Before entering the laboratory, participants in AQUASERV’s Advanced Ecotoxicological Monitoring for Sustainable Aquaculture course spent three weeks building their knowledge online, through self-paced learning. From priority contaminants and marine biotoxins to bioassays, biomarkers and environmental risk assessment, the modules introduced the different approaches scientists use to investigate environmental pressures.

Then, from 6 to 9 October 2026, the learning moved into practice at the Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR) in Faro, Portugal. Over four days, participants applied these approaches through a sequence of laboratory sessions, field sampling and hands-on experiments.

Looking closely at plankton and marine biotoxins

The first day brought participants into the world of marine biotoxins and plankton imaging. Through microscopy and FlowCam technology, they explored how plankton can be observed and identified, while learning about marine biotoxins and the analytical methods used to investigate them. These techniques offer complementary perspectives on marine environments: imaging helps researchers examine plankton communities, while biotoxin analysis can help identify substances of concern. Together, they illustrate how different forms of evidence contribute to environmental monitoring.

Taking the research out to sea

Good research starts with good sampling. On the 2nd day, the laboratory gave way to the Ria Formosa lagoon. Participants boarded the MARUAlg research vessel for a field-sampling session, experiencing the practical side of collecting environmental samples for scientific analysis.

Field sampling is the starting point for many monitoring workflows. The samples collected must be handled and prepared appropriately before they can be analysed, making this step essential to the quality and interpretation of the results that follow.

From chemical analysis to biological responses

Back at CCMAR, participants explored how contaminants can be investigated using different analytical approaches. Lab sessions covered marine ecotoxicology and bioassays, protein analysis and biochemical biomarkers, including DNA strand-break assessment as a genotoxicity technique, alongside practical work on metal determination using microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (MP-AES).

Each technique addresses a different part of the picture. Chemical analysis helps researchers identify and quantify contaminants, while bioassays and biomarkers can provide evidence of biological responses to environmental exposures. DNA strand-break analysis examines damage to genetic material and provides an additional indicator of genotoxic effects. Learning about these methods together helped participants understand how they can complement one another when investigating environmental quality.

For Badr, from Morocco, the practical sessions were a highlight:

Connecting environmental monitoring with fish health

On the final day, the focus shifted to fish physiology and endocrine biomarkers. Participants explored testosterone quantification using ELISA, fish anatomy, anaesthesia and integrated biomarker practicals, extending the course from the study of contaminants and environmental samples to the biological systems that researchers investigate in aquaculture.

The course demonstrated the value of bringing different disciplines into the same training programme. Understanding environmental pressures requires more than measuring contaminants alone: researchers can also investigate how organisms respond, using complementary analytical and biological approaches.

But the experience was about more than mastering techniques.

For Letícia Brito, from Brazil, access to these activities and the people sharing their expertise made a lasting impression:

By combining self-paced online learning with hands-on experience in the field and laboratory, AQUASERV’s training gave participants the opportunity to explore specialised methods, learn from experienced researchers and see how different disciplines come together to investigate environmental challenges in sustainable aquaculture.

The background theoretical modules remain available on the Marine Training Portal.

This course has been funded with support from the European Commission. The AQUASERV project has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions under grant agreement N° 101131121.