SensNews Jan 2016

Sensor100

January 2016

A virtual centre bringing together a vast amount of expertise on aquaculture related

research was launched on 2nd December 2015 at the University of Aberdeen.

The

(ICARD) has been established to bring together a group of 25 University of Aberdeen

experts in environment and food security to conduct and promote aquaculture re-

search, primarily in the areas of algal culture, shell fish and fish farming and nutrition.

The aim of the centre is to build upon this expertise and to provide various stakehold-

er groups, including fish farmers, pharmaceutical companies, fish processors and retail-

ers, with an information resource led by experts in the field.

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, shellfish and

algae.Aquaculture has been increasing globally by 8-9% per annum over the last few

decades to supply food for the table. In Scotland, production is dominated by farming

Atlantic salmon, which is now the largest food export in the UK.

To increase aquaculture production and its consumption in an environmentally sustain-

able way, ICARD’s research efforts will focus on studying the key limiting factors and

threats to the aquaculture sector, which include disease, sustainable feed production,

and creating marketing tools for the industry to enhance fish consumption by the gen-

eral public.

Reported by

8 December 2015