Fish Health and Nutrition

Environmental and Applied Biology Research Group
Facilities in the fish health and nutrition research laboratories
Led by Dr Daniel Merrifield , the Fish Health and Nutrition research team actively engages with hatcheries, aquaculture farms and various other organisations nationally and internationally to support and conduct research and development at fundamental and applied levels contributing to United Nation Sustainable Development Goals, 2 (Zero Hunger), 12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production) and 14 (Life Below Water).
This research theme has been supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Innovate UK, The Newton Fund, charities and educational trusts, learned societies, foreign government departments responsible for education, science and fisheries and others.
We have strong links with the aquaculture and aquafeed industries, with research projects funded by companies such as Alltech, Alltech Coppens, BioMar, Biomin, Clasado Biosciences, DSM-Firmenich, Eurochem, Evonik, GreensSage Prebiotics Inc, Lallemand SAS, Leiber GmbH, Novus International, Skretting, Tereos-Syral and others.
Projects focus on various aspects of fish and crustacean health, nutrition, microbiome and aquafeed sustainability. Key themes include better understanding of host-microbe interactions, dysbiosis, mucosal health, enteritis and intestinal inflammation, functional feed additives and novel raw materials for use in aquafeeds.
These programmes span many commercially relevant species including rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, catfish, carp, Nile tilapia, ornamental species, shrimp, and the model species, zebrafish.
 

Our research

Fish aquria at the University of Plymouth

Functional feed additives for aquafeeds

Fish tanks in the facilities for animal studies

Alleviating intestinal inflammation (enteritis)

Live shrimp held in hands over a shrimp farm

Microbial solutions to improve shrimp health and production

Sea lice on Salmon

Salmon and sea lice infections

Salmon farm, courtesy of Getty Images

Fortification and reassembly of microbiome following husbandry stressors

Fishing boat beside a fish farm

Low-cost, high-quality algal biomass for aquaculture feed

Our research team

Alumni and former group members

 

Supporting facilities

We have facilities capable of supporting a range of species with our dedicated tropical, zebrafish and cold-water aquaria.

Fish tanks in the facilities for animal studies
Our facilities meet all current UK legislation with associated Home Office licences in place.
We use the highest standard of housing and husbandry, maintained by trained and qualified animal welfare specialists and 24/7 veterinary support.
Fish tanks in the facilities for animal studies
Specialised, dedicated, zebrafish stocks and aquaria.
Fish tanks in the facilities for animal studies
Our aquaria can provide recirculatory (RAS), static or semi-static holding conditions, suitable for a range of experimental and feeding trials.
Fish tanks in the facilities for animal studies
We have a range of aquaria which enable us to work with temperate and tropical species.
Tank sizes from 10–150L allow for research on a range of life stages.
Shrimp aquaculture facilities
Flexible facilities to work on marine, brackish or freshwater invertebrates, such as shrimp and bivalves.
Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre revamp - November 2022
In addition to our state-of-the-art aquaria facilities and wet labs, we have a suite of analytical labs
Systems Biology Centre with cutting-edge proteomics facilities; Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre with scanning and transmission electron microscopes; nutrition, chemistry, histology and microbiology laboratories and a range of other laboratories.
 

Study opportunities

Relevant postgraduate taught programmes

The aquaculture and fisheries sectors make essential contributions to global food security and nutrition, contributing more than 175 million tonnes of production valued at over $400 billion. These sectors are intertwined; sharing the same environment and frequently interdependent on one another. Ensuring that aquatic farming practices and wild fish populations are sustainably managed is essential to support the needs of our growing population and protect our aquatic ecosystems.
Fishing boat beside a fish farm

Centre of Research excellence in Intelligent and Sustainable Productive Systems (CRISPS)

CRISPS brings together a vibrant community of transdisciplinary researchers, working towards addressing the challenge of sustainably feeding a global population of 9 billion. Founded upon research excellence in aquaculture, agricultural technology and soil health, and underpinned by investment in cutting-edge facilities, the Centre will create the critical mass required to ensure impactful research and real-world deployment in the UK and beyond.
Centre of Research Excellence in Intelligent and Sustainable Productive Systems (CRISPS) lead image showing a hand holding soil and a plant.