The research and advisory tasks of DTU Aqua are covered by eight scientific sections:
Section for Ocean Ecology and Climate
Section for Coastal Ecology
Section for Freshwater Fisheries Ecology
Section for Population Ecology and -Genetics
Section for Aquaculture
Section for Monitoring
Section for Management Systems
Section for Public Sector Consultancy
Section for Ocean Ecology and Climate
The research is focused on the interaction between the physical, chemical and biological processes in the marine environment – specifically how climatic changes in the marine environment affect the structure and function of marine food webs. A central theme of the section’s research is to establish a mechanistic understanding of interactions within the marine environment. Investigations take off at the base of the food web – primary and secondary producers – where physical factors have their most direct impact, and then consider the impact on higher tropic levels such as fish. This research covers biological and ecological processes in the ocean over a range of scales, from individuals to populations and on to the ecosystems. A specific area of research is ecosystem changes in the Arctic seas.
Employees in the section
Head of Section: Thomas Kiørboe (acting), tel. +45 35 88 34 01,
Section for Coastal Ecology
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Habitat carrying capacity, stability and resilience
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Habitat restoration and stock enhancement
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Human impacts and sustainable utilisation of living resources
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Tools for integrated systems management
Research and advice within this section is focused on the structure, dynamics and exploitation of coastal and estuarine ecosystems. This includes research on the importance of coastal habitats for juvenile fish and shellfish, habitat stability and resilience to anthropogenic impacts like exploitation of biotic and abiotic resources, marine constructions and eutrophication, and enhancement or restoration of coastal fish and shellfish populations. Ongoing research is conducted on optimizing both mussel fishery and marine shellfish culture with regards to management and planning as well as on development of methods for production. Furthermore, research is carried out on systems approach for integrated management of coastal ecosystems, including development of models that facilitate the integration of socio-economic and scientific information and enhance exchange between scientists, managers and stakeholders. A focus area is the further development and improvement of data relative to impact assessments of e.g. fisheries and other human activities.
Employees in the section
Head of Section: Josianne G. Støttrup, tel. +45 35 88 34 42,
Section for Freshwater Fisheries Ecology
The research of the section is focused on the relation between environmental parameters and selected fish species in streams, lakes and coastal areas, with the aim to increase natural reproduction and decrease mortality. This includes investigations of natural and man-made impacts on the populations including the effects of deterioration of habitats in streams, physical obstructions, eutrophication of lakes and development of new lakes and wetlands. The research results are used to give advice on how populations of especially freshwater and migratory fish can be restored, preserved and exploited in a sustainable manner while the interests of society are considered. Further, the work of the section includes research on stockings of eel, trout and salmon as well as monitoring and evaluating the effects of the stockings.
Employees in the section
Head of Section: Anders Koed, tel. +45 35 88 31 46,
Section for Population Ecology and -Genetics
The research is centred on population genetics, physiology, behaviour and response of aquatic organisms to environmental factors and on scaling from individual to population and population to ecosystem level. Furthermore, research is focused on population structure and dynamics and the interactions between tropic levels. The section develops deterministic and stochastic models that encompass the dynamics of the ecosystem in time and space with the aim to determine the effects of anthropogenic and natural influences on regional ecosystems.
Employees in the section
Head of Section: Henrik Mosegaard, tel. +45 35 88 34 61,
Section for Aquaculture
Employees in the section
Head of Section: Per Bovbjerg Pedersen, tel. +45 35 88 32 56,
Section for Monitoring
The section is responsible for planning and data collection during resource monitoring surveys and from the commercial fishery. The data collection is conducted with our scientific vessels, at sea from commercial fishing vessels and at shore in several fishing ports. The data collection includes environmental variables (physical and biological oceanography, plankton and fish larvae sampling) The results comprehend fish and shellfish species identification and distribution, age readings, sex ratios and maturity determination. Time series of these data area provided for the assessment of fish and shellfish populations and for scientific analyses. Furthermore, the section contributes to the development of monitoring technology and the institute’s science and advisory tasks.
Employees in the section
Head of Section in Charlottenlund: Marie Storr-Paulsen, tel. +45 35 88 34 41,
Head of Section in Hirtshals: Kai Wieland, tel. +45 35 88 32 76,
Section for Management Systems
Main research areas of the section cover development of tools and methods to improve integrated fisheries and marine ecosystem management. One research area develops and explores tools for fisheries management and evaluation of management systems. This includes development of the foundation for the advice given based on data from commercial fisheries, research surveys, as well as procedures which takes into account differences in the fisheries efficiency, economy and behavior between fishing fleets and catch technologies. Associated hereto research is conducted on the implementation of ecosystem-based management methods and marine ecosystem models, including integrated area-based management, which involves relevant human activities and natural processes. The fisheries technology develops and explores catch methods that consider both the marine environment and the effectiveness and economy of the commercial fisheries in order to improve the catch selectivity. Furthermore, research is performed on the development of simulation models that can be used to predict and understand the selective qualities of fishing tools, catch efficiency, discard and economic consequences.
Employees in the section
Head of Section: J. Rasmus Nielsen, tel. +45 35 88 33 81, +45 25 21 99 50; e-mail:
Section for Public Sector Consultancy
The section plans and coordinates public sector consultancy tasks, including the institute’s national and international fishery advice, and communicates the basis and consequences of the advice given. Furthermore, the section contributes to the strategic development of the institute’s research in order to ensure that the research supports the advices given. The section is also responsible for the running and development of databases and data processing for support of assessment of fish and shellfish stocks and the condition of ecosystems.
Employees in the section
Head of Section: Jørgen Dalskov, tel. +45 35 88 33 80,