The available database comprises research projects in Fisheries, Aquaculture, Seafood Processing and Marine Biotechnology active in the time period 2003-2022.
BlueBio is an ERA-NET COFUND created to directly identify new and improve existing ways of bringing bio-based products and services to the market and find new ways of creating value from in the blue bioeconomy.

More information on the BlueBio project and participating funding organizations is available on the BlueBio website: www.bluebioeconomy.eu

Last Update: 2024/06/19

RISKFISH
Aquaculture
Risk Assessment of antibiotics used in gilthead sea bream and sea bass aquaculture
Nat. Programme (supported by ESIF)
National-European
Fernando Jorge dos Ramos
framos@ff.uc.pt
UC - University of Coimbra (Portugal)
NA - AQUAMONDEGO - Association of Fish Producers of Figueira da Foz (Portugal),  INIAV IP - National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, IP (Portugal),  UTAD - University of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro (Portugal), 
2012
2015
€ 122,868
https://fct.pt/apoios/projectos/consulta/vglobal_projecto.phtml.en?idProjecto=122119&idElemConcurso=4182
Farmed fish may accumulate antibiotic from the surrounding environment but the main source of contamination is through feeds that traditionally contain high levels of antibiotics. Antibiotic use in aquaculture whether for prevention (prophylactic) or for treatment (therapeutical) of bacterial diseases may, even when administered as directed, cause allergies and changes in the human intestinal tract flora. It can also, even in small amounts, lead to the development of resistant bacterial strains which in turn will render antibiotics ineffective in a short period of time. Additionally, it is of great interest to ascertain whether banned antibiotics, such as chloramphenicol and nitrofurans or compounds permitted to other food productions but not fish, like sulphonamides, are still being illegally administered in aquacultures [1]. Knowledge on the retention efficiencies of antibiotics in cultivated fish species is almost inexistent. Studies within these subjects are still scarce and as far as could be ascertained, they are inexistent in Portugal. When comparing to other studies, mainly from northern Europe, the environmental conditions are very different including light, temperature and salinity [2,3] This project proposal (RISKFISH) aims to generate sound scientific data on the transfer of various antibiotics from feed to edible parts of two important marine aquaculture species in the Mediterranean, the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Through long term feeding of seabream and seabass groups with experimental diets containing graded levels of antibiotics, the project will quantify the transfer efficiencies of these substances from feed to fish. Groups of seabream and seabass will be reared in tanks during experimental periods (10 -12 weeks) and fed with the experimental diets. Initial, intermediate and final fish (whole-body and fillets) will be sampled for analysis of antibiotics. Based on diet composition, feed intake and whole-body composition, the retention efficiencies of antibiotics will be determined. Additionally, the project will evaluate, by means of short-term digestibility trials, the faecal excretion of antibiotics in fish. From an aquaculture point of view, a thorough knowledge of digestibility of culturable species is more important than a knowledge of digestive physiology, even though digestibility is dependent on and determined by physiology. Thus, digestibility studies clearly constitute an important and an integral part of diet formulation. Using this multi-disciplinary approach, the project will investigate the specific limitations of using dietary antibiotics while maximizing growth performance, welfare and health of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and sea bream (Sparus aurata). In addition, RISKFISH will develop a new analytical methodology that starting from lyophilized samples from different matrices (water, feeds, faeces and fish), will in a single-chromatographic run, determine all the antibiotics in question. The research group has proven experience in the determination of antibiotics and other compounds, especially at residual levels, particularly evident in the Health Surveillance Group at CEF/FF/UC and at LNIV/INRB [4-7]. CEF/FF/UC Health Surveillance Group, also has the necessary competence on antibiotic-resistance assessment [8]. The CFE/FCT/UC investigators, on the other hand, have a long time experience with field work in the Mondego estuary as well as with trophic webs studies thus being more than qualified to successfully conduct the experimental work [9-11]. To complement this project the UTAD researchers add the expertise on feeds preparation, with the addition of suitable dosage of antibiotics and nutritious values and also they bring valuable knowledge regarding studies of digestibility to determine antibiotic contents on fish faecal matter [12,13]. Overall, RISKFISH will provide stakeholders of the aquaculture industry, namely fish farmers, fish feed producers, veterinary and food safety authorities, as well as the consumers, with the required tools to establish models for risk assessment and risk management related to the presence of antibiotics in farmed fish for human consumption, on the global "farm to fork" idea. The knowledge achieved with the studies on antibiotics retention efficiency on the main species in Portuguese marine aquaculture (Sparus aurata and Dicentrarchus labrax), will be important for other fish species produced in Portugal, like turbot (Psetta maxima), sole (Solea senegalensis) or white bream (Diplodus spp.). The present application will study antibiotics and its effects on sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) in marine aquaculture. The importance of such a study is related with the increasing relevance of marine aquaculture in Portugal as fish consumption increases, and as well as with the influence that the antibiotics have in fish farming. Also, the resistance mechanisms they can cause in fish and human population is worth studying. Thus, RISKFISH, will firstly proceed to a screening of the antibiotics through the analysis of water, feeds and of sea bass and gilthead sea bream, in aquacultures along the Mondego estuary. In this task, common methods, already developed by CEF/FF/UC and by LNIV/INRB groups, will be used for each antibiotic group, namely HPLC-UV for feeds and GC-MS and LC-MS/MS for fish and water. Nevertheless, LC-MS/MS could also be used in feed matrices. Once the antibiotics are identified, the remaining tasks will be initiated, including: Optimization of the most efficient feed and of the minimum antibiotic concentration authorized for sea bass and for gilthead sea bream, using individuals under laboratory conditions. Several feed compositions and all identified legal antibiotics in Mondego estuary aquaculture will be assayed. Assessment of apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) will be done by the analysis of the respective fish faeces, which will allow the selection of the most appropriate antibiotic supplementation incorporated in feeds, for sea bass and for gilthead sea bream. After feed and antibiotics optimization, the kinetics of antibiotic bioaccumulation in sea bass and in gilthead sea bream will be established, as well as for other estuarine organisms (macrobenthos and macroalgae) through laboratory experiences where, at least, three different antibiotic concentrations will be assayed. Antibiotics will be incorporated in the previous optimized feed. Finally, the preceding experiments will allow the use of water and of fish samples to study antibiotic resistance and their implications in sea bass, gilthead sea bream, and in human population. All the tasks of RISKFISH will be performed in compliance with the current international regulations of animal welfare under experimental conditions. Data obtained on the effects of antibiotics on the modulation of selected post-mortem flesh parameters in cultivated fish, will contribute towards an improvement of the quality of aquaculture products for human consumption. Other important task of RISKFISH will be the diffusion of results. Then, it is foreseen to generate reliable data on the transfer efficiencies of antibiotics from feed to edible parts of gilthead sea bream and sea bass. There will be no restrictions to the diffusion of the research results that will include the participation on local, national and international conferences, workshops and seminars. The data generated will be submitted to publication in international peer review journals of the field. The results that may be achieved with RISKFISH for the most significant species (Sparus aurata and Dicentrarchus labrax) reared in semi-intensive marine aquaculture, will have impact on the stakeholders involved, including the fish feed producers, fish farmers, veterinary and food safety authorities and final consumers. Therefore, a special attention will be given to the Portuguese governmental authorities, namely Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries and Ministry of Environment and National Planning, Centre for Regional Health Administration and all local company members of Aquamondego, the association of fish producers of Figueira da Foz, on the project divulgation process.
Diets; Seabream; Seabass; Risk assessment; Algae; Cage aquaculture; Benthic communities; Antimicrobials; Fish; Open sea aquaculture; Food safety; Environmental impact;
Portuguese Waters (27.IXa,27.IXb)
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