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Sustainable Fish Production: Practices on Nutritional Management and Novel Farming...
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Sustainable Fish Production: Practices on Nutritional Management and Novel Farming Systems Application

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal System and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2024) | Viewed by 11939

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Inês Guerreiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CIMAR/CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
Interests: aquaculture, fish physiology; fish nutrition; feed intake regulation; alternative ingredients; functional ingredients; prebiotics; probiotics; fish health and welfare
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Aquaculture will be the most reliable source of seafood in the future. However, concerns arise regarding its environmental impact, due to water quality deterioration and the reliance of feeds on fisheries ingredients. Good nutritional practices, such as the use of alternative ingredients (insect meal, plant feedstuffs, processed animal proteins, single-cell microorganisms) or increased knowledge on feed intake regulation improving feed utilization will enable an improvement in aquafeed sustainability, reducing pressure on fish wild stocks and water pollution, leading to a more sustainable use of the oceans, marine resources, and production patterns, as outlined in the UN's Sustainable Development Goals 12 and 14. The use of new and optimized farming systems will also help in meeting these sustainable development goals.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions on these topics in the form of literature reviews, original research manuscripts, or short communications. Topics of special interest include manuscripts on the use of alternative ingredients, on increasing the knowledge on feed intake, or on the use of novel farming systems.

Dr. Inês Guerreiro
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • alternative ingredients
  • feed intake
  • novel farming systems

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 6057 KiB  
Article
Red Blood Cell Transcriptome Reflects Physiological Responses to Alternative Nutrient Sources in Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)
by Rafael Angelakopoulos, Andreas Tsipourlianos, Alexia E. Fytsili, Leonidas Papaharisis, Arkadios Dimitroglou, Dimitrios Barkas, Zissis Mamuris, Themistoklis Giannoulis and Katerina A. Moutou
Animals 2025, 15(9), 1279; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15091279 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 179
Abstract
The sustainable growth of finfish farming relies heavily on reducing the high ecological footprint of sourcing and producing fish feeds that accounts for almost 50% of the total ecological footprint of finfish farming. Sustainable alternatives to fishmeal often pose challenges due to the [...] Read more.
The sustainable growth of finfish farming relies heavily on reducing the high ecological footprint of sourcing and producing fish feeds that accounts for almost 50% of the total ecological footprint of finfish farming. Sustainable alternatives to fishmeal often pose challenges due to the presence of antinutritional factors and nutrient imbalances that impair fish health and growth. Screening for alternative nutrient sources and adapting to global commodity fluctuations requires modern tools that can predict the physiological responses of fish early and reliably. The present study explores for the first time the potential of fish red blood cell (RBC) transcriptome as a minimally invasive biomarker of physiological responses in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) fed either a fishmeal-based (FM) or a plant-protein-based (PP) diet. Blood samples were collected at multiple time points (15, 20, and 30 days post-diet initiation) from genetically diverse full-sib families reared under commercial conditions, integrating transcriptomic analysis with long-term growth assessments. Differential gene expression analysis revealed significant dietary effects on oxidative phosphorylation, ribosomal capacity, and lipid metabolism pathways, highlighting metabolic plasticity and cellular adaptations to plant-based feeds. The downregulation of oxidative phosphorylation genes suggests a metabolic shift in response to altered nutrient composition, while ribosomal pathway modulation indicates potential constraints on protein synthesis. These transcriptomic shifts, conserved across two independent experiments, reinforce the utility of RBCs as a real-time indicator of fish physiological status, offering a tool for monitoring dietary impacts and optimizing feed formulations. Such insights are essential for advancing sustainable, nutritionally balanced aquaculture feeds that support fish welfare and productivity. The minimally invasive sample collection respects the 3Rs (Reduce, Refine, Replace) principle in animal experimentation and allows for frequent screening and generation of refined data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Fish Production: Practices on Nutritional Management and Novel Farming Systems Application)
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13 pages, 3249 KiB  
Article
Economic Viability of the Production of Peruvian Grunt (Anisotremus scapularis) in RAS on the Peruvian–Chilean Desert Coast
by Pablo Presa, Yolanda Leonor Perca Cruz, Jordan I. Huanacuni, Renzo Pepe-Victoriano and Luis A. Espinoza-Ramos
Animals 2025, 15(1), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15010048 - 28 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1097
Abstract
The Peruvian grunt Anisotremus scapularis is one of the most appreciated fish in Peruvian national markets. However, its reduced and irregular fishery is a paradigm of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) in the Peruvian–Chilean coastal region. An important technological advancement has been [...] Read more.
The Peruvian grunt Anisotremus scapularis is one of the most appreciated fish in Peruvian national markets. However, its reduced and irregular fishery is a paradigm of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) in the Peruvian–Chilean coastal region. An important technological advancement has been achieved in the last decade in capture, management, nutrition, and broodstock maintenance to boost pilot experiences on the aquaculture of this species. Therefore, it is pertinent to evaluate the economic viability of this candidate species to identify cultivation bottlenecks, optimize the process, and assess the transfer feasibility of the technical know-how to interest groups. In this study, we performed a sensitivity analysis to assess how market price and production size should make its commercialization profitable. We show that the use of photovoltaic solar panels and a raw production cycle of 15 months enables profitability at a ~400 k unit farm size at a commercial market price of 6.67 USD/kg, i.e., B/C = USD 1.14. Both, time to market and market price exerted the highest influence on the value of grunt farms; whereas, a reduction of the production cycle to 12 months by seed selection, optimized rearing conditions, and nutritional diets also provides a profitable investment, i.e., NPV = USD 287,054 with an IRR = 23.71% at a discount rate of 10% and B/C = USD 1.15. These scenarios pave the way for the transfer of technological know-how to entrepreneurial initiatives in the economically depressed coastal region of the Atacama Desert. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Fish Production: Practices on Nutritional Management and Novel Farming Systems Application)
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19 pages, 311 KiB  
Article
Growth Performance and Flesh Quality of Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Fed with Diets Containing Olive Oil in Partial Replacement of Fish Oil—With or Without Supplementation with Rosmarinus officinalis L. Essential Oil
by Simona Tarricone, Marco Ragni, Claudia Carbonara, Francesco Giannico, Francesco Bozzo, Alessandro Petrontino, Anna Caputi Jambrenghi and Maria Antonietta Colonna
Animals 2024, 14(22), 3237; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223237 - 12 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1111
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of using olive oil (OO) in a partial replacement of fish oil (FO), with or without supplementation with rosemary essential oil (RO), on the growth performances and flesh quality traits of farmed Dicentrarchus labrax. Sea [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of using olive oil (OO) in a partial replacement of fish oil (FO), with or without supplementation with rosemary essential oil (RO), on the growth performances and flesh quality traits of farmed Dicentrarchus labrax. Sea bass were fed with the experimental diets for 200 days; afterwards, they were caught and stored in ice (0–2 °C) for up to 17 days. The specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion rate (FCR) were calculated. Fillets were analyzed for physical features, chemical composition, fatty acid profile, and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration on days 0, 5, 10, and 17 of storage. The fillets were assessed for sensory properties according to the QIM and Torry Scheme methods. No statistical differences between groups were found for the final average body weight, SGR, FCR and the flesh chemical composition. Supplementation with RO reduced (p < 0.05) MDA concentration, thus improving the shelf life of fish by up to 10 days. The sensory score (QIM) increased linearly (p < 0.05) with storage time; for cooked fillet, the Torry Scheme score decreased (p < 0.05) with storage time. The economic analysis of feed cost has proven the feasibility of using olive oil as local feed ingredient in the partial replacement of fish oil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Fish Production: Practices on Nutritional Management and Novel Farming Systems Application)
25 pages, 421 KiB  
Article
Live Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii) Supplementation in a European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Diet: Effects on the Growth and Immune Response Parameters
by Anna Perdichizzi, Martina Meola, Letteria Caccamo, Gabriella Caruso, Francesco Gai and Giulia Maricchiolo
Animals 2023, 13(21), 3383; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13213383 - 31 Oct 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3043
Abstract
The present study has been aimed at evaluating the effects of the dietary inclusion of the live yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii (LSB) administered at increasing concentrations (0, 100, and 300 mg kg−1 of feed, here referred to as LSB 0, 100, [...] Read more.
The present study has been aimed at evaluating the effects of the dietary inclusion of the live yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii (LSB) administered at increasing concentrations (0, 100, and 300 mg kg−1 of feed, here referred to as LSB 0, 100, 300) for 90 days, on the health conditions of European sea bass. The main zootechnical parameters, histological and morphological analyses, innate immunity response parameters (intestinal cytokine expression, lysozyme content, spontaneous hemolytic and hemagglutinating activities, antibacterial activities, and peroxidase activity) were measured as fish welfare parameters. LSB did not impair either growth parameters or the morphometric indexes. LSB down-regulated interleukin-1β transcription in the distal gut of fish treated with 5.4 × 105 CFU g−1 (LSB100) for 21 days. The interleukin-6 mRNA level decreased significantly in the proximal gut for both doses of yeast, after 21 days of feeding; the gene expression of interleukin-6 was significantly lower in the sea bass fed 10.81 × 105 CFU g−1 (LSB300) probiotic. The levels of TNF-α mRNA were not influenced by probiotic supplementation. Increases, although not significant, in the hematological and immunological parameters were also recorded. The data collected in the present study suggests that an LSB-supplemented diet acts on the gut immune system of sea bass by modulating the expression of the key inflammatory genes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Fish Production: Practices on Nutritional Management and Novel Farming Systems Application)
16 pages, 2895 KiB  
Article
Rearing European Eel (Anguilla anguilla) Elvers in a Biofloc System
by Luis Vinatea, Ricard Carbó, Karl B. Andree, Enric Gisbert and Alicia Estévez
Animals 2023, 13(20), 3234; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13203234 - 17 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2322
Abstract
European eel (Anguilla anguilla) elvers (initial body weight (BW) = 3 g) were raised in triplicate for 60 days in a biofloc system (BFT) at 21 °C. Data from the current first study evaluating this farming technology indicated that European eel [...] Read more.
European eel (Anguilla anguilla) elvers (initial body weight (BW) = 3 g) were raised in triplicate for 60 days in a biofloc system (BFT) at 21 °C. Data from the current first study evaluating this farming technology indicated that European eel elvers adapted well to BFT systems as data on growth performance (specific growth rate = 1.48% ± 0.13 BW/day and FCR = 1.05 ± 0.09) indicated, with production costs using BFT being lower than conventional RAS units. The most critical issues associated with this aquaculture system were the maintenance of the biofloc in tanks by the regular addition of refined sugar (46% C) to keep a relationship for C:N of 20:1, and the prevention of emergence of opportunistic pathogens like the monogenean Pseudodactylogyrus sp. The overall results of this study in terms of elvers’ performance and quality and the composition of the biofloc material and its microbial composition indicated that BFT, which is considered to be one of the most cost-effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly farming systems due to its zero water exchange and improvement of feed conversion ratio by the dietary contribution of bioflocs, may be satisfactorily used for farming European eels elvers at a density of 2 kg/m3. However, further studies are needed to test this technology with older eel stages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Fish Production: Practices on Nutritional Management and Novel Farming Systems Application)
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22 pages, 6263 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Rearing of European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in Aquaponic Systems: Investigating the Effects of Enriched Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Prepupae Meal on Fish Welfare and Quality Traits
by Matteo Zarantoniello, Adriana Alves de Oliveira, Tolga Sahin, Lorenzo Freddi, Matteo Torregiani, Isabella Tucciarone, Giulia Chemello, Gloriana Cardinaletti, Elia Gatto, Giuliana Parisi, Cristiano Bertolucci, Paola Riolo, Ancuta Nartea, Giorgia Gioacchini and Ike Olivotto
Animals 2023, 13(12), 1921; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121921 - 8 Jun 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3321
Abstract
Within the modern aquaculture goals, the present study aimed to couple sustainable aquafeed formulation and culturing systems. Two experimental diets characterized by 3 and 20% of fish meal replacement with full-fat spirulina-enriched black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) prepupae meal (HPM3 and [...] Read more.
Within the modern aquaculture goals, the present study aimed to couple sustainable aquafeed formulation and culturing systems. Two experimental diets characterized by 3 and 20% of fish meal replacement with full-fat spirulina-enriched black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) prepupae meal (HPM3 and HPM20, respectively) were tested on European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) juveniles during a 90-day feeding trial performed in aquaponic systems. The experimental diets ensured 100% survival and proper zootechnical performance. No behavioral alterations were evidenced in fish. Histological and molecular analyses did not reveal structural alterations and signs of inflammation at the intestinal level, highlighting the beneficial role on gut health of bioactive molecules typical of HPM or derived from the enriching procedure of insects’ growth substrate with spirulina. Considering the quality traits, the tested experimental diets did not negatively alter the fillet’s fatty acid profile and did not compromise the fillet’s physical features. In addition, the results highlighted a possible role of spirulina-enriched HPM in preserving the fillet from lipid oxidation. Taken together, these results corroborate the use of sustainable ingredients (spirulina-enriched HPM) in aquaponic systems for euryhaline fish rearing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Fish Production: Practices on Nutritional Management and Novel Farming Systems Application)
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