International connections and dialogues

CASA kicked off its agenda by participating in the Aquaculture Innovation Alliance (AIA) meeting, under the theme "Boosting Aquaculture: Financing, Innovation, and Informed Decisions." At this event, our team met with national and international experts to address regulatory challenges, investment opportunities, and the role of innovation in the development of sustainable aquaculture.

CASA stand and workshop

Throughout the event, CASA had its own booth, providing opportunities for dialogue, collaboration, and dissemination of our work. The CASA Workshop, held on September 3rd with a full capacity, was also a highly interesting opportunity for attendees, where the main advances of our laboratories were presented:

• CASA Collaborating Center – Dr. Javiera Cornejo, Center Director. CASA's mission and vision. Economic impact of the WHO Sanitary Codes on Chilean aquaculture.
• CRIA (Center for Research and Innovation in Aquaculture) – Dr. Jurij Wacyk. Innovations in aquaculture nutrition and practical applications for sustainable production.
• Aquaculture Genomic Lab – Jousepth Gallardo Hidalgo. Genomics applied to aquaculture: improvements in species health and performance.
• FARMAVET / INOCUIVET – Dr. Javiera Cornejo. Drug and contaminant detection, bioavailability and pharmacokinetic studies. Innovation and applied studies for health certification.

These presentations allowed for the sharing of experiences, success stories, and collaboration prospects with various stakeholders in the sector.

Circular economy and sustainability

In session 6 of the conference, dedicated to the circular economy as a strategic pillar for the future of aquaculture, Dr. Jurij Wacyk, a CASA researcher, was the first speaker with the talk "Nutrition: An Opportunity for Circularity."

Dr. Wacyk emphasized the importance of having a thorough understanding of the ingredients used in production processes:

"The more information and data we have about an input, the better we can use it and optimize its performance. The key is to deepen this knowledge to make more accurate and sustainable decisions."

He also invited reflection on the relationship between nutrition and sustainability in aquaculture, emphasizing that decisions regarding diet formulation directly influence the environmental footprint.

“There are three elements here that connect all the compartments we work with: water, nutrients, and energy.”

As an example, he described trials using wine residues in salmon diets, which were successful in correcting intestinal inflammation associated with soy consumption:

“This is the circular economy in its most obvious sense: adding value to waste that would otherwise end up in landfills, transforming it into an input that improves fish performance.”

CASA's participation in InnAqua 2025 not only showcased the work carried out by our laboratories and research teams, but also consolidated our commitment to promoting more sustainable, innovative, and responsible aquaculture. These international meeting spaces are essential for strengthening collaborative networks, sharing experiences, and generating new opportunities that contribute to animal welfare, public health, and the development of a resilient and globally competitive aquaculture industry.