Tr.Aqua: Innovative and Sustainable Practices in Aquaculture within the Framework of Food Supply Security

The impacts of traditional fishing and aquaculture methods, which are often unsustainable and can lead to environmental effects, motivate us to work on new techniques for the conservation of aquatic biodiversity and the transmission of resources to future generations. Thus, modern technology and scientific approaches are critical for both conserving biodiversity and ensuring food supply.

Overexploitation and mismanagement of aquatic ecosystems can lead to depletion of water resources and damage to ecosystems. The work under TR.Aqua focuses on innovative aquaculture management approaches that help manage water resources sustainably and conserve them for future generations.

The project titled "AquaGenomics: Whole Genome-Transcriptome Sequencing and Cell Line Generation of Target Species Important for Aquaculture Food Security" aims to fully sequence the genomes and transcriptomes of species of strategic importance in aquaculture and fisheries in Türkiye, with the goal of moving these sectors towards a sustainable foundation. This will provide crucial information about the genetic structure, adaptation abilities, and disease resistance levels of these species, enabling more effective use of genetic resources in aquaculture.

Furthermore, another important objective of the project is the creation of specialized cell lines for use in aquaculture. These cell lines will be of great importance in developing aquaculture varieties resistant to various diseases and in controlling disease outbreaks. In addition, thanks to these specialized cell lines, aquaculture will be carried out in a more controlled manner and environmental impacts will be minimized.

The work within the scope of the project continues to be carried out through laboratory experiments, bioinformatic analyses, classroom applications, training programs, workshops, and other activities.