This report is based on the proposals, annexed herewith and presented by 8 experts from 7 countries.
The programme of activities on fish nutrition proposed to the working group meeting to be held on June 94 in Saragossa - Spain, for the elaboration of TECAM network programme for 1995 and onwards are as follows:
Suggested Programme on Nutrition
Training Course (1995): Advanced level regional training course on aquaculture nutrition and feed technology: finish and crustaceans;
Objective: to strengthen national expertise by training trainers;
Participants profile: university degree graduate with working experience in aquaculture nutrition;
Duration: 2 to 3 weeks;
Contents: nutrient requirements, nutrients sources, feed composition, feed formulation, feed manufacture, feeding methods, semi-intensive feeding methods, methodological approaches to nutrition research;
Number of participants: 15 to 20;
Costs: 40.000 to 50.000 USD (travel and DSA);
Venue: Egypt, France or Portugal, according to their interest and availability.
Working Group (1995): Methodological approaches to fish nutrition research, including quality control criteria for fish feeds;
Objective: to develop a standard methodology for conducting fish nutrition and feed technology related research activities;
Participants profile: experts in the following selected key areas:
Duration: 3 days;
Number of experts: 8 to 10;
Costs: 20.000 to 25.000 USD (travel, DSA and publications;
Venue: Portugal, France or Tunis according to their interest and availability.
Suggested Collaborative Research (1995–1997)
Developement of improved Hatchery Feeding Strategies:
The objective of this research activity would be to develop simple and inexpensive dry food-based hatchery feeding strategies for the mass production of selected marine finish species using locally available agricultural resources. Particular emphasis will be placed on trying to simplify existing hatchery feeding methods and reducing fry production costs through improved feed management techniques. The feeding trails should be conducted in parallel within the participating institutions and carried out under similar on farm conditions within existing marine fish hatcheries.
Institution profile: institutions actively engaged in the development of larval feeding methods for marine finish (seabass, seabream).
Duration:3 years.
Costs: to be shared between the participating institutions with respect to running costs at national level and 30.000 USD covered by the TECAM network to facilitate staff exchange and periodic assessment meetings.
Expected output: development of improved low-cost hatchery feeding strategies for selected marine finfish within participating institutions; publication of the results of the hatchery feeding trials as technical papers for distribution by the focal point within the target TECAM network.
Development of Improved Intensive Complete Diet Feeding Strategies:
Objective: the objective of this research activity would be to develop economic grow-out feeding regimes (based on the use of complete diets) for the intensive culture of finfish in tanks or net cages, with particular emphasis given to the use of locally available foodstuffs (including fishmeal replacers) and developing feeding strategies aimed at maximizing fish growth and minimizing feed waste and water pollution. The feeding trials should be conducted in parallel within the participating institutions and carried out under similar on-farm conditions within marine fish farms.
Institution profile: institutions actively caged in the development of larval feeding methods for marine finfish (seabass, seabream).
Duration: 3 years.
Costs: to be shared between the participating institutions with respect to running costs at national level and 30.000 USD covered by the TECAM network to facilitate staff exchange and periodic assessment meetings.
Expected output: development of improved economic grow-out feedings strategies for selected marine finfish within participating institutions. Publication of the results of the hatchery feeding trials as technical papers for distribution by the focal point within the target TECAM network.
Suggested Long-term Activities
Regional aquaculture symposium for Mediterranean countries (in which the nutrition focal point could present results and experiences).
The possibility of conducting nutritional research on alternative finfishes and crustaceans.
Workshop on larval feeding techniques for marine finfish.
Development of improve proceeding techniques for the production of local fish meals and available agricultural by products.
Aquaculture feeding profiles for marine finfish farms.
Specific training programmes on feeding techniques and technology such as compound feed manufacture, quality control, nutritional fish pathology, unconventional feed sources, etc…
Other Related Activities
It was unanimously agreed by all participating experts that the establishment of an aquaculture nutrition and feeding database was a very high priority for the development of the sector and that this activity should be undertaken in collaboration through SIPAM. In this respect it was strongly felt that the nutrition focal point should be consulted for the development of the nutrition database.
