Marine Biotechnology

Together with NTNU, SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture holds a unique competence on marine algae and bacteria and on the application of these organisms and their special properties in different systems. By bioprospecting, we search for organisms and components with positive effects on health and environment.

Bioprospecting

Marine bioprospecting is the search for valuable, biologically active components from organisms in the sea. Together with national and international collaborators, we screen marine algae and bacteria for potential use in the aquaculture, food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. For example, we have found antibacterial compounds in seaweed and kelp and the immunostimulating glucan compounds in microalgae. We are also looking for probiotic bacteria for marine fish larvae and juveniles.

Microalgae

There is a large number of species of micro-algae, and many of them have properties that can be used industrially. We study the use of marine micro-algae for the production of bacteria-regulating and immune-enhancing compounds. Many micro-algae contain valuable fatty acids and can be used as feed for mussels, enrichment of live feed organisms and microbial control of water in marine fry production. Micro-algae can be grown in cultures and we have extensive experience with optimizing the technology for algae production of compounds that are of industrial interest.

                          Photo: Tora Bardal                                                                      

Seaweeds and kelp

Algae take up nutrients from the sea and seaweeds and kelp (macro-algae) that grow near a fish cage can be used to remove the excess nutrients from the farm. This is called integrated aquaculture. Since macro-algae are the source of many useful compounds, we are focusing on finding species with a potential for industrial applications, like compounds that can reduce bacterial growth and fouling of surfaces in sea water.

Photo: Geir Johnsen

Probiotic bacteria

Humans and animals need a normal bacterial flora in their digestive system to protect them from pathogenic bacteria. We search for bacteria that have a favorable effect on fish fry. These can be used to control the bacteria flora in the water, feed and fish in intensive production units, and thereby lead to an increased growth and survival, and a reduced outbreak of diseases.

Application of probiotic bacteria will be especially in focus in marine fry production for fish and shell fish, where microbial problems are known to cause diseases and high mortality. By shifting the bacterial flora in live feed organisms to probiotic species, we can promote that the fish do not get dangerous bacteria from the feed, and that the fry will benefit from the bacteria. The bacterial flora in the water is also important for the survival of the fry, in the early stages after hatching, and its control is very important.

Photo: SINTEF. Bacterial flora in turbot larvae

Immunostimulants

Some molecules have stimulating effects on the unspecified immune system of animals and humans. These are attractive for use in intensive production of fish and animals to improve health, guard against diseases and reduce the use of antibiotics and chemical therapeuticals. We look for immunostimulants in marine micro-algae to see how they can be used in marine fry production.

Immunostimulation can have an important role in marine fry production. For example, immunostimulants can be used to stimulate the unspecified immune defense in the early period when vaccines have no effect. Immunostimulants can be administered in the feed (either live feed or formula feed) and water. This has been shown to increase the weight, survival and disease resistance in larvae and fry of different fish species during the critical phases of the yolk sack stage, first feeding and weaning to dry feed.

Photo: SINTEF. Turbot- (left) and halibut-larvae (right).

Feed resources

Marine Resources Technology, in collaboration with other SINTEF institutes and NTNU, carries out research on new feed sources for the aquaculture industry. New sources pose demands on new technology to develop optimal feeds for the growth phase of marine fish larvae and fry. We study new feed sources like zooplankton (Calanus), marine algae and micro-organisms (Thraustocytrides). For marine fish, we focus on the enrichment diets and larval feeds. 

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