AquaPolis recently kicked off its first research programme, “Optimising Asian seabass research and production in Singapore through an integrated approach,” with an energising gathering of researchers, project teams, and industry partners. The meeting marked the start of a three-year collaborative effort to strengthen Singapore’s Asian seabass production through science, innovation, and close industry partnership.
Opening the session, co-lead Principal Investigator Dr Richard Le Boucher highlighted the ambition behind the initiative, describing it as “one of the most ambitious and best-structured aquaculture research programmes we have seen in many years,” built to deliver meaningful impact for both science and farmers.
Co-lead Principal Investigator A/Prof Christoph Winkler then provided an overview of the programme, setting the expectations of the project teams over the next three years. The session then deep dived into each of the work packages, where the work package leaders had the chance to share about their specific research focus areas and outlined upcoming plans and milestones for the next few months. The discussions underscored the value of an integrated approach — combining multidisciplinary research with real-world farm insights to tackle shared industry challenges.
A highlight of the session was a panel discussion with participating farms, who shared constructive feedback on delivering meaningful industry impact. Farmers emphasised the need for close coordination during on-farm trials to minimise disruption, and expressed a preference for practical solutions that can deliver early, incremental value. They encouraged phased delivery of outcomes, welcomed the sharing of preliminary findings, and called for stronger integration of project data to generate clear, actionable insights. Participants also highlighted the importance of partnering with commercial solution providers to ensure that research outcomes can ultimately be translated into products and services accessible to farms. The candid exchange reflected the strong spirit of collaboration at the heart of AquaPolis.
The meeting concluded on a festive note with a traditional lo hei to celebrate the Lunar New Year — symbolising prosperity, partnership, and shared success. With strong alignment and momentum from the outset, the programme is well-positioned to drive innovation and strengthen Singapore’s aquaculture capabilities in the years ahead.
