European Aquaculture Society - EAS - Student Group

18/06/2026

[ Ireland’s Edge Aquahack - Day 4. The final push begins. 🔥 ]

A little throwback as we catch up on sharing the highlights from Ireland’s Edge - but this moment was too good to skip. ⏪

With pitch day creeping closer, our student teams got one last round of sharpening before stepping into the room that matters. 🎯

First, a conversation with Damien Toner - President-elect of the European Aquaculture Society and Aquatech Business Manager at Bord Iascaigh Mhara - Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency. Straight talk on what makes an idea stand up to real industry scrutiny. 💡

Then came the Fireside Chat - Tom Shearer, Mark White and Damien Toner took the hot seats, and our students didn’t hold back. Questions on success, business models, what it actually takes to grow an idea into something real. The kind of feedback that reshapes a pitch overnight. 🎤

And because even hackathon week needs a moment to breathe - a smoked salmon tasting from a local farm, students picking their favourites and debating the results almost as fiercely as their business plans. 🐟😋

Ideas sharpened. Feedback absorbed. The final pitches were just around the corner. 👀

17/06/2026

🇩🇪 [ for Germany – Meet Timon Rüth ]

Hi, I’m Timon Rüth, the National Coordinator for Germany!

I’m currently doing my PhD at FBN Dummerstorf in northern Germany. My project aims to develop a genetic breeding program for a commercial population of African catfish. In order to conduct this project, we combine quantitative genetic and genomic approaches.

🌍 What do you consider valuable in the group and what are the perks of being EAS-SG member?
Like most things that I am passionate about, I like to share them with other people. Working together and collaborating with peers is the appropriate way to move forward in science, especially in an interdisciplinary field like aquaculture.
✨ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timon-r%C3%BCth-599824255/

💡 Student membership in the European Aquaculture Society is FREE!

✔️ Join here: https://eas.glueup.com/org/eas/memberships/

15/06/2026

[ 🎥 Missed our latest EAStalk webinar? The recording is now available! ]

How can we improve fish health monitoring while reducing stress and supporting sustainable aquaculture?

In this webinar, Dr. Cláudia Raposo de Magalhães (SPAROS, Lda & Riasearch) and Dr. Luiza Wasiewska (Tyndall National Institute) present innovative research from the EU IGNITION Project, exploring how multiomics, machine learning, and non-invasive biomarkers can transform health and welfare monitoring in aquaculture.

The webinar highlights:
✔️ Novel biomarkers identified through fish skin mucus analysis
✔️ Multiomics and machine learning approaches for health assessment
✔️ Development of electrochemical biosensors for real-time monitoring
✔️ Applications for European seabass, Atlantic salmon, and rainbow trout

Watch the recording and discover how these technologies could support more sustainable and welfare-friendly aquaculture systems.

Video recording ▶️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILLVsMBJoWM&t=7s

🔗 Learn more about the IGNITION project: https://ignition-project.eu/








🔗 Supported by:
European Commission
European Research Executive Agency (REA)



(Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.)

As global demand for animal protein continues to rise and climate c...

12/06/2026

[ 🎙️ Join us for the next webinar! ]

"Boosting aquaculture with a circular fungal beta-glucan" - in partnership with

📅 June 23 | 14:00h CET (Brussels time)
🔗 Registration is free and mandatory: 9de52d43-8ac0-46d7-bfdf-ce3cfab7ff5b@a4ab8958-2a3d-40c0-ae21-d3c85612711f" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/9de52d43-8ac0-46d7-bfdf-ce3cfab7ff5b@a4ab8958-2a3d-40c0-ae21-d3c85612711f

This webinar takes a deep dive into the science behind immune-stimulating products derived from yeast versus fungal biomass - and introduces CITRIBEL's newly developed high beta-glucan product, extracted from fungal mycelium cell walls.

You'll hear about:
✅ The history and functionality of yeast- and fungal-derived immune stimulants
✅ Unique characteristics, production quality and functionality of Citribel's innovation
✅ Application studies conducted at renowned research institutes
✅ Safety, growth performance and feed conversion results in shrimp and salmon
✅ Challenge test outcomes showing reduced mortality against White Spot Syndrome Virus, Vibrio spp., Moritella viscosa, and Tenacibaculum maritimum

Meet the presenters:
👨‍🔬 David De Hous - Key Account Manager at CITRIBEL, with 20+ years in the pharmaceutical industry and a biomedical sciences background from the University of Antwerp, now focused on next-generation beta-glucans in aquaculture and pet food.

👩‍🔬 Dr. Edith Wilderjans - Project Manager Innovation at Citribel, with a strong background in quality, R&D, and bringing new products from concept to market.

About Citribel:
CITRIBEL is a Belgian, European manufacturer that transforms sugar molasses into citric acid, citrate salts and mycelium ingredients through natural surface fermentation - supplying bulk volumes to food, pharma, nutraceutical, personal care, animal nutrition and industrial markets worldwide.

Citribel is an EAS Corporate Member. EAS does not endorse products or services provided by its Corporate Members.

08/06/2026

🎙️ EAStalk Webinar | Tomorrow!

Fish skin mucus holds the answers to smarter aquaculture health monitoring - and the EU IGNITION project is proving it.

[ EAStalk ] Harnessing novel non-invasive biomarkers for biosensor-based health monitoring in aquaculture: insights from the EU IGNITION project

📅 Tuesday, June 9 | 14:00 CET (Brussels time)
🔗 Registration is free but mandatory: adf0dde5-04df-41a4-8097-d2761ee7b376@a4ab8958-2a3d-40c0-ae21-d3c85612711f" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/adf0dde5-04df-41a4-8097-d2761ee7b376@a4ab8958-2a3d-40c0-ae21-d3c85612711f

Tune in as Dr. Cláudia Raposo de Magalhães and Dr. Luiza Wasiewska walk us through how omics technologies, machine learning, and electrochemical biosensors are coming together to detect stress and disease in European seabass, Atlantic salmon, and rainbow trout - without a single needle.

🔬 30-min presentation + 15-min live Q&A | 45 min total

03/06/2026

🇩🇪 [ for Germany – Meet Mashal Fatima ]

Hi, I’m Marshal Fatima, the National Coordinator for Germany!

I’m currently pursuing my Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Aquaculture, Environment and Society. With a background in veterinary medicine, my work focuses on fish health management, disease research, and vaccine development.

🌍 Why I value the EAS Student Group:

What I find most valuable about EAS-SG is the opportunity to build a truly international network of passionate aquaculture professionals. The group provides a platform
to share knowledge, collaborate on projects, and stay updated on the latest research and career opportunities in our field. Being a member means you’re part of a supportive community that values innovation, sustainability, and the next generation of aquaculture leaders. It’s also a fantastic way to gain leadership experience, develop professional skills, and contribute meaningfully to the future of sustainable aquaculture in Europe and beyond.

✨ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mashal-fatima-242a38255/

💡 Student membership in the European Aquaculture Society is FREE!

✔️ Join here: https://eas.glueup.com/org/eas/memberships/

01/06/2026

🎙️ EAStalk Webinar | Next Tuesday!

How can we monitor fish health without invasive sampling? Join us next week to find out.

[ EAStalk ] Harnessing novel non-invasive biomarkers for biosensor-based health monitoring in aquaculture: insights from the EU IGNITION project

📅 Tuesday, June 9 | 14:00 CET (Brussels time)
🔗 Registration is free but mandatory: adf0dde5-04df-41a4-8097-d2761ee7b376@a4ab8958-2a3d-40c0-ae21-d3c85612711f" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/adf0dde5-04df-41a4-8097-d2761ee7b376@a4ab8958-2a3d-40c0-ae21-d3c85612711f

As aquaculture faces growing pressure from rising demand and climate change, the EU IGNITION project is pioneering smarter health monitoring solutions. This webinar explores how skin mucus-based biomarkers, omics technologies, and cutting-edge electrochemical biosensors are transforming real-time fish health surveillance - with a focus on European seabass, Atlantic salmon, and rainbow trout.

Meet the speakers:
🔬 Dr. Cláudia Raposo de Magalhães (SPAROS / RIASEARCH) - multiomics and non-invasive biomarker strategies
🔬 Dr. Luiza Wasiewska (Tyndall National Institute) - biosensor development and sustainable diagnostic methods

⏱️ 45 min | 30-min presentation + 15-min live Q&A

Not a member yet? EAS offers free membership for students and retirees 👉 [link]

29/05/2026

[ ⏰ Tomorrow is the last day to apply for full funding to attend Aquaculture Europe 2026 in Ljubljana! ]

The Aquaculture Economics & Management Workshop - held alongside AE2026 (28-30 September) - is still open for applications, and selected PhD students and early-career researchers can receive full funding to attend thanks to support from the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills.

This is a rare opportunity to learn directly from two leading experts in aquaculture economics - Prof. Frank Asche (University of Florida) and Dr. Ruth Pincinato (University of Stavanger) - and connect economic theory with real-world industry practice.

Note: applications will remain open after 30 May, but funding will no longer be available. With only 30 spots in total, don't wait.

📩 Submit your CV, motivation letter, and expense outline to [email protected] by tomorrow.

More info: www.aquaeas.org

26/05/2026

In the late 1970s, European fish hatcheries faced a critical challenge: sourcing high-quality Artemia cysts for larval production.

Patrick Sorgeloos of the University of Ghent had demonstrated the extraordinary potential of brine shrimp as a bio-encapsulation vector. But supply was the bottleneck.

In 1977, just one year after its founding, European Mariculture Society (EMS) stepped in - buying and selling San Francisco Bay Brand Artemia directly to hatcheries across Europe, with nutritional quality approval from Sorgeloos himself.

A society less than a year old, already solving real industry problems. That spirit lives on today.

21/05/2026

[ Did you know all Irish salmon is organic? 🐟 ]

Yesterday afternoon, our Ireland’s Edge students saw it first-hand - visiting a salmon farm on the wild Atlantic coast of Connemara and talking directly with the farmers and workers who make it happen. 🌊

Low density farming. High standards. And conditions that will humble you fast - Connemara doesn’t do mild. Wind, rain and Atlantic swell are just part of the job. ☁️🌧️

But the students weren’t just sightseeing. Even standing on a salmon farm in the heart of the Wild Atlantic Way, the questions kept coming. Challenges on their minds, curiosity impossible to switch off. 💡

Sometimes the best research happens at the water’s edge. 🌊