The Integrated Aquaculture Research Group is an interdisciplinary community of practice focused on the research, development and application of sustainable, circular and environmentally sound fish production systems. Our aim is to increase the competitiveness of freshwater aquaculture by developing innovative, science-based technologies that support economic efficiency, biodiversity conservation and adaptation to climate change.

Our research and development priorities are:

• Integrated Fish Production Systems (IMTA): Investigating combined pond and recirculation (RAS) solutions, where species (e.g. fish, shellfish, plants) living at multiple trophic levels are farmed together, thereby improving nutrient utilisation and reducing environmental pressures.
• Ecological fish farming: Measuring the ecological and economic efficiency of near-natural technologies, extensive and semi-intensive farming models.
• Water quality and nutrient management: Optimising nutrient cycling, integrating natural water purification processes (biofiltration, phytoremediation) into pond farming systems.
• Research on animal welfare and fish health: Conditions for stress-free farming of fish species in integrated systems, animal health risks, disease prevention by natural methods.
• Circular farming models: Exploring synergies between aquaculture-agriculture-energy sectors, e.g. composting of pond sludge, solar energy, agro-ecotechnological integrations.

Our mission:

Our mission is to contribute to the development of a domestic aquaculture sector that is both sustainable, innovative and adaptable to future challenges - be it climate change, market demands or socio-economic needs. For us, an integrated approach is not only a technological issue, but also a philosophical one: it is about creating harmony between water, living organisms and people.

The African catfish farm in Nagyatád (Photo: Béla Urbányi)

Common bream with spawning rash (Photo: Tamás Szabó)

Volga Pikeperch (Photo: Tamás Müller)

Crucian carp stocking (Photo: Tamás Müller)

Pond cultures landscape (Photo: Czikkhalas Halastavai Kft.)