After years of research in the field and the evaluation of different concepts of production practiced in the world, Camanor Produtos Marinhos has developed its own technology named and registered as AquaScience^®. Such technology is based on the integration of different systems and concepts, such as the production of marine shrimp, tilapia production as a by-product, recycling, treatment and reuse of water, all interconnected in a single production system, where each occupies the space left by other, synchronously.

We proved with the integration of these systems a great ability to provide stability and balance to the cultivated environment, generating greater well-being for the animals in culture and allowing for higher density rates per square meter which are safer and therefore more productive compared to traditional shrimp farming systems, even in areas affected by diseases.

In practice the system can be described as follows:

• small surface ponds (4,000 m²), covered with liner (geomembrane PAED), with a central drain, zero water exchange, recycling and reuse of water between cycles, with a predominance of heterotrophic bacteria forming bioflocos but with fundamental participation of microalgae;
• treatment of organic waste (feed scraps, feces, etc.), through a decanting process and decomposition by facultative heterotrophic bacteria;

• cycling of nitrogen compounds by biological processes of nitrification and denitrification as well recycling of phosphate compounds by microalgae and bacteria. The input into the system consists in electricity, postlarvae of shrimps, fingerlings of tilapia, minerals and probiotics and the only output is the biomass of shrimp and tilapia in commercial sizes. Up to now, one of the biggest challenges in recirculation systems was the accumulation and the possible elimination of nitrogen and phosphorus. We are now in the fifth cycle of water reuse and these two elements are still under control.

All these features allow the continuous reuse of process water without limits of time and avoiding disposal of effluents to the environment. It reduces drastically the constant need of fresh and marine water which is a big argument to obtain environmental licenses from the governmental agencies.

Several elements directly influence the presence and level of concentration of the viral load of the main disease (WSSV, IMNV, TSV, etc.) that affect shrimp farming worldwide. In practice it is very difficult at the level of production in the field to completely rule out the presence of these diseases, even under strict biosecurity protocols. However viruses alone are not able to negatively affect animals in farming, if they are in a healthy and balanced environment without stress. They always depend on other associated factors, known as "triggers" to cause the impact.

In this sense, the AquaScience^® production system can be considered revolutionary, because it meets all the requirements needed for a healthy environment, both balanced and harmonious for animals in culture while eliminating the "triggers" which could cause the outbreak of diseases. The system also proves to be environmentally friendly and optimal in preventing the return of any waste to the external environment.

AquaScience^® was the only way to go back into production after the "Cana Brava" farm was hit by a very aggressive virus strain of WSSW in 2011. Production collapsed from 2000 kg/hectar/cycle to 200 kg/hectare/cycle, making production economically unfeasable. The only way out was the introduction of the AquaScience^® technology which brought production to a new height of over 45.600kg/hectare/cycle, even in the presence of the virus.

The data of the productive capacity of the system, currently achieved in Cana Brava Farm is as follows:

• 45.6 tons of shrimp per hectare of every production cycle area (3 cycles per year);
• 5kg of tilapia per m³ each production cycle (2 cycles per year)