DTU is ranked as one of the foremost technical universities in Europe, and continues to set new records in number of publications, and persistently increase and develop our partnerships with industry, and assignments accomplished by DTU’s public sector consultancy. DTU Aqua, The National Institute for Aquatic Resources, is a department within DTU and provides research, advice and education at the highest international level within sustainable exploitation of living marine and freshwater resources, biology of aquatic organisms and development of ecosystems as well as their integration in ecosystem-based management. This implies a standing international reputation within marine sciences and technology and prompted extended experience in coordinating and managing national and international scientific programs including EU research and monitoring projects. DTU Food, The National Food Institute, is another DTU department and conduct research into human nutrition, food safety, environment and health providing specific expertise in relation to food research. Within the PRO-EEL project the role is to carry out analysis and studies on nutritional changes in broodstock fishes.
DTU Aqua provides an established research facility for conduction of full scale experiments in the PRO-EEL project. The facility was established in 2004 and formed the basis of a series of successful experiments conducted on reproduction of European eel during the period 2005 to 2010 through Danish projects: Artificial reproduction of Eel II and III (ROE II, ROE III) and Reproduction of European Eel in Aquaculture (REEL).
Tasks inside the project
DTU Aqua is the coordinator of the project, and leads the scientific work in work packages WP1, 6, 9 and 10, and number of tasks covering most research WPs and management (WP11). Dr. Jonna Tomkiewicz is the project coordinator of the project supported by the DTU Aqua team holding acknowledged expertise in all aspects of the experimental succession of eel reproduction. A major undertaking is the coordination and conductance of joint controlled full scale experiments and participates in all other WP´s.
Relevant experience regarding major tasks
DTU Aqua has an acknowledged experience coordinating and conducting full scale experiments on eel reproduction in captivity from previous project that successfully produced viable eggs and larvae of European eel living up to 20 days (WP10). This research experience includes design and full scale test (WP1), male eel maturation and semen production and standardized application of semen in fertilization procedures (WP5), induction of female eel maturation, ovulation and egg production (WP6 and 7), fertilization methods and monitoring fertilization rates, incubation and larval culture techniques (WP8) and embryonic and larval development, behavior and feeding (WP9). In addition, the institute has considerable experience in the management of EU FP7 projects.
Project participants
A broad spectrum of sections within DTU is involved. DTU Aqua: Section for Population Ecology and Genetics (1); Section for Marine Ecology and Climate (2); Section for Aquaculture (3); Section for Coastal Ecology (4); DTU Food: Section for Aquatic Lipids and Oxidation (5).
Dr. Jonna Tomkiewicz (1): Project coordinator of PRO-EEL and lead of WP1, 6 and 10. She has experience in fish reproduction and growth including gametogenesis maturation processes, reproduction strategies, histology, fatty acids and energy allocation, egg quality and larval rearing. She has been leading scientific work packages and tasks related to reproduction of marine fish stocks in a number of EU-projects including (CORE, STORE and UNCOVER). Since 2005, she has elaborated and coordinated scientifically the national projects: Artificial Reproduction of European Eel: ROE II (2005-2006), ROE III and ROE III-LC (2006-2008), Reproduction of European Eel in Aquaculture: REEL (2008-2010).
Dr. Peter Munk (2): Lead of WP9. He is experienced in fish larval ecology and culture, and recruitment to the fish stocks. He has carried out laboratory studies on a range of species, and has been investigating larval growth, feeding and behavior, using small observation tanks as well as larger experimental tanks and mesocosms. He has published series of papers on larval distribution, development, growth, morphology and behavior and recently participated in Danish field research on Anguilla larvae in the Sargasso Sea (Galathea III).He has been involved in 3 the national eel reproduction projects (ROE II, III and REEL).
Dr. Peter Skov (3): is experienced in respiratory physiology of fishes, cardiovascular function and development. Of particular interest is correlating anatomical features to physiological function, and physiological responses to adverse environmental conditions. Dr. Peter Skov is task leader in WP9. He is experienced in respiratory physiology of fishes, cardiovascular function and development. Of particular interest is correlating anatomical features to physiological function, and physiological responses to adverse environmental conditions.
Dr. Josianne Stoettrup (4): Participant in WP2. She is experienced in marine aquaculture, larval fish physiology and nutrition, copepod feeding physiology and nutrition. Has developed a range of rearing systems for production of food organisms, and worked on systems producing optimal conditions for fish larvae. Since 2005, she has been involved in 3 national projects (ROE II, III and REEL) and on eel reproduction responsible for developing a suitable diet for farmed eel broodstock, lipid composition, requirements and allocation; larval rearing techniques.
Dr. Charlotte Jacobsen (5): Participant in WP2. She experienced in fish lipid chemistry including analysis of fatty acid composition. She has been involved in 3 national projects (ROE II, III and REEL) At present Charlotte Jacobsen is leading several national and one international research projects in this area.
MSc Maria Krüger Johnsen (1): Task leader in WP1. She is experienced in reproductive physiology of fish including histologi, stereologi and fecundity analysis. She has carried out laboratory and field studies on a range of species and has been involved in improving tools to study fecundity and spawning dynamics. In PRO-EEL she will among other tasks be responsible for coordinating and distributing samples to the partners.
PhD, MSc Sune Riis Soerensen (1): Aquaculture experience through 3 national projects, RESTOCK, ROE III and REEL, the two latter with focus on eel egg and larval development in relation to bio-physical characteristics and gamete quality. He has worked extensively on European eel egg and larval development in relation to bio-physical characteristics and gamete quality, and has unique experimental experience in European eel egg fertilisation, incubation and larval rearing, and embryonic and larval development. From work with cod larvae during other projects he has gained experience working with large scale rearing sytems.The work of Sune Riis Soerensen in PRO-EEL project constitutes part of a PhD project.
PhD Fung Sieng Henna Lu (5): Performing a Ph.D. project on marine phospholipids at DTU Food. As part of her study she will test the applicability of liposomes for delivery of important fatty acids in larval feed.
Relevant publications
Jensen, K.N., Jacobsen, C., Nielsen, H.H. (2007). Fatty acid composition of herring (Clupea harengus) – Influence of time and place of catch on n-3 PUFA content. J. Sci. Food Agric., 87, 710-718.
Munk, P. 1995 Foraging behaviour of larval cod (Gadus morhua) influenced by prey density and hunger. Mar. Biol. 122:205-212.
Nielsen, N.S., Goettsche, J.R., Holm, J., Xu, X., Mu, H. and Jacobsen, C. (2005) Effect of structured lipids based on fish oil on the growth and fatty acid composition in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Aquaculture.250 (1-2), 411-423
Oestergaard. P, Munk. P, Janekarn, V. (2005) Contrasting feeding patterns among species of fish larvae from the tropical Andaman Sea. Mar Biol 146: 595-606
Stoettrup, J.G. 2003. Production and nutritional value of copepods. In: Stoettrup, J.G. & L.A. McEvoy (Eds.). Live feeds in marine aquaculture. Blackwell Science, Oxford, UK. Chapter 5, 145-205.
Tomkiewicz and Jarlbaek, 2008. Artificial Reproduction of Eels II and IIB. ROE II and IIB. DTU Aqua rapport 180-08. In Danish). 84 pp.
Tomkiewicz, J. & Soerensen, R. S., 2008. Project Report: Artificial Reproduction of Eels III: Larval Culture (ROE III-LC). National Institute for Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark (In Danish). 40 pp.
Tomkiewicz J., Tybjerg L., Jespersen, A. 2003. Micro- and macroscopic characteristics to stage gonadal maturation of female Baltic cod. J. Fish Biol. 62 (2): 253-275.