Montpellier, France-based aquatic restoration engineering company Ecocean and Dendermonde, Belgium-based biotechnology company INVE Aquaculture have announced a new partnership bringing specialized feed solutions to hatchery restoration programs.
Ecocean’s BioRestore restoration programs boost inshore populations by placing fish larvae in specifically engineered nursing grounds, allowing for growth without disruption before being released back to their natural environment for reacclimation.
To date, Ecocean’s said the technology has caught 76 species in the French Mediterranean Sea, releasing 33,470 juveniles across all of the company’s projects. The projects are mainly deployed in ports, coastal areas, and marine environments working in collaboration with public authorities, industry partners, and conservation organizations.
Under the new partnership, INVE Aquaculture will facilitate the implementation of specialized feed solutions engineered for early-life aquatic species in BioRestore nursery programs. INVE Aquaculture said the company has decades of experience in developing larval nutrition and, through the partnership, hopes to "contribute to the growth and robustness of young fish during this critical phase."
“Through resource restoration projects like Ecocean’s BioRestore, we at INVE contribute our expertise in larval feeding to maximize the success of reintroduction,” INVE Aquaculture Product and Business Development Manager of Diets Thomas Raynaud said. “I am very proud to have helped establish this partnership, as it highlights our shared passion for the ocean and our desire to respect and protect it for future generations.”
“Early life marine fish need diversified and good quality food to grow,” Ecocean CEO and Founder Gilles Lecaillon added. “From alive zooplankton collected during the initial BioRestore capture step to the high-quality pellets from INVE Aquaculture, all juveniles need the best to grow. INVE shared [its] long-time experience and knowledge to fit our specific request.”
