Production Research Group

The Production Research Group brings together scientists working on breeding, genetics and nutrition of aquaculture species.

We combine the use of molecular biology techniques and genomics with whole animal studies of physiology and function and achieve results taking advantage of our strong partnerships with the global aquaculture science and industry community. Our research is organised around two main original scientific themes: stock management strategies and improvement including environmental, genetic and nutritional manipulations, and novel aquafeeds that utilise alternative oil and protein sources as replacements for traditional fish oils and meals.

These encompass fundamental research (e.g. lipid metabolism, chronobiology and environmental programming) translated into applied solutions for enhanced sustainability of the aquaculture sector.

Stock management strategies

Our focus is on the development and application of the latest genetic and genomic techniques to improve broodstock management, welfare and performances of existing and new emerging farmed aquatic animals. We work on the control of maturation and puberty, selective breeding, mechanisms of sex differentiation and gender control, sterility and larviculture to develop improved stock management strategies resulting in the production of fish as a controllable, sustainable and profitable resource. The group combines expertise in reproductive physiology, endocrinology, chronobiology, genetic and genomic technologies and bioinformatics to better understand the biological mechanisms underlying major life cycle and commercial traits in farmed aquatic species.

Novel aquafeeds

Our drive is to work with partners to develop more sustainable and efficient fish feeds to meet health needs of consumers in terms of flesh quality, nutritional composition, pollutant contamination, sustainability and traceability. We work on fish as principal sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids which play key roles in human nutrition, being important for development of the nervous system, and in the prevention and therapy of various pathological conditions including cardiovascular and inflammatory disorders. Expertise in the group spans lipid biochemistry, feed production and quality assessment.

Key research group activities

All of the group research has a strong international reach. Key research group activities over recent times include the development of innovative sea lice control strategies through the domestication of cleaner fish (both ballan wrasse and lumpsucker); advances in fish sterility to protect wild stocks while boosting productivity; the study and demonstration of nutritional and environmental programming in salmon including the impacts of recirculation on fish robustness; the application of single-cell protein, GM oilseed crops and microalgal products to provide sustainable Omega-3 for aquaculture nutrition; fundamental research on marine invertebrate physiology, ecology, population genetic and aquaculture; and climate and environment resilience of farmed stocks.