Bela Buck

Professor Bela Buck is a Marine Biologist and Head of the Unit for Marine Aquaculture within the Shelf Sea System Ecology department at the Alfred Wegener Institute. He also holds a professorship for Applied Marine Biology at the University of Applied Sciences Bremerhaven, has the right to award doctorates at the University of Bremen, and serves as an Affiliated Professor at Klaipeda University. His leadership extends to chairing the ICES Working Group on Open Ocean Aquaculture (WGOOA).

Professor Buck's research focuses on applied marine biology and maritime technologies, with particular expertise in offshore and exposed aquaculture systems. His work addresses critical challenges in multi-use of offshore wind farms, shellfish and seaweed cultivation, culture techniques and system design, and site selection for marine aquaculture operations. His research bridges biological sciences, engineering, and policy development to advance sustainable marine resource utilization.

An analysis of his recent publications (2022-2024) reveals a clear trend toward standardizing terminology and metrics for exposed aquaculture environments, developing integrated multi-use platforms combining renewable energy infrastructure with aquaculture, and optimizing cultivation techniques for shellfish and seaweed. His work increasingly addresses sustainability challenges, focusing on circular economy principles, resource efficiency, and climate change adaptation in marine food production systems.

Professor Buck leads the AWI-Working Group 'Marine Aquaculture' and collaborates extensively with international research teams across Europe and beyond. His work has significant implications for marine spatial planning, sustainable food production, and blue economy development. He maintains strong connections with both academic institutions and industry partners to ensure practical applications of research findings.

His laboratory and field work focuses on developing and testing aquaculture systems for exposed environments, with particular emphasis on site assessment methodologies, structural design for high-energy marine environments, and optimizing cultivation protocols for various marine species. The research group maintains close ties with offshore energy developers, aquaculture operators, and policy makers to ensure research addresses real-world challenges.