Introduction
Integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) has garnered growing interest in enhancing sustainability through the sequestration of waste and subsequent primary production. Additionally, it promotes a circular economy and boosts ecosystem services associated with lower trophic-level cultures (Sanz-Lázaro, and Sanchez‐Jerez, 2020). IMTA systems encounter several challenges, including the necessity for vigilant monitoring and safeguarding of animal welfare across different trophic levels. There is also an imperative need for technological innovations to ensure climate-resilient cultivation systems capable of monitoring acute changes in key physico-chemical parameters and addressing from traditional threats (e.g., Harmful Algal Blooms) to emerging pollutants (e.g., microplastics). The All Atlantic Ocean Sustainable, Profitable and Resilient Aquaculture (ASTRAL) project aims to define, support, and promote IMTA across the Atlantic area. The present work aims to explore the ASTRAL Pool of Technologies from an end-user perspective, considering technology validation feedback within IMTA labs located in Brazil, South Africa, Scotland, Ireland and Argentina.
ASTRAL Pool of Technologies
The ASTRAL Pool of Technologies is designed to enhance IMTA applications with various advanced components. This includes cost-effective Internet of Things (IoT) kits that can incorporate a wide range of commercially available sensors for monitoring critical water quality parameters, vision-based sensors for Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) monitoring and non-invasive biomass estimation, and biosensor technologies that use bivalve behaviour as a proxy for identifying concerning environmental conditions. Additionally, a fluorometer-spectrometer system allows real-time monitoring of a wide spectrum of physico-chemical parameters and nutrients. These ASTRAL technologies are integrated into an Artificial Intelligence Data Analytics Platform (AIDAP), following a digital twin-style paradigm (Figure 1). It allows for closed-loop feedback and enables virtual replicas of the farming environment, species and facilities to support decision-making better. ASTRAL technologies have been validated within ASTRAL IMTA labs from Brazil, South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and Argentina. The present work further explores technology validation feedback, main challenges and value for aquaculture production.
Conclusions
The ASTRAL pool of technologies provides a complete solution for IMTA lab applications. Technology validation has taken place within ASTRAL IMTA labs to ensure technology readiness level and assess user feedback. AIDAP enables technology integration for continuous and autonomous monitoring. It provides easy data and model sharing towards thread monitoring within different IMTA labs. Feedback on technology validation within ASTRA
Acknowledgements
This work is part of the ASTRAL (All Atlantic Ocean Sustainable, Profitable and Resilient Aquaculture) project. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nº 863034.
References
Sanz-Lázaro, C., & Sanchez‐Jerez, P. (2020). Regional Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (RIMTA): Spatially separated, ecologically linked.. Journal of environmental management, 271, 110921 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110921.