One of the main challenges of modern Aquaculture is reducing the use of Fish Meal and Fish Oil on fish feed by introducing new ingredients and maintaining the quality of feeds as well as the performance and welfare of fish.
DIBAQ, following its innovative policy and with the aim to produce more sustainable and functional feeds, carried out the project FISHUB, funded by APROMAR (Spanish Aquaculture Corporate Association).
The main goal of the project It’s been to develop new functional diets, more sustainable and with a high productive and immune performance in aquatic species by introducing, in commercial formulas, fermented soybean meal.
To that end, we carried out three trials with three of the main commercial species of the medietrranean aquaculture such as Sole (Solea solea), Seabream (Sparus aurata) and Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax).
Each trial were 18 weeks long. We tested a control diet (Diet B) versus two experimental diets replacing fish meal with different inclusion levels of fermented soybean meal (Diet A 50% inclusion and Diet C 25% inclusion). Always tried to keep the control nutritional profile on diets A and C; same protein profile and same fatty acids profile (EPA & DHA).
These trials showed similar results, both in nutritional and immune trials, for the three species. No significant statistical differences were found but for control diet and high inclusion of fermented soybean diet that showed a minimum slight difference in performance with better results.
Results of pathological challenge carried out in Seabass against the bacteria Photobacterium damselae subsp. Piscicida, also showed no significant differences between three diets but for a slight worst performance on diet with less inclusion level of fermented soybean meal.
Figura 4. Cumulative Mortality fo Diets A, B & C. during the Challenge.
As conclusion, showing the three trials results, referring performance rates, optimum growing rates, and normal range of conversion rates, replacing fish meal in commercial diets with fermented soybean meal could have a positive impact on feed manufacturing, keeping performances on good levels without damaging fish immune and welfare condition.
The incorporation of high-energy diets in the aquaculture industry has become a common practice to enhance growth and productivity. However, recent studies have shed light on the potential risks associated with excessive lipid levels in fish diets. Understanding and mitigating these effects is crucial to ensure the health and economic viability of farmed fish.
Understanding the Risks:
While moderate levels of lipids can boost fish performance in the short term, excessive levels can lead to a myriad of undesired impacts. These include excessive growth without skeletal support, impaired liver function, diminished antioxidant capacity, and weakened immune function. Moreover, these diets have been linked to lipid accumulation in viscera, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and suppression of autophagy in fish liver. Additionally, they can disrupt the intestinal barrier, triggering inflammation, metabolic disorders, oxidative stress, and microbiota imbalance.
Mitigation Strategies:
Fortunately, there are several approaches that can help mitigate the adverse effects of these diets on farmed fish. Dietary manipulation stands out as a key strategy, involving adjustments in the composition of fish diets to alleviate the negative impacts of excessive lipid intake. This includes reducing blood lipid levels, attenuating oxidative stress, and improving immune function and antioxidant activity in fish.
Role of Feed Additives:
In addition to dietary adjustments, the use of feed additives has shown promising results in mitigating the risks associated with high-lipid diets. Supplements such as herbs, medicines, acids, minerals, and certain vitamins have been found to modulate lipid metabolism and enhance the endogenous antioxidant defense mechanism in fish. These additives play a crucial role in altering cellular signaling activities, thus offering indirect protection against the adverse effects of high-lipid diets.
Our Commitment at Dibaq Aquaculture:
At Dibaq Aquaculture, we prioritize the health and well-being of fish. Each high-energy diet is meticulously designed, drawing upon our extensive experience and scientific research. We take into account the latest findings in aquaculture nutrition to ensure that our diets optimize fish performance while mitigating the risks associated with high lipid intake.
Lactococcus garvieae is considered the main etiological agent of lactococcosis, a globally distributed disease characterized by haemorrhagic septicaemia in aquaculture species, leading to significant economic losses. The history of pathogenic Lactococcus garvieae clones for fish, dates back more than three decades, when it was first described following a septicaemic outbreak in Japan in marine Seriola fish farms (Seriola quinqueradiata), initially classified as a new enterococcus species (Enterococcus seriolicida).
Subsequently, outbreaks began to appear in freshwater fish farms in Japan (Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica) (Kusuda et al. 1991) and in Europe in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The disease caused by this bacterium in fish showed signs like exophthalmia, petechiae on the opercula, and congestion of the pectoral and caudal fins. The similarity in clinical presentation and characteristics of this new strain with infectious outbreaks in freshwater fish farms in Spain, led to a comparative analysis of the bacterial culture characteristics, biochemical profile, and protein composition of both bacteria. This analysis provided phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence for reclassifying Enterococcus seriolicida as Lactococcus garvieae (Doménech 1993).
Several co-authors of this study belonged to the Department of Animal Health at the Veterinary Faculty of the Complutense University of Madrid. It was in this department, and later also at the Veterinary Health Surveillance Centre (VISAVET – UCM), where the first autogenous vaccines against L. garvieae were successfully developed. These vaccines were distributed in collaboration with DIBAQ Group to many freshwater fish farms in Spain where this infectious disease was present, significantly reducing its prevalence through this prophylactic measure. This work in vaccine development and the epidemiological and molecular characterization of L. garvieae was recognized and awarded with the first Jacumar Award for Research in Aquaculture by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 2001. Since then, numerous studies on this pathogen have been conducted by the research group from the Department of Animal Health, VISAVET, and DIBAQ Group, focusing on its phenotypic and molecular characterization (Vela 2000, Aguado-Urda 2010), its isolation from different animal species (Garcia 2001, Tejedor 2004, Tejedor 2008), comparison of isolates from different animal species and countries (Tejedor 2011), its zoonotic potential (Reguera-Brito 2016, Gibello 2016), development of detection techniques (Tejedor 2009, Perez-Sancho 2015), and studies on antimicrobial sensitivity (San Martin 2017, 2018, 2019).
At the international level, the publication of studies on this pathogen in the aquaculture sector is extensive, with publications confirming its worldwide distribution (Eldar 1999), studies on the epidemiology of the infection in relation to isolated strains (Eyngor 2004), immune response to the infection and comparisons among asymptomatic, symptomatic, and vaccinated animals (Ooyama 1999, Khalil 2023), various studies on genetic and phenotypic characterization (Morita 2011, Shahi 2020, Rao 2022), antimicrobial resistance (Maki 2008, Akmal 2023), susceptibility to infection (Algöet 2009), development of detection techniques (Tsai 2013), supplementation with probiotics or bacteriocins as a preventive measure (Sequeiros 2015, Baños 2019), vaccination (Hussein 2023), and review articles establishing L. garvieae as an emerging pathogen in aquaculture (Meyburgh 2017).
The concern created by this pathogen in aquaculture is further compounded by the description of Lactococcus petauri in 2017 from an abscess in a sugar glider (Goodman 2017). Since then, numerous publications have identified this new species as responsible for lactococcosis outbreaks in continental fish farms instead of the previously isolated L. garvieae (Kotzamanidis 2020, Altinok 2022, Vela 2024). Consequently, studies on L. petauri have focused on its identification (Catao 2023, Stoppani 2023), characterization at different levels, mainly to find differences between L. petauri and L. garvieae (Saticioglu 2023), pathogenicity (Catao 2023), vaccination strategies (Ruyter 2023), and evaluation of its zoonotic potential (Vendrell 2006, Martinovic 2021).
Recently, outbreaks of lactococcosis caused by L. garvieae in marine species such as sea bass (Salogni 2024), have set off the alarm about a new emergence of this pathogen. The genetic differences from other epidemiologically related strains and the pathogen’s resistance to antimicrobial treatment, underscore the importance of vaccination against L. garvieae as a crucial tool for controlling this disease. And once again, at DIBAQ, we are prepared to take on the challenge and provide scientific solutions to the problems that Aquaculture has to face.
South Korea, a nation with a long maritime history, has seen significant growth in its aquaculture industry in recent decades. Aquaculture plays a crucial role in the South Korean economy, providing food, employment and contributing to international trade. Dibaq has been working on the future challenges of aquaculture in South Korea for years.
The history of aquaculture in South Korea dates back centuries, with traditional practices of growing fish and shellfish in ponds and shorelines. However, it was in the second half of the 20th century that aquaculture began to develop as a modern industry. Government development programs and advanced technologies enabled rapid and significant expansion of the industry.
Today, South Korea is one of the main aquaculture producers worldwide. The industry focuses on farming fish, shellfish and algae, with species such as abalone, shrimp and flatfish being the most common. Advanced technology, scientific research and sustainable management practices have contributed to the success of South Korean aquaculture.
Dibaq works in Korea with products for salmon, trout, mullet, flatfish. In addition, it exports functional feed for bream, salmon and trout.
Future Challenges and Opportunities
Despite its success, aquaculture in South Korea faces several challenges. Water pollution, competition for coastal space, and fish disease are major concerns that require innovative solutions. Additionally, climate change presents additional challenges, such as rising water temperatures and extreme weather events.
There is growing concern that pollution could affect fishing and aquaculture production14 due to the recovery works and construction of industrial complexes in the southern and western coastal districts of the country.
Recently, integrated aquaculture management has created an alternative plan to overcome problems such as red tide, typhoon and pollution caused by human activities.6 In this plan, the scope of “aquaculture land” extends to the open areas. It is divided into three subdivisions: terrestrial aquaculture, polytrophic aquaculture and offshore aquaculture, which are relatively new concepts in the Korean aquaculture industry.
However, there are also exciting opportunities for the future of aquaculture in South Korea. The development of sustainable technologies, such as aquaponics and offshore aquaculture, could increase productivity and reduce environmental impact. Additionally, growing global demand for seafood offers an expanding market for South Korean producers.
As a result of innovation and continuous improvement, Dibaq announces a new product line: Dibaq AquaSafe ®, in which we have been actively working in recent months. It is an internal quality seal to differentiate our high-value products.
The seal of Dibaq Aquaculture has always been of a valuable company, specialized in the manufacture of special and differentiated products, using high quality raw materials, micronutrients and functional components. However, as a result of the innovation and needs of our global market, we have managed to go further and improve the quality of our nutrients, additives and formulas in our products with this new seal that aims to provide value and differentiation to our clients and achieve them the maximum performance in their production.
Why have we called it AquaSafe?
This concept includes the sustainability and safety of water and Planet Earth, as well as the health and safety of fish fed with our products, stimulating the immune system, protecting them against internal and external parasites and improving productive performance, lowering the appearance of diseases and the use of antibiotics and treatments. Therefore, it is a global concept that offers and focuses on the safety of the planet and fish, through prevention.
The results obtained by customers around the world who use our new Products Premium Dibaq AquaSafe line, whether in cages, tanks, ponds, etc., show the great effectiveness it has in the objectives to be achieved with this range launch. A lower mortality and presence of internal intestinal and external branchial pathogens and parasites, provided by the additives and natural extracts that make up our products, long studied and tested, are summarized in better productivity and lower economic losses, both due to low daily mortality and for treatments that are expensive and sometimes harmful to fish.
In addition, with the improvement in the manufacture of the product, through a new micronization system, the quality and sustanaible origin of raw materials, the addition of organic minerals and compounds, essential fatty acids, nucleotides, and natural additives that help digestion and absorption of nutrients, we have managed to shorten the production stage to the maximum by making the fish fed with our AquaSafe products, take full advantage of the nutrients that are provided and lower the cost of production to the producer.
Main concepts
Nutraceutical activity: nutraceuticals are products derived from natural extracts whose nutritional and functional characteristics have benefits, improve health and, therefore, reduce the risk of disease and increase performance. These substances help to maintain the balance of the intestinal microbiota and have a favorable impact on the health and immunity of fish, something that Dibaq Aquaculture considers very important and that is why we give priority to these compounds, available in different formats and combinations.
Antiparasitic activity: natural additives that lower mortality and presence of internal intestinal and external branchial pathogens and parasites.
Sustainability: focuses on compensating for the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is made up of three pillars: economic, environmental and social. At Dibaq Aquaculture we have adopted an environmentally responsible policy by including fishmeal and fish oil from sustainable fisheries along with the inclusion of alternative protein sources. In this way, we help our clients in their goal of being potential and sustainable protein producers for world production. Last but not least, our manufacturing method is environmentally friendly by minimizing and reusing waste and using 100% recyclable bags.
Technology. Improvement and expansion of micro-pellets in hatchery products :the size of the individual particles of a granule and, therefore, the degree of grinding of a food have an important effect on the digestibility of the raw materials of the feed, increasing it and, consequently, improving the productive results. Obtaining our new line of Microbaq AquaSafe segmented and adapted for different species is especially beneficial for carnivorous fish, having a short digestive tract, and for larvae and fry.
Digestive and Functional Activity: it is summarized in an improvement in the nutritional quality of the feed through proteases, nucleotids, short chain fatty acids, organic minerals and natural additives that optimize its use in the digestive tract. In addition, it allows a correct intestinal health in high diets of vegetable flours, using less fish meal and lowering costs to the client and improving the performance and the immune status of the fish, besides improving sustainability.
Among the examples of nutraceutical and antiparasitic activity we have the following AquaSafe products.
AquaSafe 4Tress
In addition to stimulating immunity, due to it favors the intestinal health of fish, which leads to a better nutrient absorption surface, and an increase in growth, as well as better microbiota and cellular immunity, the products that contains this natural additives are effective against internal parasites, such as myxosporidia in the intestine (E. leei) (image 1).
In comparative trials with different batches of sea bream fed with control feed or DIBAQ AquaSafe® 4Tress, it was observed that at the end of the trial, some of the animals in the group fed with control feed showed what it is called “knife syndrome” or extreme thinness, caused by the intestinal Myxozoo called Enteromyxum leei.
In image 1, in sea breams of the control feed, the villi appeared very thickened and even fused as a consequence of the inflammatory process caused by the parasite. It is observed in the final control image that the intestinal mucosa does not occupy more than half of the intestinal lumen.
In contrast, sea breams fed with DIBAQ AquaSafe®4Tress showed an increase in the mucosal surface that covers practically the entire intestinal lumen. This is due to the increase in the length of the villi and the depth of the crypt, as shown in the photos. The inflammatory process and the parasite load are reduced.
Compared with the appearance of the intestinal mucosa at the beginning of the experience, the DIBAQ AquaSafe® 4Tress food have a beneficial effect on the intestinal surface, which favors a greater capacity for nutrients absorption, and with it an improvement in growth. The increase in cell turnover, improves the elimination of intracellular parasites such as protozoa (E. leei), reducing the parasite load and secondarily the inflammatory reaction, avoiding symptoms such as weight loss and mortality.
It is concluded as a tool for the control of this parasite.
Regarding its internal antiparasitic function, it is recommended at times of rise in temperatures in summer, since in the transmission of E. leei, the temperature of the water plays an important role, verifying an evident relationship between temperature and prevalence. Low temperatures have an inhibitory effect on the development of enteromyxosis, but the infection usually reappears when the temperature rises again in spring. For this reason it is a good option if the fish stocked from April-May are given AquaSafe 4Tress from the beginning and for several months. Afterwards, we can rest for several weeks and use it again until the temperatures are low again.
In image 2, in a test using sea bream and sea bass, it was found that mortality was lower in fish that had been fed with Dibaq AquaSafe 4Tress, due to its immunostimulating effect.
During the same test, the SGR (specific growth rate) was measured. Image 3 shows a higher final weight gain in seabreams and seabass fed with DIBAQ AquaSafe® 4Tress. This additive shortens the production cycle, as the fish reach their selling size sooner.
AquaSafe Br
This product, made up of several specific natural additives for gill parasites (monogeneous), is recommended to be used in the time of greatest prevalence, that is, with increases in temperature from spring, being especially recommended during the summer months.
In image 4, in the results of a test carried out with two control feeds and AquaSafe Br in sea bream, we see how the prevalence of gill parasite infection, that is, the number of infected fish, is lower in fish fed with the products with Dibaq AquaSafe Br.
AquaSafe S
Another one between our nutraceutical and health products, among the recommendations to give this product to the fish, are at times when you want to boost growth, prepare them for stress situations (prior to biometrics, manipulations, storms) and reduce intestinal and general inflammation of the organism that usually causes a form of intensive production as occurs in aquaculture.
Between the AquaSafe concepts, we give priority to animal welfare and the prevention of parasitic, bacterial and virological diseases, through the best possible diet. For best results, the use of our products and natural additives with immunostimulating, antiparasitic, antistressing, anti-inflammatory and growth-promoting functions should be based on the way of production, epidemiological history, handling and characteristics of each farm.
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