From the Director’s Desk

Welcome to the homepage of the International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences (I-AQUAS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).  I-AQUAS has a unique history spanning almost three decades, involving many entities in UPM. In the early 1990s, I-AQUAS served as a Centre of Mariculture Studies (COMAS), under the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science (FPSS). In 1996, it became a Centre of Marine Science under the Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies, after FPSS moved to UPM Terengganu campus. Later, the Center’s management was placed under the auspices of the Deputy Vice Chancellor’s office (Research and Innovation) to better serve the UPM community for research and teaching.

In December 2017, the Marine Science Centre was upgraded into a full-fledged research institute and was conferred the name I-AQUAS, in line with UPM’s goal to strengthen its role and function in promoting global food security.  Fisheries and aquaculture form the core for the food security, nutrition and health of the world population. With the tapering of the world capture fisheries, aquaculture continues to grow at an impressive pace exceeding all other food production sectors.  Global aquaculture production in 2016 was 110.2 million tonnes valued at USD243.5 billion. Through its research activities in niche areas focused on larval rearing and production of commercially important species, I-AQUAS will further expand its emphasis on aquaculture and aquatic sciences through international partner collaboration. Research projects will focus on enhancing the sustainability of the country's aquatic resource supplies and ecosystem resilience through innovative technologies. The enhancement of human capital will develop a group of experts in aquaculture production niche areas and enhance networking at the global level.

It is our aspiration that I-AQUAS will become a leading international entity in tropical aquaculture and aquatic sciences.  To date, we are already working with international partners on marine ecosystem biodiversity and management (JSPS network of six countries, EU project on mangroves), impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems (IAEA RAS-7031 network of 15 countries, FNCA network of 10 countries), fish ecology on shad and catfish (WorldFish network, Australia (ANSTO) network, aquaculture projects (SATREPS-COSMOS, SATREPS-OTEC, IDRC), ecosystem rehabilitation (Merambong project funded by Forest-City Group) and fisheries education network (ASEAN-FEN).  We welcome partners to join us in any mutually beneficial projects. I-AQUAS is located right in front of the blue splendour of the Malacca Straits waters.  Do come and enjoy the golden and crimson radiance of the evening sunset, as every day is a beautiful day at I-AQUAS.

Director of I-AQUAS

Prof. Dr. Ahmad Zaharin Aris, FASc

Updated:: 28/10/2021 [nsyahirah]