Skretting and Kagoshima University open research centre in Japan

Kagoshima University and Skretting Japan have built and equipped an aquaculture research centre at the university, called Kagoshima ARC. The objective is to develop more sustainable feeds with lower fishmeal levels for two of the most important species in Japanese aquaculture; yellowtail and red sea bream

October 30, 2011

Kagoshima University and Skretting Japan have built and equipped an aquaculture research centre at the university, called Kagoshima ARC.

The objective is to develop more sustainable feeds with lower fishmeal levels for two of the most important species in Japanese aquaculture; yellowtail and red sea bream. Reflecting the connections with the Skretting Aquaculture Research Centre (ARC) in Norway, the new facility is named the Kagoshima ARC. The new research centre is in the south of Japan.

The research centre has 30 tanks, either of one or six cubic metres, for running fish trials and a stock tank of 60 cubic metres. Featuring 24-hour monitoring, feed studies can be conducted under closely controlled conditions. Previously all trials were conducted in sea cages where changeable external factors made evaluation difficult.

“The centre offers several advantages,” says Yuta Hamasaki, Product Development Manager of Skretting Japan.

“We can combine the academic competence of the university with Skretting’s global knowledge network to develop innovative new feeds. That will be facilitated by our ability to monitor fish closely every day in controlled conditions and accumulate data on precise nutrient requirements and ingredient digestibility.”

Trials with red sea bream and lower fishmeal feeds began in August 2011 and trials with yellowtail are scheduled to begin shortly. While red sea bream feeds are conventionally around 40 percent fishmeal, the yellowtail feeds in Japan are typically 50–60 percent fishmeal. Skretting Japan already established a successful yellowtail feed at 30 percent and Yuta Hamasaki will now apply the MicroBalance™ concept take that level down further.

Professor Shunsuke Koshio of Kagoshima University added, “We are pleased to have the research centre at the university. A university should contribute to society and the community through education and research. Kagoshima is one of the main yellowtail farming regions. Promoting alternative diets with vegetable protein and less fishmeal can bring environmental benefits by reducing the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. These come partly from feed residues and fish faeces and may contribute to the red tides that occur here every year.”