Industry: Shellfish producers
Shellfish aquaculture has a long tradition in Europe and the Netherlands. In the last century development has been quite extensive, while nowadays further development depends on new areas because in traditional areas there is stabilization or even production decline. Meanwhile, as a consequence of life style changes and interest in healthy food, the consumer market for fish and shellfish products is increasing.
In traditional areas production limits are related to competing claims with, amongst others, recreation, nature conservation, coastal engineering and shipping regulation. New areas with culture potential face problems like competition with other users, knowledge gaps regarding carrying capacity, impacts of harmful algal blooms, sanitary control and development of technical cultivation skills and facilities.
One of the major issues in extensive shellfish culture is to further develop a culture that is considered sustainable with respect to exploitation of natural resources, but also product quality, traceability, landscape impacts and acceptance by the general public have to be taken into account. Dependence on natural recruitment, and particularly recruitment failure in recent years, sets the agenda for the development of alternatives such as import form elsewhere, enhancement of recruitment by spat collection or controlled production in hatchery/nursery systems. However, increased transplantations of spat calls for risk analyses of introductions. Application of large scale spat collection requires space and investments
As a response to the limits of extensive culture now intensive shellfish farming has developed in various areas. This includes land-based cultures of shellfish often in combination with other products. The coupling of culture types both intensive and extensive as IMTA (Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture) has the potential to balance nutrient discharges or to generate bio-energy. This field of interest requires the development of new knowledge, techniques and management systems.
- Running projects: MZI, SHANGO (in Dutch) hatchery/nursery, Zeeuwse tong
- Our clients/network: RvY, HIS, PD