Fiz DA CONSTA GONZALEZ

Fiz da Costa is a senior researcher at the Oceanographic Centre of Vigo of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC). His main field of expertise is bivalve aquaculture, mainly focusing in the optimization of hatchery culture protocols of oysters and clams.

He has also carried out studies of juvenile grow-out in the field of clams and oysters. He has experience in both the private sector as research engineer in R&D and freelance consultant in aquaculture optimization and selective breeding and in the academic field as researcher and project manager.

Since mid-2020, he has participated in different initiatives of the Native Oyster Restoration Alliance (NORA), which is a European network aiming at reinforcement and restoration of the native European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis). He contributes to the scientific initiative for using oysters for nutrient bioextraction in the Mar Menor lagoon (SE Spain), Mar Menor Oyster Initiative (MMOI) led by Prof. Marina Albentosa of IEO-Murcia, which is linked to NORA network. MMOI is being implemented with funded research projects to develop flat oyster culture in hatcheries with the local flat oyster strain, the use of salt ponds for aquaculture activities, determining bioextraction capacity of flat oysters, involving stakeholders and disseminating the ecosystem services of oyster restoration and farming.