AquaExpo 2025: 5 key trends defining the next era of shrimp aquaculture

If AquaExpo 2025 made one thing clear, it is that the shrimp industry has crossed an inflection point. We have moved from an era of reactive management to one of proactive optimization, and now, we are moving decisively into a phase of predictive management. The exhibition halls and technical sessions did not just display products; they showcased a cohesive technological ecosystem where Artificial Intelligence (AI), precision biotechnology, advanced genomics, and a new era of efficiency engineering are no longer futuristic concepts, but practical, deployed tools.

As a technology trend analyst, what I witnessed was not a simple trade show, but the consolidation of “Aquaculture 4.0.” Conversations no longer revolve around whether the technology works, but on how to integrate AI, genomics, and energy efficiency data to make decisions that maximize the profit margin per hectare-day.

Based on an exhaustive analysis of the over 60 technical conferences and abstracts presented, these are the five dominant trends that will define the industry’s leaders over the next five years.

Key conclusions

• Digitalization and AI are the new operational standard. The industry is massively adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI), computer vision, and sonar technology for precise, real-time biometrics.
• Health management is proactive and focused on immunomodulation. Instead of relying solely on PCR, histopathology is being re-validated for accurate diagnosis. Advanced research is using “omics” and transcriptome analysis to understand and modulate the shrimp’s immune system at a molecular level, even pursuing “trained immunity.”
• Functional additives are used synergistically and with specific mechanisms of action. The sector is seeking biotechnological solutions with proven benefits. Combination therapies stand out, such as using phytobiotics to weaken bacterial defenses and enhance the action of bacteriophages.
• Energy efficiency is measured with engineering metrics, not marketing slogans. The industry is redefining aeration efficiency, moving from measuring in “horsepower” (HP) to using Standard Aerator Efficiency (SAE) (kg O2/kWh).
• Advanced genetics and non-ablation mark the future of farming. Genetic innovation is shifting from Genomic Selection (GS) to Genomic Editing (GE). Concurrently, the trend towards eliminating eyestalk ablation is irreversible, with research focusing on making it commercially viable through Pre-Maturation Conditioning (PMC).

The data revolution: AI and digitalization take full control

The most dominant trend, without a doubt, is the comprehensive digitalization of the shrimp farm. Data capture has ceased to be a manual, sporadic task and has become a constant, real-time, and, above all, actionable stream of information.

From manual biometrics to computer vision

The concept of “average weight” was harshly criticized. As the speakers from LarvIA highlighted, “The average, by itself, lies.” Two ponds with an 18-gram average can hide opposite financial realities: one a uniform population and the other a non-uniform population with a costly coefficient of variation (CV).

The solution is precision biometrics. Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies based on computer vision, accessible from a simple smartphone, now allow for the capture of complete size distribution histograms, counts, CV, K-factor, and uniformity in seconds.

This same need to “see in the turbidity” is being addressed by sonar technology. Minnowtech presented how its advanced sonar algorithms can count and estimate total biomass 24/7, allowing producers in extensive and intensive systems to know precisely what they have in their ponds for the first time.

Predictive feeding and management

Data capture is only the first step. The true revolution is in its application:

• Precision Feeding: Sonic feeding systems (like those from AQ1) are no longer novel, but their optimization is. The focus now is on adjusting the hourly feed rate and delivery speed to maximize the system’s uptime. Passive hydroacoustics are even being used to measure “clicks” from feeding and correlate them with the real consumption of neuro-sensory additives.
• Predictive Analytics: Data integration is the new frontier. Joseph Villarreal (Skretting) demonstrated how they are using supervised machine learning (ML) algorithms, trained with WSSV diagnostic data (2023-2025) and environmental variables (temperature drops, rainfall), to create models that predict the risk of disease outbreaks.
• Digital Ecosystem Management: For this AI to work, connectivity is needed. Huawei highlighted the implementation of private LTE and 5G networks on farms as the backbone of the digital transformation. This connects to comprehensive management platforms (ERP/QMS) like AquaManager, which propose “Dynamic Resource Integration” (DRI) and an event-based “Digital Passport” for total traceability, aligned with global standards like GDST and ASC.

The final result of this digitalization is the ability to calculate the Optimal Harvest Point (OHP). By combining precise AI biometrics, real growth curves, daily marginal cost, and expected market price, managers can stop harvesting “when the size looks good” and start harvesting “when the profit margin per hectare-day is maximized.”

Health 4.0: The post-antibiotic era and precision immunology

Disease management has matured, moving from a “firefighting” approach with antibiotics to a sophisticated strategy of prevention, precision diagnostics, and immunomodulation.

Diagnostics: Beyond basic PCR

We saw clear skepticism towards a blind reliance on PCR. Luis Fernando Aranguren (Grupo Almar) issued a critical warning about “silent killers” and the panic generated by PCR results (false positives) that do not correlate with clinical signs or histopathology. The trend is a return to diagnostic integration, using histopathology to validate what molecular biology suggests.

At the same time, molecular biology is becoming faster and more potent:

• High Sensitivity: For new pathologies like Translucent Post-Larvae Disease (TPD), TaqMan-based qPCR assays with detection limits of 10 copies were presented.
• Field Diagnostics: The gap between the lab and the pond is closing. Keiichiro Koiwai (University of Tokyo) presented a DNA chromatography system (STH-PAS method) that allows for multiplex virus detection (RT-PCR) in 15-30 minutes, without needing electrophoresis.

‘Omics’ and the shrimp immune system

The true frontier is the “black box” of the shrimp immune system. The industry is investing heavily in ‘omic’ tools to understand it. We are no longer just talking about “stimulating the immune system,” but about modulating it with precision.

• Single-Cell Sequencing (scRNA-seq): Microdroplet technologies are being used to perform gene expression profiles of individual hemocytes, revealing unprecedented heterogeneity in shrimp immune cell populations.
• Trained Immunity: Ikuo Hirono’s work (University of Tokyo) with lactic acid bacteria (FD-LAB) demonstrated, through transcriptome analysis, that immunostimulants can induce a response similar to adaptive or “trained” immunity—a revolutionary concept for invertebrates.
• Resistance Surveillance (AMR): Sequencing (16S rRNA) is being used to monitor antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in hatcheries. A study by Sonnya Mendoza (UPSE) identified an alarming 29.6% resistance in Vibrio and Pseudomonas strains, linking it not only to farm use but to selective pressure from general environmental contamination.

The new pharmacopeia: Synergy of phages, postbiotics, and therapeutic phytogenics

In response to antibiotic bans and AMR, research into functional additives has skyrocketed. The key trend is not just using these products, but understanding their mechanism of action at a molecular level and, above all, combining them in synergistic “stacks.”

The synergy: Phages + phytobiotics

Perhaps the most innovative strategy presented was from APB-BIO. Instead of using bacteriophages in isolation, they are demonstrating a potent synergy by combining them with phytobiotics (like phenols and tannins). The mechanism is brilliant: the phytobiotics act as the “infantry” that weakens the bacterial cell membrane and suppresses its defenses (like the CRISPR-Cas system); this allows the phages (the “special forces”) to access and inject their DNA much more efficiently.

The next generation of molecules

• Postbiotics (PHB): We are entering the era of postbiotics. Guillaume Salze (KnipBio) highlighted Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), which acts as fuel for enterocytes (intestinal cells), strengthening tight junctions and modulating pH. The trend is to deliver it via Dried Methylotroph Biomass (DMB), an “all-in-one” additive stack (PHB, carotenoids, and anti-inflammatories).
• Monoglycerides: Presented as a superior alternative to free organic acids, monoglycerides (short/medium-chain fatty acids + glycerol) are thermostable, more palatable, and—crucially—do not require an acidic pH for their antimicrobial action, allowing them to function throughout the intestinal tract.
• Therapeutic Phytogenics: Plant extracts are no longer seen merely as growth promoters. Compelling evidence was presented for their direct therapeutic role, such as inhibiting EHP spore germination (VETAGRO) and reducing Vibrio loads (TECHNA-BIOBAC).
• Functional Binders: The function of clay binders (bentonite) is expanding. A dsm-firmenich study demonstrated they can effectively bind not only mycotoxins but also bacterial endotoxins (LPS) and, critically, the pirA toxin (AHPND), neutralizing over 90% of the toxin in vitro.

Energy and environmental efficiency: The end of ‘horsepower’

Sustainability has evolved from a marketing slogan to an operational efficiency and cost metric. The energy crisis and environmental pressure are forcing a re-engineering of the most basic inputs: oxygen and energy.

The real metric for aeration

One of the most disruptive presentations came from Luis Vinatea (Beraqua). A call was made for the industry to stop measuring aeration in “horsepower (HP)” and adopt real engineering metrics: SAE (Standard Aerator Efficiency), measured in kg of O2 transferred per kWh, and SOTR (Standard Oxygen Transference Rate), measured in kg of O2 per hour. The analysis showed that a 3 HP aerator “A” can be nearly three times more energy efficient (1.33 SAE) than an aerator “D” of the same power (0.51 SAE).

Oxygenation and management technologies

• Nanobubbles: Nanobubble technology (Dynamic Evolution) was presented as a quantum leap in oxygenation efficiency. Due to their nanometric size, ionic charge, and prolonged suspension time, they are reportedly 4.3 times more efficient at transferring oxygen than traditional systems.
• Proactive O2 Management: The use of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is changing. Instead of being a reactive emergency tool, Aqua Pharma demonstrated its use as a planned, proactive tool. 24-hour monitoring revealed critical DO (Dissolved Oxygen) drops (below 4 mg/L for 9 hours). A scheduled, nighttime dosage of H2O2 (e.g., 5 ppm) prevents this hypoxia, stabilizes the environment, and improves animal welfare.

Decarbonization and sustainability

The carbon footprint is now a cost factor. The trend is clear: electrification and alternative fuels.

• Efficient Motors: WEG S.A. presented data on replacing diesel pumps with high-efficiency electric motors (IE4 class) coupled with variable speed drives. The results: an annual operating cost reduction of up to 38.6% and a CO2 emission reduction of over 60%.
• Alternative Energies: For off-grid farms, case studies from the Universidad Católica de Cuenca on photovoltaic (PV) solar systems in El Oro show a return on investment (ROI) of 4 to 5 years compared to diesel.
• The Future: Hydrogen (H2): The most visionary presentation on energy was from Petrotronic. They proposed a 20% energy substitution with hydrogen blends in existing internal combustion engines (ICE) and boilers. The data shows this can reduce CO2 emissions by 19-25% with minimal efficiency losses, or even efficiency gains, in ICEs.

The future of farming: Genomics, non-ablation, and diversification

Finally, long-term production strategies are being redefined, from the gene to the farming system.

From selection to genomic editing

Ecuador was an early adopter of Genomic Selection (GS), which began in 2020 (The Center for Aquaculture Technologies). This technology, which uses SNP information across the entire genome, is being used to harness complex Genetics x Environment (GxE) interactions. However, the next frontier is already here: Genomic Editing (GE). Although challenges remain in delivering the editing enzymes and larval survival at scale, recent successes in creating genomic edits in P. vannamei were reported.

The era of non-ablation and hatchery automation

The movement to eliminate eyestalk ablation is an unstoppable ethical and market trend. Research from the University of Stirling is focusing on how to make it commercially viable, using Pre-Maturation Conditioning (PMC) with fresh, natural feeds to improve the reproductive performance of non-ablated females and offset their lower mating success.

In the hatchery, innovation is focused on biosecurity and automation. INVE Aquaculture presented two key advances: magnetic coatings for Artemia cysts (eliminating the need for chemical decapsulation) and AI-powered live feed counting devices (Artemia, rotifers) to replace manual inspection.

Aquaculture diversification

While shrimp dominates, there was notable interest in diversification. Multiple studies from ESPOL focused on the mangrove red crab (Ucides occidentalis). Research is exploring how to close its life cycle in the laboratory, evaluating native estuarine microalgae as larval feed and isolating Bacillus strains (B. velezensis) from mangrove soil as specific probiotics for this new species.

Conclusion: The future belongs to the prepared producer

AquaExpo 2025 was not a simple exhibition of isolated technologies; it was the demonstration of a convergent system. AI computer vision and sonar generate biometric data. IoT sensors and 5G networks transmit environmental data. Machine Learning predicts risk. Genomics and functional nutrition (PHB, phytogenics, phages) create a more resilient animal. And efficiency engineering (Nanobubbles, IE4, SAE) reduces the cost of maintaining it.

The shrimp industry is in an irreversible transition from an art based on experience to a science based on data. As was said in the “Survival of the Prepared” conference, in today’s volatile markets, adaptation is no longer enough. Success will not go to the strongest, but to the one who, armed with precise data, can “measure well, understand in time, and decide with an advantage.”

Reference (open access)
Cámara Nacional de Acuacultura (CNA). (2025). Libro de Resúmenes: Aqua Expo International 2025. Cámara Nacional de Acuacultura. 193 p.

Milthon Lujan

Editor at the digital magazine AquaHoy. He holds a degree in Aquaculture Biology from the National University of Santa (UNS) and a Master’s degree in Science and Innovation Management from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, with postgraduate diplomas in Business Innovation and Innovation Management. He possesses extensive experience in the aquaculture and fisheries sector, having led the Fisheries Innovation Unit of the National Program for Innovation in Fisheries and Aquaculture (PNIPA). He has served as a senior consultant in technology watch, an innovation project formulator and advisor, and a lecturer at UNS. He is a member of the Peruvian College of Biologists and was recognized by the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) in 2016 for his contribution to aquaculture.