This is an ambitious research program that intends to contribute to the development of sustainable aquaculture in Portugal. It applies a multi-disciplinary approach to different problems of aquaculture and is orientated either to the improvement of actual aquaculture practices and to new aquaculture activities, based on new species that will contribute to aquaculture diversification, and to the application of new approaches - integrated multi-trophic system - to improve environmental sustainability and economic value of the exploitations.

The research plan is structured in six major research topics that are further divided in 15 tasks and will focus on: a) nutrition and feeding of fish (Tasks 2-6); b) nutritional quality and shelf life of the final product (Task 8); c) modelling feed intake, growth and waste production in fish farms (Task 9); d) pathology of aquaculture species (Tasks 10-13); e) integrated multi-trophic approach to promote environmental sustainability of aquaculture (Tasks 14-16); 6) new species for aquaculture (Tasks 2-4,6,8,9,11,13-15). 

LANUCE will focus on the utilization of plant feedstuffs as alternative to fish meal and fish oil that are the two main ingredients in aquafeeds in Portugal. Several strategies for improving the utilization of these diets will be evaluated, namely the use of macroalgae (Task 7). Nutritional quality and shelf life of the final product will focus on the impact of plant feedstuff-rich diets on the quality, sensorial attributes and shelf life of flesh (Task 8) and on the effect of finishing diets in the reposition of“fishy” flesh quality attributes. Analysis will comprise determination of proximate composition of the animals, free amino acids and fatty acids profiles, texture analysis, flesh organoleptic evaluation, histological characteristics of the muscle, biochemical mechanisms and expression of genes involved in muscle growth and texture.
A model for estimation of growth rate and feed intake will allow an optimization of fish farm production management (Task 9). The model will estimate waste production and will constitute a valuable tool for optimization feed management, allowing farmers to reduce feeding and labor costs and to minimize environmental impacts due to feeding. The model will evaluate fish responses to variables such as temperature, light intensity and photoperiod, and physiologic regulation of growth and appetite will be targeted by analysis of expression of genes involvedin appetite regulation. Gut fullness and emptying rate correlation with appetite recovery will be determined by x-raying the gut content of fish fed x-ray dense particles diluted in the diets. 

Scientific Publications

Conde-Sieira, M, Soengas, JL, Valente, LMP. 2015. Potential capacity of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) to use carbohydrates: metabolic responses to hypo- and hyper-glycaemia. Aquaculture 438: 59-67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2014.12.042

Salas-Leiton, E, Dias, J, Gavaia, P, Amoedo, A, Valente, LMP. 2015. Optimization of phosphorus content in high plant protein practical diets for Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis, Kaup 1858) juveniles: influence on growth performance and composition of whole body and vertebrae. Aquaculture 23: 18–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/anu.12354

Valente, LMP, Cabral, E, Sousa, V, Cunha, LM, Fernandes, JMO. 2016. Plant protein blends in diets for Senegalese sole affect skeletal muscle growth, flesh texture and the expression of related genes. Aquaculture 453: 77-85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2015.11.034

Press Release

Conde-Sieira, M, Soengas, JL, Valente, LM. 2014. Glucose tolerance and metabolic response to hypo- and hyper-glycaemia in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis). Aquaculture Europe 2014 - San Sebastian (Spain), 13-17 Oct.

Salas-Leiton, E, Dias, J, Gavaia, P, Amoedo, A, Valente, LMP. 2014. Influence of dietary Phosphorus content on growth performance, body composition and vertebrae indicators in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis Kaup, 1858) juveniles fed sustainable diets. European Aquaculture 2014. San Sebastian (Spain), 13-17 Oct.

Lopes, G, Castro, LFC, Sousa, V, Valente, LMP. 2015. Long term feeding of vegetable oil-based diets affects muscle cellularity and the expression of myogenic genes. - ISGA XII - The International Symposium on Genetics in Aquaculture XII - Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 21-27 June.

Valente, LMP, Barriga Negra, L, Cabral, EM, Cunha, LM, Fernandes, JM, 2014. Flesh quality of Senegalese sole fed diets with increasing levels of plant protein blends as replacement of fishmeal. International Symposium on Fish Nutrition and Feeding, Cairns, Queensland, Australia, 25-30 May.