The research station in a few words

• The station is approved for animal experimentation under N° B33-478-001.
• Since 1996, the station has been part of the GDSAA "Groupement de Défense Sanitaire Aquacole d'Aquitaine".
• Adherent to the AquaREA® Charter created under the impetus of the GDSAA, and on the basis of the AREA program (Agriculture Respectful of the Environment in Aquitaine) of the Aquitaine Regional Council.
• It has  its own reception capacity.
• All staff are accredited for experimentation.
• Water supply is provided by river water (1000 m3/h) - T°C: 5 to 26°C; deep-water pumping (200 m3/h) at 18°C; seawater storage (90 m3).

Experimental research at the station

Located at the gateway to the Gironde, on the banks of the Isle river, the Saint-Seurin experimental station was created in 1992 to meet the challenges of research into the study and preservation of the European sturgeon Acipenser sturio. Since then, the station has developed its expertise and now houses France's captive stock of European sturgeon, which is used to produce juveniles for restocking watershed. Since 2007, the station has mastered the artificial reproduction of the species, using wild individuals and those bred in captivity. A seed bank has been set up to optimize the genetic diversity of the fish produced. In total, more than 1.5 million young sturgeons have been released into the wild, enabling the population restoration in the Gironde, its reintroduction into the Elbe (Germany) and a better understanding of the species thanks to the monitoring of released specimens. Today, the spawners of these generations are returning to the estuary, an encouraging sign of the natural reproduction essential to the survival of this critically endangered species.

At the same time, the station carries out numerous experiments on a wide range of species, including flounder (Platichthys flesus), shad (Alosa fallax & Alosa alosa), white shrimp (Palaemon longirostris), European eel (Anguilla anguilla), sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), trout (Salmo trutta), thinlip mullet (Chelon ramada) and many others. It hosts experiments on aquatic plants and also focuses on the interactions between fish and plants. With its dual accreditation for fish farming and animal experimentation, the Saint-Seurin station is able to offer a wide range of solutions for implementing experiments: Our teams are also involved in collaborative projects with sturgeon breeders in France and abroad, and in knowledge transfer: stock identification, ultrasound, endoscopy, sustainable production systems, assisted breeding and reproduction.

Three artificial rivers of over 80m3 equipped with automatic current meters are available. The station also hosts historic equipment such as three ring-shaped mesocosms, renovated in 2020, capable of recreating controlled conditions of current, temperature and luminosity, all equiped with recording devices and remotely controlled. Experimentation rooms house automated devices designed to answer specific research questions. Like all buildings on the site, these rooms can be supplied with water from a variety of sources (direct pumping from the Isle, deep-water drilling, stored seawater), which can be mobilized according to researchers' needs. A wide variety of tanks of various sizes (from experimental rivers and ponds to small aquaria) are available, as well as a wide range of measuring instruments and automated recorders. Several laboratories are available to meet research needs: in vitro bioassays, microscopic observations, video analysis, cryopreservation... Some rooms are also dedicated to surgery and behavioral studies.

For experiments requiring nocturnal or intensive monitoring, the station has three rooms and a catering area.

In the coming years, the station will continue to develop closed-circuit breeding systems to reduce water withdrawals from the environment, facilitate waste collection and treatment, and preserve the local natural environment. Photovoltaic panels will also be installed to reduce the site's energy consumption costs.