The TOME Aquaculture Research and Education Centre is revolutionising Latvia’s aquaculture sector, promoting innovation and sustainable practices among fish breeders. It conducts extensive aquaculture research using its fish breeding lines and hatcheries, and provides expert training, skills development and advisory services to industry and entrepreneurs.
With EU support, the establishment of TOME marks a milestone in Latvia’s aquaculture sector, bringing an integrated approach to sustainable fish farming across the Baltic region.
Bridging research and industry
TOME shares its research and expertise with university students and industry in a plethora of ways. It has organised international training seminars and industry working groups, involving representatives from aquaculture farms across Europe. The centre also organises lectures and site visits for students at Latvian universities.
Aivars Bērziņš, Chair of the BIOR Scientific Board, introduces the Centre: “This is an important place to develop and promote cooperation between the aquaculture sector and the scientific community, delivering the best available advice for sector development and innovations.”
TOME provides technologies in fish farming, health and feed for species, including carp, burbot and pikeperch, and specialises in European catfish breeding research. It holds a variety of training events based on its research and innovation, and often invites international experts.
Seminars and expert-led training
Well-attended industry seminars have focused on best practices and critical issues, such as fish health, biosecurity and welfare. An intensive three-day training in advanced carp breeding techniques included expertise from leading Czech aquaculture professionals. Finnish experts facilitated specialised workshops on RAS and salmonid fish farming.
TOME’s approach is enabling Latvian companies to refine their farming practices, enhance production and diversify product offerings.
With EU funding, construction of the TOME Aquaculture Research and Education Centre was completed at the end of 2023. The first farming works started in May 2024. Within a short year, TOME has become an innovation hub in sustainable aquaculture that is bridging research and industrial application and encouraging cross-sectoral collaboration.
More information
Bringing innovation in Latvian aquaculture - European Commission
Website on the project:
EU aquaculture policy: Overview of EU aquaculture (fish farming)