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2009 Research Award of Excellence
Aquaculture Association of Canada

Dr. Thierry Chopin (University of New Brunswick in Saint John) and Dr. Shawn Robinson (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. Andrews Biological Station) are the recipients of the 2009 Research Award of Excellence of the Aquaculture Association of Canada. The Award, which was presented to them at the Aquaculture Association of Canada annual conference in Nanaimo, B.C., recognizes exceptional, innovative and current research contribution and commitment that have had a significant impact on aquaculture industry development in Canada.

Dr. Shawn Robinson starting our presentation. Dr. Shawn Robinson starting our presentation.

The 2009 Research Award of Excellence was presented to Drs. Thierry Chopin and Shawn Robinson, in recognition of their contributions to taking the concept of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) from the laboratory “proof stage” to the realm of commercial production with the help of their inter-disciplinary team and industry partners. IMTA is a practice that uses an ecosystem approach to aquaculture by growing multiple species that complement each other – like finfish, mussels and seaweeds. Drs. Chopin and Robinson realized that most of the challenges that would accompany large-scale IMTA development could not be thoroughly anticipated or studied in the laboratory or with pilot-scale projects and, consequently, emphasized the need for scientific research and commercial IMTA to develop together.

Drs. Shawn Robinson and Thierry Chopin watching the humourisitc slide show Drs. Shawn Robinson and Thierry Chopin watching the humourisitc slide show.
This is what is now occurring, and to date no “deal breakers“ for the adoption of commercial IMTA have been identified. Their IMTA research has truly been an aquaculture good news story, with few aquaculture research projects having generated such international interest in mainstream and environmental non governmental organization (ENGO) media, including a National Geographic documentary.
Dr. Chopin was born and educated in France, where he obtained his Doctorate from the University of Western Brittany in 1985. He moved to Canada in 1989 and is now a Professor of Marine Biology at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John. He is Past President of the Phycological Society of America (2004) and of the Aquaculture Association of Canada (2004-05), and current President of the International Seaweed Association (2007-10).
Dr. Shawn Robinson at the podium. Dr. Shawn Robinson at the podium.
Dr. Robinson was born in British Columbia and educated on both the east and west coasts, obtaining his PhD in 1988 at the University of British Columbia. He began his career with Fisheries and Oceans Canada as a research scientist at the Biological Station in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, in 1988. He is also a Past President of the Aquaculture Association of Canada (2002-03).
Dr. Chopin was originally an ecophysiologist and biochemist working on the relationship between nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) and the production of phycocolloids in seaweeds of commercial value, both in controlled culture conditions and natural beds. Dr. Robinson was an invertebrate ecologist interested in applying ecological principles to the harvest and culture of commercial species (scallops, clams and sea urchins) so that more efficient and sustainable commercial practices could be developed.
Dr. Thierry Chopin at the podium, with his favourite organisms Dr. Thierry Chopin at the podium, with his favourite organisms.
They became interested in aquaculture in the late 1990’s when they realized that the significant amount of inorganic nutrients and organic particles generated by fed finfish (salmon) aquaculture could be used to enhance the cultivation of extractive species, such as seaweeds (kelps and dulse) and invertebrates (suspension feeders such as mussels, and deposit feeders such as sea urchins, sea cucumbers and polychaetes), through the development of IMTA systems.
Through IMTA, some of the food, nutrients and energy considered lost in finfish monoculture are recaptured and converted into crops of commercial value, while biomitigation takes place. “With this process, all the cultivation components have an economic value, as well as a key role in environmental and societal services and benefits,” said Dr. Chopin.
Dr. Thierry Chopin receiving his award from the President of the Aquaculture Association of Canada, Dr. Debbie Martin-Robichaud Dr. Thierry Chopin receiving his award from the President of the Aquaculture Association of Canada, Dr. Debbie Martin-Robichaud.
“The harvesting of the different types of crops participates in the recapturing of nutrients and carbon from the coastal ecosystem and companies practicing IMTA should be rewarded through a system of nutrient and carbon trading credits.” Moreover, the evolution in aquaculture practices contributes to modifying people’s perceptions of this food production system, which is anticipated to become even more prevalent in the future in order to satisfy an ever seafood-hungrier human population. “Our goal is to produce a more efficient and environmentally benign practice that the Canadian aquaculture industry can evolve into, and that is rooted in ecosystem-based processes,” said Dr. Robinson. “All of the team’s research to-date indicates that this is entirely plausible.”
Dr. Shawn Robinson receiving his award from the President of the Aquaculture Association of Canada, Dr. Debbie Martin-Robichaud Dr. Shawn Robinson receiving his award from the President of the Aquaculture Association of Canada, Dr. Debbie Martin-Robichaud.
In 2000, Drs. Chopin and Robinson assembled an inter-disciplinary team to investigate the different, complex and inter-related aspects of IMTA. This team included natural and socio-economic scientists and graduate students at the University of New Brunswick and the DFO St. Andrews Biological Station, industrial partners (Heritage Salmon Ltd. and now Cooke Aquaculture Inc., Acadian Seaplants Limited and Ocean Nutrition Canada) and federal and provincial agencies (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, New Brunswick Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and New Brunswick Innovation Foundation). They were funded from 2001 to 2006 by AquaNet, Canada’s Network of Centres of Excellence for Aquaculture, which allowed them to make excellent progress in research and development (R&D) due to the dedication of the team members and their inter-disciplinary approach.
The two recipients of the 2009 Research Award of Excellence, Dr. Shawn Robinson (left) and Dr. Thierry Chopin (right), with the President of the Aquaculture Association of Canada, Dr. Debbie Martin-Robichaud (centre) The two recipients of the 2009 Research Award of Excellence, Dr. Shawn Robinson (left) and Dr. Thierry Chopin (right), with the President of the Aquaculture Association of Canada, Dr. Debbie Martin-Robichaud (centre).
Since 2006, the project has expanded from R&D to C (commercialization) with the support of ACOA’s Atlantic Innovation Fund and industrial partners Cooke Aquaculture Inc. and Acadian Seaplants Limited.
In 2008, Drs. Chopin and Robinson, now recognized as world leaders in the development of IMTA, were among the key players in the creation of the Canadian IMTA Network (CIMTAN), which became a reality in 2009. This pan-Canadian academic/government/industry partnership will provide the inter-disciplinary R&D and the training of highly qualified personnel needed for the commercialization of IMTA in Canada, with a focus on 1) ecological design, ecosystem interactions and biomitigation efficiencies, 2) system innovation and engineering, 3) economic viability and societal acceptance, and 4) regulatory science.
View of the Nanaimo Harbour from the Coast Bastion Inn View of the Nanaimo Harbour from the Coast Bastion Inn.
IMTC The special cultural treat of the Aquaculture Association of Canada Gala Dinner: the Integrated Multi-Trophic Centerpiece (IMTC), an exclusive creation of the Fisheries & Aquaculture Department of Vancouver Island University. (Drs. Duncan Knowler and Ingrid Burgetz in the background)