Research & Development

We study the ability of polychaetes to coexist with other aquatic species and to valorize organic waste generated by aquaculture. Our work includes the co-culture of polychaetes with a local shrimp species, as well as the use of sludge from fish farms to evaluate the potential of polychaetes for recycling aquaculture effluents. Part of this research is carried out in collaboration with IFREMER (Palavas-les-Flots station) and several aquaculture farms.

During our three years of pilot production in the Bizerte Lagoon, we voluntarily released the surplus larvae produced during each production cycle to help restore the area located in front of our farm. After three years, we observed the recolonization of approximately 3 hectares, together with a noticeable improvement in sediment quality. The polychaetes developed by feeding on the organic matter accumulated in the sediment. These observations led to research aimed at evaluating their potential for bioremediation and marine ecosystem restoration, in collaboration with the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), Marseille.

We study the ability of polychaetes to bioturbate sediments and consume accumulated organic matter in order to evaluate their potential as a natural alternative to mechanical aquarium substrate cleaning. This research is being developed through a scientific collaboration currently being established with Nausicaá.
At the same time, we are evaluating the use of polychaetes as feed for benthic aquarium species. Our research also focuses on adapting their nutritional profile and conditioning methods to meet the needs of aquarists, particularly for breeding and reproduction. This work is carried out in collaboration with independent aquarists.

We study the effects of different feed types and particle sizes in benthic RAS to evaluate their impact on polychaete growth and their interactions with the sediment used for production. These trials are carried out in collaboration with INVE Aquaculture, which provides different feed formulations.
At the same time, we are developing in-house nutritional enrichment protocols to tailor the lipid profile of polychaetes, particularly their HUFA (EPA, DHA and ARA) content, for aquaculture feed applications. We are also developing biosecurity protocols to improve the sanitary quality of the animals we produce.

We are working on optimizing polychaete production in benthic RAS to improve control over farming conditions and make the production process more resilient to external factors, particularly heat waves associated with climate change. Our research also aims to reduce dependence on seawater while decreasing water consumption and effluent discharge by up to 90%.