Fish nutrition and bioenergetics

• Describe the digestive system and processes in fish
• Account for the biochemistry of macronutrients and their metabolic pathways in fish
• Describe respiration and oxygen requirements in fishes and how these are influenced by the environment
• Describe the concept of nutritional requirements and essential nutrients
• Account for feed intake and growth in fish including determining factors
• Create production / growth models for fish (SDG 12, 14)
• Evaluate species-specific diets for fish considering sustainable use of marine and terrestrial resources (SDG 2, 14, 15)
• Evaluate the performance of diets for fish (SDG 2, 14)

The course covers fundamental concepts in fish nutrition and bioenergetics in aquaculture. We begin with the anatomy and morphology of the digestive system, and the information on dietary preferences that can be inferred. The course covers the macronutrients, examining the different amino acids and fatty acids, essential and non-essential nutrients, and their roles in fish nutrition. Nutritional requirements and essential nutrients are covered from a feed manufacture perspective, including considerations in the selection of raw materials, and the possibilities and limitations for substitution with alternative ingredients. We will examine feed intake, appetite, and digestive processes in fish, in addition to their energy use, and the substrates that are used to provide energy to the fish. We cover the mechanisms by which fish grow, and how dietary and environmental factors might influence growth. Students will formulate a theoretical experimental diet for a species of their choice and will benchmark its performance using established assessment methods and production models.

Lectures, exercises, problem solving, student presentations and written assignment.
Practical activities on Wednesday mornings

This course provides students with competences relevant to UN SDGs, particularly in achieving food security and promoting sustainable aquaculture (SDG2), sustainable consumption and production (SDG12), conserve and sustainably use marine resources (SDG14), and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems (SDG15).