Low-Trophic Aquaculture Food: Innovations, Challenges, and Pathways towards Sustainable Food Systems

Amidst the challenges of rising global food demand and climate change, Low-Trophic Aquaculture (LTA) emerges as a sustainable and climate-conscious approach to food production. The AquaVitae project, funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 program, explored production processes of innovative low-trophic species (LTS) across the Atlantic Ocean. Focusing on safety, environmental resilience, sustainability and circular practices the project examined selected species of macroalgae, sea cucumbers, abalone, oysters, mussels, and sea urchins. These organisms utilizing nutrients and energy from lower levels in the food chain and producing lower environmental impacts.

AquaVitae’s research spanned across different aquaculture environments, from open-sea to land-based systems, advancing hatchery technologies, seedling techniques and grow out to optimize yields across various LTS value chains.

Early-stages production processes were developed and improved to promote aquaculture production of LTS such as oysters, abalone and sea cucumbers.

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems were also investigated, showcasing the benefits of co-culturing of macroalgae with abalone, mussels, fish or shrimps to recycle nutrients, improve water quality, while ensuring biosecure feed sources for grow out. By-product utilization was also demonstrated through the integration of mussel meal and fish protein hydrolysates in aquafeeds enhancing the nutritional quality of LTS while reducing reliance on traditional fish meal, exemplifying a successful model of recycling aquaculture outputs back into production.

The project’s innovation framework leveraged a circular economy approach in aquaculture by transforming barren sea urchins into nutritious food product and waste by-products, such as shellfish calcium carbonate, into usable materials. Studies highlighted the high protein and omega-3s content of LTA products emphasizing their nutritional benefits. Additionally, the study of the ecosystem services flow from LTA revealed such production can enhance ecosystems services such as nutrient cycling across a range of environments, consequently addressing pressing sustainability goals in low carbon food production.

By addressing these innovative strategies, AquaVitae has demonstrated that LTA not only meets the demands for sustainable food production but also fosters resilience within marine ecosystems, as such aligning with EU environmental policies.

This presentation will share Aquavitae’s enhanced production processes, integrated approaches, key findings, as well as insights and policies recommendations promoting the development of safe, nutritious, and low-impact aquaculture foods globally that meet the needs of a growing population while supporting ocean ecosystem resilience.