The Department of Aquaculture participates in undergraduate and graduate level education and training activities in the Department of Aquaculture Engineering with its academic staff consisting of 3 Professors, 1 Associate Professor, 1 Dr. Lecturer, 4 Research Assistants, 3 Lecturers. There are 2 departments in the Department of Aquaculture, namely the Department of Aquaculture and the Department of Diseases.
Aquaculture Department
Within the scope of the Department, it is aimed to train the Aquaculture Engineers of tomorrow, especially in the needs of the regional aquaculture sector, and to provide our engineers with the authority to use environmentally sensitive techniques. Undergraduate and graduate courses on freshwater fish and marine fish farming are carried out. In addition, in order to gain sectoral engineering skills, the information given is reinforced with application studies within the scope of the courses. In order to ensure the sustainable growth of the aquaculture sector in the world, studies on the cultivation of new species, larval and fry feeding, digestibility of feed raw materials, balancing protein and energy in feeding, evaluation of alternative feed raw materials and feed additives, mollusc, crustacean and arthropod aquaculture, plankton culture, fish nutrition and feed technology, planning of production facilities are given.
The regional and national aquaculture sector is in a process of rapid increase in number and capacity. When requests are made to our university regarding the problems encountered in aquaculture and current techniques, the requests are evaluated as soon as possible and in the most comprehensive manner. Because there is no tolerance for loss of time for our national aquaculture production for 2023, which is determined as 500,000 tons by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. Natural and economic resources need to be activated in the best way with up-to-date knowledge and technology.
Laboratory applications of the department are carried out in the laboratories located in the Faculty building in the Central campus. Live applications are carried out in the İyidere Aquaculture Production, Training and Research Center located in Sarayköy, İyidere district and in the enterprises affiliated to the Rize province Inland Fisheries Breeders Association.
Currently, normal and albino rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Çoruh trout (Salmo coruhensis), Euphrates trout (Salmo trutta), sturgeons (roe sturgeon (Acipenser gueldestaedtii), longnose sturgeon (A. stellatus) and Siberian sturgeon (A. baeri)), tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), and European catfish (Siluris glanis). In the Department of Aquaculture; 2 Associate Professors, 1 Dr. Lecturer, 2 Research Assistants and 2 Lecturers are working.
Department of Diseases
Within the scope of the basic mission of our faculty, undergraduate and graduate education studies are carried out on the courses in the education plan. It is to carry out the research and application of diagnostic and treatment methods of pathogenic and apathogenic diseases in order to ensure the sustainable production of fish species such as trout, sea bass, sea bream, etc., which have been growing rapidly in recent years in our country, both in aquaculture and in natural water resources. In this context, it aims to realize projects that can take part in national and international studies. Apart from education and training activities, our Department provides services for the solution of health problems of aquaculture enterprises operating in our region.
As the Department of Diseases, in addition to basic courses such as Fish Diseases, Fish Health Management at the undergraduate level, more specific fish health issues are transferred to students at the Master's level, and graduates are provided with the opportunity to learn current basic information on fish health at regional and national level, to apply methods for the diagnosis of diseases and to gain practices for treatment. Undergraduate graduation studies, Master's degree and R&D projects are carried out in order to offer solutions to the problems that examine the issues related to the diseases department. These projects are aimed to contribute to the problems encountered in the regional aquaculture sector by producing solutions. The staff of the Department of Diseases is involved in projects originating from TUBITAK, SPO and BAP both as an executive and researcher. There are 2 professors, 1 lecturer and 2 research assistants in the Department of Diseases.
In order to make the correct diagnosis of fish diseases in the Faculty of Fisheries Fish Diseases Laboratory, it is very important that the appropriate fish sample is sent. In this context, samples officially received by the Department of Diseases through the Revolving Fund Unit of our University are accepted. Fish samples to be sent to the laboratory must have at least the following characteristics and be in contact with the laboratory staff.
Sample collection: The fish sample to be sent must be alive and show signs of disease. The fish must not have been subjected to any treatment. The number of fish must be sufficient (10-40 fish). Fish from each tank or pond should be sent to the laboratory in separate containers. Anamnesis information about the disease (length, weight, water quality values, mortality, morbidity, mortality times, anorexia, lethargy, etc.) should be given.
