A delegation from Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) visited Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore on June 2 for the mid-term meeting of a China-Singapore science and technology cooperation project on smart aquaculture.

The project aims to develop smart aquaculture technologies to ensure a more stable and sustainable aquatic food supply.

Ma Xufa, a professor at HZAU's College of Fisheries and head of the Chinese team, reported on the project's progress. He said the team has worked on fish behavior analysis, digital models of aquaculture systems, early disease warning, water-quality prediction, and smart management platforms.

The project has also established two smart aquaculture demonstration bases in Shandong province. The bases are equipped with online water-quality monitoring, disease-warning systems, and remote control systems, enabling farmers to track and manage aquaculture operations more easily.

Loo Say Chye Joachim, a professor at NTU and head of the Singaporean team, presented research on encapsulation systems that use coating materials to deliver probiotics, curcumin, and hormones to fish via feeding. The method can help protect these substances in the digestive system and may offer a safer, less stressful alternative to injections for fish spawning.

Other researchers from HZAU, Wuhan University, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and the National University of Singapore (NUS) also shared their respective research, including frameworks for smart fisheries, multi-sensor integration for feeding, wastewater treatment, and stress responses in high-density aquaculture environments.

The two sides concluded the event with discussions on joint graduate training and international patent applications.

Researchers from China and Singapore gather at NTU to discuss the research of advanced technologies for the smart aquaculture sector. [Photo/new.hzau.edu.cn]