Master's in Regenerative and Multi-Trophic Aquaculture
This master's prepares you to design and manage regenerative aquaculture systems that produce food while improving the surrounding environment. You will study integrated multi-trophic aquaculture combining fish, bivalves, seaweed and invertebrates, extractive farming of seaweed and shellfish, water quality, health and animal welfare, measurement of ecosystem services, spatial planning, certification and the business models of sustainable, profitable aquaculture.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Master's in Regenerative and Multi-Trophic Aquaculture?
This master's prepares you to design and manage regenerative aquaculture systems that produce food while improving the surrounding environment. You will distinguish conventional, sustainable and regenerative approaches, select species and size integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems, manage the cultivation of seaweed and bivalves, apply biosecurity, disease prevention and welfare criteria, measure nutrient removal, habitat and carbon rigorously, and analyze markets, certification and economic viability.
What sets this master's apart: production with environmental benefit, in systems that combine food and ecosystem improvement; a multi-species approach, with fish, bivalves, seaweed and invertebrates in a single design; rigorous science, measuring ecosystem services without overstating the benefits; a business perspective, covering certification, markets and economic viability; and a Final Project in which you design a multi-trophic or regenerative farm.
Program highlights
- Production with environmental benefit: systems that combine food and ecosystem improvement.
- Multi-species approach: fish, bivalves, seaweed and invertebrates in a single design.
- Rigorous science: measuring ecosystem services without overstating the benefits.
- Business perspective: certification, markets and economic viability.
- Health and welfare: biosecurity, prevention and welfare indicators in a dedicated module.
- Final Project: the design of a multi-trophic or regenerative farm.
Syllabus of the Master's in Regenerative and Multi-Trophic Aquaculture
11 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of Sustainable Aquaculture
- 1.1. Global overview of aquaculture
- 1.2. Species and production systems
- 1.3. Environmental impacts of aquaculture
- 1.4. The ecosystem approach to aquaculture
- 1.5. From sustainability to regeneration
- 1.6. Extractive and fed aquaculture
- 1.7. Carrying capacity
- 1.8. Aquaculture and food security
- 1.9. The FAO framework
- 1.10. Trends and innovation
Ecology and Water Quality
- 2.1. Nutrient cycles in aquaculture systems
- 2.2. Dissolved oxygen and metabolism
- 2.3. Organic matter and sediments
- 2.4. Phytoplankton and blooms
- 2.5. Hydrodynamics and dispersion
- 2.6. Water quality indicators
- 2.7. Environmental monitoring
- 2.8. Carrying capacity models
- 2.9. Interaction with nearby habitats
- 2.10. Climate change and aquaculture
Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture
- 3.1. Principles of IMTA
- 3.2. Trophic levels and energy flows
- 3.3. Selecting complementary species
- 3.4. Spatial design of the farm
- 3.5. Ratios between species
- 3.6. IMTA in the open sea
- 3.7. Land-based IMTA and recirculating systems
- 3.8. Marine aquaponics
- 3.9. Yield and efficiency
- 3.10. IMTA cases around the world
Seaweed Cultivation
- 4.1. Biology of cultivated seaweeds
- 4.2. Commercial species
- 4.3. Seed production
- 4.4. Longline cultivation systems
- 4.5. Seeding, growth and harvesting
- 4.6. Nutrient uptake
- 4.7. Diseases and epiphytes
- 4.8. Primary processing
- 4.9. Seaweed markets
- 4.10. Scaling up cultivation
Bivalve Cultivation
- 5.1. Biology of mussels, oysters and clams
- 5.2. Spat collection and hatcheries
- 5.3. Suspended and bottom culture systems
- 5.4. Filtration and water quality
- 5.5. Growth and on-growing
- 5.6. Biotoxins and depuration
- 5.7. Mollusc health
- 5.8. Associated reefs and habitat
- 5.9. Harvesting and marketing
- 5.10. Climate change challenges
Fish, Invertebrates and Feeding
- 6.1. Fish species in integrated systems
- 6.2. Sea cucumbers and sea urchins
- 6.3. Polychaetes and detritivores
- 6.4. Fish nutrition
- 6.5. Sustainable feeds
- 6.6. Feed efficiency
- 6.7. Waste reduction
- 6.8. Production management
- 6.9. Genetics and selection
- 6.10. Fry production
Health, Biosecurity and Animal Welfare
- 7.1. Main diseases in aquaculture
- 7.2. Biosecurity on the farm
- 7.3. Vaccination and prevention
- 7.4. Responsible use of veterinary medicines
- 7.5. Parasites and integrated control
- 7.6. Fish welfare indicators
- 7.7. Humane slaughter
- 7.8. Invertebrate welfare: the current debate
- 7.9. Animal health regulations
- 7.10. Health plans
Ecosystem Services and Restorative Aquaculture
- 8.1. The concept of ecosystem services
- 8.2. Nutrient extraction
- 8.3. Habitat creation
- 8.4. Carbon and seaweed: evidence and uncertainties
- 8.5. Aquaculture for restoration
- 8.6. Metrics and monitoring
- 8.7. Nutrient credits
- 8.8. Economic valuation
- 8.9. Risks of overestimation
- 8.10. Communicating benefits responsibly
Planning, Regulation and Certification
- 9.1. Marine spatial planning
- 9.2. Allocated zones for aquaculture
- 9.3. Authorizations and concessions
- 9.4. Environmental impact assessment
- 9.5. Relationship with other uses of the sea
- 9.6. Engagement of local communities
- 9.7. ASC certification
- 9.8. Organic production
- 9.9. Traceability
- 9.10. Public aquaculture policies
Economics, Markets and Entrepreneurship
- 10.1. Production costs
- 10.2. Feasibility analysis
- 10.3. Diversifying revenue
- 10.4. Seaweed and bivalve value chains
- 10.5. Markets and consumers
- 10.6. Marketing sustainable products
- 10.7. Financing and public support
- 10.8. Risk management
- 10.9. Cooperatives and associative models
- 10.10. Aquaculture business plan
Final Project
- 11.1. Site selection
- 11.2. Environmental characterization
- 11.3. Species selection
- 11.4. System design
- 11.5. Production plan
- 11.6. Health and welfare plan
- 11.7. Assessment of ecosystem services
- 11.8. Economic analysis
- 11.9. Writing the report
- 11.10. Presentation to an assessment panel
Duration and format of the Master's in Regenerative and Multi-Trophic Aquaculture
It is 1,500 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Master's in Regenerative and Multi-Trophic Aquaculture
Career opportunities after the Master's in Regenerative and Multi-Trophic Aquaculture
Questions about the Master's in Regenerative and Multi-Trophic Aquaculture
A system that farms species from different trophic levels together, so that the waste of some becomes a resource for others: for example, fish alongside bivalves that filter particles and seaweed that takes up dissolved nutrients.
Seaweed absorbs CO2, but long-term sequestration depends on many factors. The master's analyses the available evidence and its uncertainties and teaches you to communicate benefits responsibly.
Yes. Module 7 is dedicated to health, biosecurity and welfare, including fish welfare indicators, humane slaughter and the current debate on invertebrate welfare.
It is a specialist program of Navalis Institute; it does not replace the qualifications or permits that each country's regulations may require to operate a farm.
You produce the technical, environmental and economic design of a multi-trophic or regenerative farm: site, species, system design, production and health plans, ecosystem services and economic analysis, presented before an assessment panel.
Yes. Module 9 studies ASC certification, organic production and traceability as course content, alongside spatial planning, authorizations and environmental impact assessment.
The master's is taught online and comprises 1500 hours of study across 11 modules of about 136 hours each, ending with a Final Project in which you apply what you have learned to a complete farm design.
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Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at graduates in marine sciences, biology, veterinary science, agronomy or environmental sciences, aquaculture farm technicians and managers, entrepreneurs in seaweed or shellfish farming, public officials who plan and authorize aquaculture, and environmental consultants; professional experience in aquaculture or fishing is also a valid route.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.