Projects

There are several reasons why aquaculture in Europe is only growing slowly. One reason is the low economic efficiency of several production system and an eco-intensification could improve it.

A major challenge in the sea food sector is to reliably discriminate between the several hundred commercially traded fish species. Fish species can be notoriously difficult to tell apart, in particular when we have to deal with processed fish such as canned fish, or fish fillets. DNA-based detection tests exhibit a so far underutilized potential to clarify both species identity and origin of questionable fish or fishery products. Such methodologies may help to reveal incorrectly declared fish goods and hinder blurring the traces of fish derived from illegal and unregulated fishing. While transparency and security for retailers and consumers is enhanced, this ultimately increases the level of sustainability in the exploitation of fisheries resources.

Together with Moroccan partners we investigate the pollution of fishes from Moroccan coastal waters.

Recruitment of the European eel has been in decline since the 1980s. So far, the population has not recovered and is considered „critically endangered“. The species has a complex life-cycle which still poses a variety of unresolved questions, including the effects of hydrostatic pressure on the eel’s metabolism. Detailed experimental studies could improve our knowledge on possible physiological changes during the long-distance spawning migration to the Sargasso Sea. With our novel hyperbaric swim tunnel respirometer system, the conditions during the early marine phase of the spawning migration can be simulated and the energy expenditure of the eels during swimming can be measured under controlled conditions.

The huge amount of man-made solid waste materials ending up in the oceans was identified as one of the pressing global challenges. We investigate the amount of microplastics in marine fish and if this is a threat for the animal.

Due to the strong economic growth, land in Vietnam is becoming a limiting resource. In a pilot project, aquaculture facilities are being roofed with photovoltaic elements to produce food and energy at the same time.

Dumped Munition in the Baltic Sea pose a potetial risc for the environment. Which chemicals or metabolites are detectable in fish? Do they pose a threat for fish, do they affect fish health and how can the dumped munition been managed? These questions are adressed in the the research project DAIMON.