SMART-IMTA – PRODUCTION OF MACROALGAE, INTEGRATED WITH SOLE AQUACULTURE, MANAGED WITH REAL-TIME MONITORING AND ACTUATION SYSTEMS

Abstract

The Farm to Fork Strategy of the European Green Deal has acknowledged the potential of algae to become an important source of alternative low-carbon footprint protein and contribute to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of the aquaculture sector. Nonetheless, the European algae industry is still at an early phase lagging behind the overall increase seen at a global level, mostly driven by Asia. Within this context, INNOAQUA aims to pave the path towards the upcoming sustainable and diversified EU in-land aquaculture industry by leaning on the demonstration and mainstreaming of innovative algae-based foods and solutions, and ecology, circularity and digitalization concepts. To this end, the project addressed main barriers hindering the growth of the sector, starting with the demonstration at a pre-commercial level (TRL6-7) of the operational, technical, and socio-economic robustness of digitally enhanced integrated fish and algae RAS-IMTA cultivation systems text

The DEMO IMTA system is installed at SEA EIGHT's commercial hatchery in northern Portugal. The area, with over 200m² of macroalgae productive area (mainly for Ulva and Gracilaria), can handle approximately up to 40m³/h of water from SEA EIGHT's Recirculated Aquaculture System (RAS). The SMART-IMTA includes the development and implementation of two main digital innovations by INESC TEC: (i) a novel Multisensing Module allowing for real time water quality monitoring and; (ii) a Digital Twin Backbone (DTB) that will facilitate the ingestion, transformation and storage of the data flows and make them accessible to other processes.

Preliminary results show an average productivity above 4kg fw/m²/month between April and June. These results alone would represent a production capacity above 800kg fw/m²/month for the entire unit. This data can translate into a removal between 50.4 and 72 kg of Nitrogen per year, on a DW basis. However, these results are likely to be improved as we continue to collect data and, most importantly, as the digital technology starts it management inputs. Ultimately this technology will allow the management of the macroalgae production component without the permanent action of a seaweed expert, contributing significantly towards the implementation of the IMTA concept in other commercial RAS.