January 14, 2020

Malaysian university cultivating affordable aquaculture feed for the industry

Researchers from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) are producing plankton for use as feed in the aquaculture industry, reported The Star Malaysia.

The project, led by Dr. Wan Nurul Nadiah Wan Rasdi, UMT Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science lecturer, is able to cultivate different species of plankton such as copepods and moina that are rich in nutrients and a source of protein for fish.

She said the plankton cultivation project can result in an alternative fishmeal and supplementary feed for the aquaculture industry.

The project, which started in 2018, is supported by the Malaysian Education Ministry through funds allocated under the Knowledge Transfer Programme grant. Through the grant, the university partnered with an aquaculture company from Kuantan, Pahang with the aim of commercialising plankton culture.

Other Asian aquaculture industry players such as the Institution of Aquaculture Singapore are interested in the plankton production project.

-      The Star Malaysia