Sustainable seafood production through integrated aquaculture

SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD PRODUCTION THROUGH INTEGRATED AQUACULTURE

Coordinated by Emeritus Professor John Bolton, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town

Wednesday 24–Friday 26 January  9.15 am  COURSE FEES R330; Staff and students R165 T

More than 50% of the seafood consumed globally is produced in aquaculture, which is the farming of aquatic organisms, such as fish, abalone, sea urchins or algae in controlled environments. However, as with any farming, the environmental impact of these practices should be considered to ensure sustainable seafood production. Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), where the waste from one farmed species is recaptured for use by another, represents a sustainable production method that can reduce the environmental impacts of aquaculture, increase the number of species that are farmed, and increase production. For example, the solid waste excreted by abalone can be used as a food source for sea cucumbers, while the dissolved ammonia in the water can be used as a fertiliser for seaweeds. The seaweeds also act as bio-filters so that water can be re-used, and the seaweed can be used as a feed. These lectures will explore marine aquaculture and the implementation of IMTA in South Africa, and globally in the context of the EU-funded ASTRAL project.

Lecture titles

Overview of integrated aquaculture Dr Marissa Brink-Hull
Integrated aquaculture and the importance of seaweeds Emeritus Professor John Bolton
Sustainable strategies for improving health of intensive aquaculture systems Dr Brett Macey

Recommended reading

All Atlantic sustainable, profitable and resilient aquaculture (ASTRAL) project. Available at: https://www.astral-project.eu/

Swingler, H. and Bolton J.J. 2018. Aquaculture key to food security and nutrition? Available at: https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2018-11-19-aquaculture-key-to-food-security-and-nutritiona

van Beijnen, J. and Yan, G. The multi-trophic revolution: a deep dive with IMTA guru Thierry Chopin. The Fish Site, 16 April 2021. https://thefishsite.com/articles/the-multi-trophic-revolution-a-deep-dive-with-imta- guru-thierry-chopin-polyculture-salmon-mussels-seaweed#:~:text=Chopin%20describes%20IMTA%20 as%3A%20%E2%80%9CThe,other%20crops%2C%20and%20to%20take

ASTRAL IMTA lab South Africa YouTube video. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81a001GgrpN1M

TO BOOK:

https://www.webtickets.co.za/performance.aspx?itemid=1534474513

Lectures will be given by researchers from the University of Cape Town (E/Prof John Bolton & Dr Marissa Brink-Hull) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s Directorate of Aquaculture Innovation and Technology Development (Dr Brett Macey). They are working on integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) in the EU-funded All Atlantic sustainable, profitable and resilient aquaculture (ASTRAL) project. Prof. John J Bolton is a lifelong seaweed biologist. Work of his research group has greatly increased our knowledge of the biodiversity and taxonomy, biogeography, ecology, the roles of microbiomes, resource use, and aquaculture of South African seaweeds, and provided scientific backing to the implementation of an internationally innovative and successful aquaculture industry growing seaweeds in integrated systems with marine animals.