Name:
Infraestructura Científico Técnica Singular para el Cultivo del Atún Rojo (ICTS-ICAR). Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO,CSIC)
Address:
Crtra. de La Azohía s/n 30860 Puerto de Mazarrón (Murcia)
Phone number:
606911365
e-Mail address:
fernando.delagandara@ieo.csic.es
Website:
www.icar.ieo.es
Brief description of the organization’s activities:
The singular scientific and technical infrastructures (ICTS) are large installations, resources, facilities and services, unique in its kind, that are dedicated to cutting edge and high quality research and technological development, as well as to promote exchange, transmission and preservation of knowledge, technology transfer and innovation. The Infrastructure for Atlantic bluefin tuna aquaculture (ICAR), belonging to IEO, is a unique scientific and technical Infrastructure (ICTS) devoted to study the full aquaculture of Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus. Located in the Murcia Region (SE Spain), it is constituted by the Mazarrón Marine Aquaculture Plant and the Installation for the Control of the Reproduction of Atlantic bluefin tuna (ICRA).
Sector(s) of involvement:
Aquaculture and fisheries technologiesYes
Role of the organization in the development and/or application of Blue Biotechnologies:
The Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) is a public research organization (OPI) belongs to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, devoted to the research in marine sciences, particularly that related to scientific knowledge of the oceans, fishing resources, marine environment and marine aquaculture. The IEO represents Spain in the majority of scientific and international technologies related to the sea and its resources. It has nine coastal oceanographic centers, five marine aquaculture research plants, 12 mareographic stations, a satellite image receptor station and a fleet comprising six oceanographic vessels.
Skills and services provided:
ICAR is devoted to the bluefin tuna full cycle aquaculture, including broodstock management, egg collection, larval rearing, and juvenile’s production and growing. ICAR is currently used as a research infrastructure by IEO scientific staff and other Spanish and international institutes and universities. It has also hosted many experiments from private companies. Technical support for daily experimental work and technical help for samplings will be provided to all users. For specific needs, IEO scientists using the infrastructures will assist users for experimental design and data interpretation.
Needs in terms of research, innovation, development, and/or application of blue biotechnologies:
regarding the specific situation of bluefin tuna, in spite of the positive effects of recovery plans, the catch limitation will continue in the near future. Therefore, in order to guarantee the supply of bluefin tuna in the quantity and quality required by an increasingly important and selective market, it must inevitably come from its production through integrated aquaculture techniques (as is currently the case with other species such as sea bass, sea bream or turbot), which will also result in natural populations recovering the structure they had hundreds of years ago, more quickly. The recommendations of the GFCM / ICCAT working group on practices for the sustainability of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean (ICATT, 2005) can be read: Potential sustainability of bluefin tuna in the long term is associated with progress in the domestication of the species.
The results of the SELFDOTT project (7thFP project coordinated by the IEO) have set the guidelines for massive layouts of fertile bluefin tuna in floating cages. However, given the short period of time (June-July) and that the collection of eggs in the open sea depends on the thermal regime and the state of the sea, any eventuality may jeopardize such collection and therefore, conducting experiments on the production of juveniles. In addition, the collection of eggs at sea has the serious drawback that they may be accompanied by other competing or even predatory species of bluefin tuna in the early larval stages. It is therefore imperative, for the later development of large-scale juvenile production, to have a large onshore facility capable of keeping the larvae of this species housed under strict environmental conditions and larval, weaning and pre-ongrowing facilities, specifically designed for bluefin tuna. The extension of the laying period would make it possible to advance faster in the development of this species’ cultivation techniques, with experiments being carried out over a longer period of time and producing eggs, larvae and juveniles of bluefin tuna on a continuous basis.