENCi was organised by AquaBioTech Group (ABT) via an online webinar. The purpose of this demo event was to invite aquaculture experts to learn about the exciting research and technological innovations being undertaken and developed as part of the iFishIENCi project. Participants were able to see the project innovations in action, including the SmartRAS production technology at AquaBioTech Groups Innovia Research Facility, where a feed trial is underway to test Candida yeast meal, produced by NORCE as a novel protein source for the project. African catfish have been specially selected as part of the MATE selective breeding program for their utilisation of alternative protein feeds in flow through systems in Hungary.
The demonstration event:
- Demonstrated that the specifically selected African catfish, bred for utilisation of alternative protein feeds, can be grown using novel feeds containing Candida meal in RAS.
- Demonstrated that the same specifically selected catfish can be grown using iFishIENCi’s SmartRAS production technology.
- Demonstrated the capacity of the SmartRAS production technology to manage stocking densities relevant to the production of African Catfish with regards to water quality.
These topics were exhibited through a virtual site tour and a Q&A panel with experts involved in the project from ABT, MATE and NORCE. The participants were able to meet the study coordinator Dr Giovanni Marco Cusimano and the technical team as they explained how their demonstration trials are helping to advance SmartRAS, and the New Feeds and Breeding program of the project.
You can watch the demonstration event on the iFishIENCi website or on the iFishIENCi YouTube channel
The event was organised under the Horizon 2020 project iFishIENCi, which brings together 16 partners coordinated by AquaBioTech Group in a trans-disciplinary effort towards making genuine improvements to fish farming worldwide. Fish aquaculture is essential for providing healthy food to a growing world population, but its success depends upon our ability to find more sustainable farming practices. This means more effective ways of monitoring fish-health and welfare and more efficient ways of feeding fish that reduce pressure upon the source of fish-feed ingredients, such as agricultural crops and wild-caught fish.
The ambition of iFishIENCi is developing and demonstrating disruptive IoT/AI based innovations, considering the feeding value chain as a whole, and addressing commercially important species, with fish quality as focus. Finishing in July 2023, the current project phase, Demonstration in Operational Environments, integrates the developed technologies, including sensors, automated feeders, artificial intelligence and novel feed formulations for testing in commercial environments with species such as seabass, African catfish, Atlantic salmon, and tilapia, grown in diverse production systems. In this phase we welcome interested parties to join us for onsite and online tours, workshops and Q&A sessions. More information about the project innovations and upcoming events can be found on the project website
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 818036
