ProjectECOFISH
Fresh vegetables and fish – the benefits of aquaponics
Researches on the Potential Conversion of Conventional Fish Farms into Organic by Establishing a Model and Good Practice Guide (ECOFISH)
"Aquaponics is not just a technology of the future – it is a practical solution, available today, that brings healthy food to communities and protects the planet's natural resources." - Prof. Adrian Turek Rahoveanu
Project impact
Combining fish farming with soil-less vegetable cultivation could help bring sustainable fresh food production closer to consumers. As part of the ECOFISH project, an innovative combination of aquaculture and hydroponics optimised food production, providing economic, environmental and nutritional benefits. Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic creatures like fish. Much like agriculture, it can use chemicals and also produces waste. Hydroponics is a way of growing plants in water, without the need for soil. The project developed a new symbiotic system, combining these techniques using a method known as aquaponics, where waste from fish is used to feed vegetables in a closed loop. In return, the plants, which are grown in the water using a soilless growing method known as hydroponics, purify the water for the fish. The project’s success hinged on the staff exchange, which brought together expertise and infrastructure in fish farming, hydroponics and engineering. This collaboration shows how growing organic crops can be made possible by feeding fish and using their waste to nourish the plants.
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Coordinator
Romania
Universitatea de Științe Agronomice și Medicină Veterinară din București
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Participating and partners countries
- Romania
- Universitatea Dunărea de Jos din Galați
- Spain
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
- Egypt
- Kafr El-Sheikh University
- The Agricultural Research Center
- USA
- Cornell University
- Romania