BREEDFLAT project aims to improve flatfish breeder’s performance by enhancing immune system capacity, largely affected during the reproductive season, and gamete quality by providing key-role nutrients for successful reproduction. Innovative approaches to the study of dietary effects will be attained to promote the sustainable competitive production of eggs and larvae. 

The project will focus on three important flatfish species for aquaculture diversification in Europe, Senegalese sole, turbot and Atlantic halibut. Specific breeders’ feed will be developed considering each species’ nutritional requirements and efforts dedicated to gametogenesis. A toolset of parameters will be developed, allowing characterization of reproductive and immune system performance. These tools will be used to evaluate the efficiency of natural feed products supplementation on the enhancement of reproduction and fish resistance. The final target is to achieve the improvement of offspring through better nutrition for breeders. 

The consortium includes two Portuguese research teams, CCMAR and CIIMAR, turbot producer ACUINOVA, Nord University, Akvaplan-niva and the Sogn Aqua Juveniles, an Atlantic halibut farmer.