On 7 November, AquaPolis hosted a focused workshop on Recirculation Aquaculture Systems (RAS), drawing a strong showing from local farmers and industry representatives—clear evidence of growing interest and momentum for RAS adoption in Singapore.
Engagement was lively throughout, with robust discussions and Q&A. We were delighted to have Dr Zhitao Huang (Researcher, Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA)) and Mr Sondre Veberg Larsen (Senior Advisor, Akvaplan-niva) join remotely from Norway. Dr Huang outlined the current RAS landscape, trends and innovations in China, while Mr Larsen shared practical frameworks for risk assessment and biosecurity in land-based systems.
Water treatment featured prominently as a key component to RAS. Two local experts presented their innovations:
- Dr He Jianzhong (Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, NUS; Director, Centre for Environment Resilience (CER)) showcased the use of Simultaneous Heterotrophic Nitrification and Aerobic Denitrification (SND) bacteria to remove nitrogenous waste in a single step
- Dr Daniel Ng (Research Fellow, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI), NTU) highlighted the potential of Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactors (MABR) to enhance nutrient removal in an energy-efficient manner.
Participants explored how these approaches can improve water quality, reduce operational risks, and strengthen fish health and farm efficiency. Interest from the industry—across fish and shrimp—continues to build, pointing to strong momentum for technology adoption.
AquaPolis will build on this energy with future efforts to help stakeholders evaluate, trial, and scale RAS solutions. Thank you to all who joined us and contributed to the dialogue!