Nausicaá and BioNaMeris are delighted to announce the signing of a 6-year agreement for the reproduction of marine species at the French National Sea Centre in Boulogne-sur-Mer. This is a long-term partnership whose breeding programme is already bearing its fruit with the successful breeding of Indo-Pacific scissortail sergeants (Abudefduf sexfasciatus), longsnout seahorses (Hippocampus reidi) and of king angelfish (Holacanthus passer).
Partnership between Nausicaá and BioNaMeris
For the reproduction of marine species
Since its creation in 1991, Nausicaá, the French National Sea Centre, has been placing blue innovation at the heart of its mission and works, along with research at the service of the preservation of marine biodiversity. Nausicaá is thus taking part in a number of European conservation programmes in collaboration with EAZA and several hundred births are recorded every year (guitarfish, African penguins, zebra shark, leopard shark).
Based in Marquise (62) in Hauts-de-France region, BioNaMeris is a biotech start-up created in January 2022, and has been granted the DeepTech label by BPI France. BioNaMeris is a company that industrialises an innovative patented process for the production of copepods, artemia and rotifers, and sells their eggs and other solutions for aquaculture. In parallel, BioNaMeris makes the most of its know-how in the area of specific diets – its perpetually developing technology – to support Green/Blue Impact & Economy projects. BioNaMeris also has skills in the area of nanoparticles and nanoformulations allowing it to develop sustainable and eco-responsible applications for aquaculture and other specialities.
Complementary areas of know-how at the service of life
Today, Nausicaá and BioNaMeris share their resources and expertise to boost knowledge and the successful complex breeding of marine species targeted according to various criteria: endangered species status, stock status in their natural habitat, biological complexity of breeding, exhibited species.
Nausicaá provides the project with eggs taken from its various tanks and places them in special tanks to enable BioNaMeris to ensure the development of larval breeding for the selected species in the favourable, high-potential environment that is Nausicaa.
On its Marquise site, BioNaMeris uses a patented technology to produce specific types of food (Copepods, Artemia, Rotifers) and other strategic consumables making it possible to feed animals that are still microscopic during their larval phase.
Eventually, this technology will make it possible to limit the impact of harvesting by a number of sectors (Fishkeeping, Aquariums, Aquaculture, Feed) from the natural habitat by enabling complete control of the breeding process.
A partnership that is already bearing its fruit
On 6 June 2023, BioNaMeris and Nausicaá’s Aquariology team saw the successful outcome of their project with the birth of several hundred Indo-Pacific scissortail sergeants (Abudefduf sexfasciatus), longsnout seahorses (Hippocampus reidi) and the first king angelfish (Holacanthus passer): a wonderful success for species that are complicated to breed, and which are the subject of only a few international publications.
These works also make it possible to gain a better understanding of these species, develop scientific protocols, and learn more about these species that are still poorly known in their natural habitat (better understanding of the larvae and their metamorphosis stages). This will make it possible to share with the profession as a whole and offer fish from this programme to fellow aquariums.
