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Transnational Access to

Institut Francais de Recherche Pour L’exploitation de la Mer

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Country

France

Expertise

Aquaculture, Biotech

Liaison officer

Fabrice Pernet

Contact

Services offered

IFREMER offers the following services in its installations:

IFR BMSA (Bivalve Marine Station of Argenton) is in a pristine area on the north shore of Brittany under oceanic influence far from urbanized watersheds, anthropogenic pressures and populations of wild bivalves. BMSA is dedicated to multi-stress (temperature, pH, contaminants, pathogens) and transgenerational experiments from early stages (gametes, larvae and post-larvae) to adulthood. Temperature, salinity, pH, turbidity and food are controlled under different stress conditions like pollutants and plastics, toxic algae, and pathogens. The experimental area is ~800 m2 corresponding to 6 experimental rooms (each housing 5 L cylinders (larvae, n=36) 10 L tanks (spat, n=100), 45 L (spat, adult, n=50) or 400 L (n=16), allowing replication and high statistical power) under flow-through or recirculating conditions, 1 micro-algae production room in small volumes, 1 large-volume micro-algae production room (1200 L d-1), 3 wet laboratories and a quarantine area, 3 dry laboratories. BMSA is fully equipped with microscopy and image analysis, two electronic particle counters (Bekman multisizer Z3 and Z4) for monitoring phytoplankton growth and controlling food, a recording of larval behaviour (ethovision) and an ecophysiological measurement system allowing the monitoring of individual clearance, oxygen consumption and assimilation rates.

FMSP (Finfish Marine Station of Plouzané) is located on the campus of Plouzané in the Bay of Brest. FMSP is dedicated to multi-stress (temperature, pH, oxygen, contaminants, pathogens) and transgenerational experiments from early stages (gametes, larvae and post-larvae) to adulthood of finfish. Temperature, pH, oxygen and food are controlled under different stress conditions like organic pollutants, plastics or pathogens. FMSP uses sea bass and stickleback as model species, but experiments may also include seabream, sole, turbot or flounder (to be discussed). The experimental area is 800 m2 corresponding to 10 experimental rooms (each housing 40L, 80L, 150L, 500L, 1000L, 3000L tanks) under flow-through or recirculating conditions, 1 live feed production room in small volumes, 4 wet laboratories, 6 dry laboratories, including one dedicated to bacteriological monitoring, feed manufacturing facility, numerous independent replicas, randomization of treatments, high statistical power. FMSP is fully equipped with microscopy and image analysis devices, a recording of larval behaviour (Ethovision), and an ecophysiological measurement system for oxygen consumption rates.

MEB (Mollusk experimental platform of Bouin) is located in the heart of the oyster hatchery/nursery region in the Bay of Bourgneuf. MEB is an experimental mollusc platform dedicated 1) to the growing of genetic lines of bivalve spat for experimental purposes and 2) to the testing of seawater treatment processes against chemical and biological (pathogen) contaminants. Animals are kept under realistic farming conditions and fed live phytoplankton. The experimental area is 2000 m2 divided into three-unit areas. ENA: the experimental nursery area includes 2-7 m3 raceways each containing 13 sieves (2 lines/sieve) supplied with phytoplankton-enriched (filtered/UV-treated) seawater at ambient temperature. EBA: the experimental breeding area for controlled contaminations consists of a 15 m2 room supplied with controlled seawater quality (filtered, UV-treated and temperature-controlled) equipped with tanks varying from 5 to 800 L capacity. Sewage can be treated using a high-performance medium lamp UV device. WER: the water treatment experimental room is 40 m2 and designed to fit seawater treatment devices supplied continuously with controlled seawater quality.

MET (Mollusk experimental platform of La Tremblade) is located in the Marennes-Oléron area, well known for oyster farming. MET is dedicated to experiments on mollusc pathology, genetics and ecophysiology. The experimental area is 1200 m2 dedicated to the production of genetic lines of several bivalve species (mainly oysters and mussels). The secured platform section consists of 390 tanks ranging from 8 to 800 L capacities distributed in 9 rooms dedicated to animal production and the conservation of selected strains or lines (quarantine area, broodstock conditioning, larval rearing, nursery, conservatory, phytoplankton production,

experimental rooms). Each room is currently being equipped with close systems (in case of a pathogen outbreak outside the facilities) and individual temperature controllers for each tank (8 to 25°C), supplied with filtered UV-treated seawater. The outside platform section consists of 130 tanks (130 L to 12 m3), tidal marshes (13400 yard2), five offshore leases (5000 yard2) and a phytoplankton production area (20 m3/day). The secured dry/wet lab section allows for conducting biometrics, cytogenetics, cytometry and experimental pathophysiology (L2). Sewage is contained in the waterproof tank before treatment.

PEMP (Palavas experimental marine platform) is located along the Mediterranean Sea near Montpellier and consists of 4000 m2 dedicated to studying finfish performances at the larval, juvenile or grow-out phase. MES: the marine ecotolerance section includes 2 sets of 16 tanks (1 m3 each, flow-through or recirculated). Tanks are fitted with automatic feeders and faecal traps to fully control feed intake and uneaten feed. FLA: from larvae to adult fish. This section allows to grow fish from egg to commercial size for any type of long-term experiment in genetics and genomics. This facility consists of two thermally isolated rooms with 8 or 9 tanks (0,5 m3 each), one room with 16 tanks (1,5 m3 each) and another one with 6 tanks (5 m3 each, recirculated). For MES and FLA, light intensity and temperature can be controlled (0 -500 lux, artificial dawn and dusk, 13-25°C), and seawater is filtered (up to 30μm), UV-treated and degassed or O2-enriched. Finally, the IMTA platform allows the evaluation of performances and bioremediation capacity of different species associated with different compartments. The first part of the IMTA platform is composed of 6 independent units made of 4-connected compartments: (a) a 4m3 artificial aquatic ecosystem and its treatment system (particle trap, microbial bioreactor, gas column, UV control, thermic control), (b) an outdoor primary producer pond (1.5m3), (c) another artificial aquatic system (0.4m3), and (d) a secondary consumer aquatic system (0.5m3). All compartments are possibly linked to each other with adjustable fluxes. The second part of the IMTA platform is composed of 24 independent tanks (60l). Salinity, temperature, pH and light are controlled.

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