Xoel Souto: «The industrial doctorate unites academic knowledge with knowledge more closely linked to experience»

University. Business. Two different worlds, but not the opposite. When academia and business collaborate, the results can be spectacular. Building bridges and strengthening ties is, therefore, a critical issue. And that is precisely what Xoel Souto Guitián does.

A graduate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Santiago de Compostela, he is currently immersed in two challenges: his doctoral thesis, which he is carrying out between the aquaculture company Insuiña and the Veterinary Pathology Group of Campus Terra, and the residency at the European College of Aquatic Animal Health (ECAAH).

In his research work, Xoel Souto closely studies the pathologies that can affect turbot during its growth. It is a very relevant project not only to optimize aquaculture management or ensure food safety but also to improve the welfare of this species, one of the largest productions of Galicia.

But he is not only passionate about the world around him and the animals at a professional level. When he finds a free space and is not immersed in a good book, Xoel Souto tries to keep in touch with nature.

We chatted with him about all this and much more..

-He is currently doing his doctorate at Insuiña, one of the companies of the Nueva Pescanova group, and at the Veterinary Pathology Anatomy and Pathology Group (GAPAVET) of the University of Santiago. What are the main lines of his research?

-Insuiña is the company of the Nueva Pescanova group dedicated to turbot farming. And GAPAVET has comprehensive experience working with this species. The research I developed in these two families focuses on the health and welfare of turbot during its growth phase on the farm.
Turbot is also a well-established species and one of the most potent assets in aquaculture.

-In Spain, for example, aquaculture species are sea bass, sea bream, corvina, newer, and turbot. This is the third most produced marine fish species at a national level. With the peculiarity that it all comes from here since Galicia is where 100% of it is created.

Galicia is a superpower at the European and world levels in the production of mussels and turbots; these are two of the species that stand out the most.

-What are you currently focused on in your work?

-On the pathologies that can affect or potentially affect the production chain at this stage. Small fish are different from when they are already grown. The diseases are different. We focus on the growth phase and essential pathologies that may be present or potentially problematic.

-And can new pathologies appear over time?

Yes, aquaculture is a world where emerging diseases are critical, and in addition, there are re-emerging diseases and old acquaintances that we must keep an eye on. Like enteromyxosis, a crucial disease in the past that is no longer a problem.

We always have to tackle the most critical problems; when you solve them, you try to solve the smaller ones. It is a continuous improvement process because you must be attentive to emerging diseases and, in the case of turbot, to those that appear in other species or areas because the world is global. Diseases from different places can end up arriving here.

-What motivates the appearance of new diseases? What role do environmental causes play?

-In aquaculture, the environment is water, which makes management more complicated. In turbot, one advantage is that it is farmed on land so that the water can be filtered or treated, but other species are produced in cages in the sea. For example, setting up a perimeter fence for diseases is more complicated in a pig farm. But in aquaculture, water can act as a means of transport.

-You are also a resident of the European College of Aquatic Animal Health (ECAAH) program. What led you to join this training project?

-I am a veterinarian. We finished our degree with a solid knowledge base in different species. However, the animal world has many professional opportunities, forcing us to continue training and updating our knowledge.

One of the options for continuing education is specialization. There are several ways and different entities to do it. One of them is the European colleges, each focused on a branch of specialization: equine surgery, ophthalmology? There are a multitude of colleges where you can specialize.

Training in these colleges requires hands-on experience. It is a continuous work with an expert, a graduate with a recognized specialization. Then, you must take an exam evaluating the knowledge you acquired.

In Lugo, we have a unique feature. There are four European graduates: three female graduates and one male graduate. And all of them are part of GAPAVET. My thesis focused on aquaculture, and the relationship with these people, who are significant experts in aquaculture, made it easy for me to access the residency.

The European College of Aquatic Animal Health has two residency options. The most common is to do it in pre-established veterinary clinics or hospital programs. In my case, there was no residency program in Lugo, but we could set up an alternative residency program that focused more on the specific candidate. My thesis on turbot is the central part of my residency, and it is complemented by some training in other species to acquire the necessary knowledge for the diploma.

-Aquaculture as an industrial activity will play a crucial role in the future because of population growth. There is a limit to the fishing grounds, and the overexploitation of some of them is a fact. How can we articulate this growth in aquaculture?

-Actually, growth is already a fact. Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing branches of livestock farming. In the last FAO report, 2022, aquaculture and fishing were 50/50.

In the subsequent report, aquaculture production will be above extractive production. The latter is also growing, but aquaculture is growing more. There is more and more aquaculture production, also due to the entry of Asian countries, which are very powerful.

We have to continue on this path of growth, improving as much as possible the production conditions of the species that are cultivated to optimize their welfare and health while improving the productive yield.

The introduction of new species is also essential. Many species, such as tuna or octopus, are in the process of domestication. Once this is achieved, there is potential to increase significantly aquaculture production, which is already growing organically.

-In the case of octopus, will we be able to see it shortly?

-Of course. Octopus is a bit beyond my knowledge, but I understand that we will. Just as we will see tuna. In these species, in the end, it is a question of technical improvement. When will it happen? I don't know. Some sooner and some later.

It is already possible to cultivate the octopus, and its cycle is already known. The step we are taking now is to produce enough to become a species open to consumption by the population, like turbot, sea bream or sea bass.

-It happens that the challenges to take the aquaculture industry to the next level are not minor: environmental impact, food safety, regulatory harmonization... Which are the most relevant ones? And how does globalization influence?

-We have our little European bubble, and then there is the rest of the world. We are seeing it now with farmers. In aquaculture, it is similar. European aquaculture production is perfectly safe. It has the same controls as terrestrial species production and is not at risk.

I am not an expert in regulation and how it varies depending on the country. Still, the solution may come from a certain regulatory harmonization or promoting local consumption. In Spain, we are an aquaculture power; it is easy to obtain aquaculture fish with very high sanitary and food quality standards.

-In this context, traceability is a critical aspect.

-Yes, there is a lot of traceability in aquaculture, as in land animals. We can follow the whole life chain of our fish. The European Union's farm-to-fork strategy means we can control the entire process, from farm to fork.

-Galicia has had a long experience in aquaculture since the middle of the 20th century. Is there still a way to go? Where should the focus be put? New species, more production facilities?

-Of course, there is always room for growth. Not only when it comes to expanding facilities, where environmental impact and regulations are essential. Also in production. Nowadays, you can always increase the optimization and the conditions of the farms a little bit more. There is room for improvement in everything that is done.

Mussels, for example, are no exception. Globally, practically all the mussels in the world are produced in Galicia. It is an obvious example of what we can achieve. However, it is always possible to continue optimizing and improving processes.

-How did you get here? Did you always have a clear vocation, or did you gradually discover your passion for fish and research?

-I started my degree and needed clarification about what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian, but I needed to see myself working with dogs and cats. When I reached the end of my degree, in the fifth year, I still had no idea.

Maribel Quiroga, one of the European ECAAH graduates and a researcher in the GAPAVET group, was my TFG director. She introduced me to this world. I arrived by chance, but now I am passionate about it.

-Your type of thesis is rare. Many theses are limited to pure research within the university, but you opted for a more industrial type of doctoral thesis, pure transfer. Why did you make this decision?

-The idea we usually have of research and theses is that of scientists in white coats in a laboratory. However, this is a misconception; a lot of knowledge is generated in basic research that is transferred to the real world with practical applications. But sometimes, there can be a small step in translating knowledge generated in the university to society.

The industrial doctorate allows me to deal with people from both worlds, combining the generation of knowledge in the university and focusing on applying this knowledge to reality.
In Insuiña and generally, in the industrial world, there is more practical knowledge, not so academic or theoretical, generated by experience and hands-on.

The industrial thesis unites the theoretical knowledge of the university with the knowledge linked to the experience of fish farmers who have spent a lifetime in the sector. I am delighted that it is one of the best options, although somewhat unknown.

My scholarship is from a specific call for the industrial doctorate of the Xunta de Galicia, and it was the first one. Before 2021, this option did not exist. And it is essential because it makes connecting the university with society easier.

-This was always a historical demand from both sides to facilitate the connection between theoretical knowledge and the business world to speed up the transfer. And when you connect them, projects of enormous value are born, both in the social and academic spheres.

-Yes, the fact that we can improve growing conditions here substantially directly impacts society in general.

-And the last one, what are your plans when you finish your doctorate?

-That is the most challenging question. So far, I have always been in the moment, without too many plans for the future. The advantage of the industrial doctorate is that I see both worlds: academia and industry. And both are outstanding opportunities. At the moment, I don't know.

I know that I will continue in the world of fish and that I will continue to train continuously. Within that, I am open to either of the two options.