The European spiny lobster is a species of great commercial value, yet a limited scientific knowledge exists on its biology, ecology, and physiology, especially for the stocks from east Mediterranean waters. The northern brown shrimp, a non-indigenous established species, is commercially exploited in regions of the Mediterranean Sea. Both species’ proximate composition and fatty acid profile were assessed for the first time in the Mediterranean region, exhibiting an overall significant statistical difference. Protein, fat, and energy contents were significantly higher in the northern brown shrimp, whereas moisture and ash contents were significantly higher in the European spiny lobster. The proximate composition for both species was well within the reported range for other lobster and prawn species in the Mediterranean Sea.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of 10 and 20% replacement of fishmeal (FM dietary group) with the superworm Zophobas morio larvae meal (ZM10 and ZM20 dietary groups) on the growth performance of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa) reared in aquaponics. Ninety juvenile sea bass with an average body weight of 21.55 g/individual were placed in aquaponic fish tanks, together with 24 lettuce plants with an average initial height of 8.90 cm/plant and an average number of leaves of 5.75/plant over a 45-day trial period. At the end of that period, all feeding groups exhibited high survival. In fact, ΖΜ10 and ZM20 groups showed similar fish weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) (p > 0.05), but significantly lower SGR (p < 0.05) than the FM group. Nevertheless, final fish body weight and length were similar (p > 0.05) for all feeding groups. No plant mortality was observed during the 45-day study period. All three aquaponic systems resulted in similar leaf fresh weight, as well as fresh and dry aerial biomass. At the end of the experimental period, plants in the third system showed higher fresh leaf weight, total weight of fresh leaves, total dry aerial biomass, and total produced biomass compared to the other two systems. The results of the present study show that fish fed with the ZM10 diet had higher weight gain (WG) than fish fed with the ZM20 diet, while the SGRs for ZM10 and ZM20 were similar. Both ZM10 and ZM20 diets result in efficient lettuce production. This study also provides data that enlighten the feasibility of integrating insect meals as fish feeds for aquaponics which helps towards the development of an ento-aquaponic approach.

This study evaluated the dietary fishmeal substitution by full‐fat (FF) and defatted (DF) Zophobas morio meals regarding growth, feed efficiency, proximate and fatty acid compositions, digestive enzymes activities, histology and midgut microbiota in gilthead seabream ( Sparus aurata ). Juveniles initially weighing 3.4 g were distributed to triplicate groups and fed at satiation six isonitrogenous (8.41%) and isocaloric (21 Mj/kg) diets for 100 days. An insect meal‐free diet was the control (CTRL), two diets contained a FF Z. morio meal at 49 g/kg (FF‐49) and 97 g/kg (FF‐97), and three diets contained a DF Z. morio meal at 58 g/kg (DF‐58), 116 g/kg (DF‐116) and 174 g/kg (DF‐174) at the expense of fishmeal. Neither the form nor the inclusion level of Z. morio meals affected the feed intake of fish denoting a similar acceptability to that of fishmeal. Fish survival, growth and feed efficiency were not impaired by all dietary inclusion levels of Z. morio meals. Proximate composition of fish was altered but without indicating a clear correlation with the form or inclusion level of Z. morio . Increasing inclusions of both forms of Z. morio meals tended to decrease 22:6n‐3, 20:5n‐3, 18:3n‐3 and 18:2n‐6 levels in fish tissues. All fish exhibited similar proteolytic enzyme activities, but the increasing inclusions of both insect meal forms led to gradual increases in the lipase and α‐amylase activities indicating a compensatory mechanism for lipid and carbohydrate digestion. The use of Z. morio meals led to some mild histomorphological changes in the intestine and liver that were more pronounced in fish fed the FF form at the highest inclusion level. Midgut bacterial communities of the groups were similar and dominated by potentially beneficial members of Saccharimonadales and Rhodobacteraceae , except FF‐97 fish that had high abundances of Legionella ‐ and Pandoraea ‐like bacteria. To conclude, Z. morio meal, either FF or DF, is a suitable insect protein for fishmeal substitution towards more sustainable aquafeeds for S. aurata .