The network “Strategies of development and improvement of the production of fish larvae in Iberoamerica” (Network CYTED LARVAplus) has organized the kickoff meeting at the Omar Dengo Campus from Universidad Nacional (UNA, Costa Rica) during the first week of May.

The general objective of LARVAplus is to create a space for knowledge and experience exchange towards the development of the aquaculture in Iberoamerica, and particularly on the production of fish larvae. The network involves 9 universities, 7 research centers and 8 companies that belongs to 9 Iberoamerican countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Portugal and Spain). Sparos Ldt. and CCMAR are the Portuguese partners within LARVAplus.

During the meeting, partners were organized in four research groups dealing with:

-Nutrition and development in freshwater fish species

-Nutrition and development in marine fish species

-Fish reproduction

-Water management

The attendees also got the opportunity to visit the facilities of the Universidad Nacional at Heredia, the “Parque Marino del Pacífico” and the “Estación de Biología Marina Juan Bertoglia Richards” at Puntarenas.

More information about the LARVAplus network can be found at ResearchGate or upon request sending an email to larvaplus@gmail.com.