Our project proposes to explore certain biological indicators in carnivorous sea fish because of their direct or indirect interactions with all marine organisms, particularly via food chains.

In fish, the digestive tract is the main surface for exchange with the environment, from the larval to the adult stage. Comparing the characteristics of the digestive tubes of various carnivorous fish at key stages in their development and living in different environments, will enable us to target the specific characteristics of adaptation to the environment.
Our experimental design proposes to vary the various environmental parameters at different stages of development in  order to highlight the characteristics linked to better resistance in view of the changes in the environment. These characteristics will not only be studied at the biometric and anatomic level but also at the cellular, molecular and functional level (transport capability, enzymatic activity). We propose to extract indicators for capacities to adapt to the environment from these characteristics.
These indicators will not only be useful for the optimisation or the development of a culture protocol but also for the management of ecosystems and the choice of species to cultivate, either for the sake of preservation or economic robustness.

This project was labellised by the AQUIMER Pole of Competitiveness on the 22nd April, 2011.