Benedikt Berger

I have always been interested in sustainability related to biological topics. Being outdoors and in nature is my way of enjoying life!

The first time in my life I got in touch with the anthropological impact of producing agricultural products on the environment was during my studies of agricultural science in Vienna, where I specialised on agricultural biology.

Working as a scientific co-worker in the institute for agricultural plant science, I learned how to manage and organise agricultural plant experiments and how to analyse plant material in a laboratory. At the same time, I conducted an experiment on aquaponics in a small scaled recirculating system. Having collected many valuable experiences, I started to build my own aquaponic system in a family’s basement in Vienna. 1 m³ with 80 tilapia and 1m² of growing area was my way of using empty space in a big city to produce vegetables and fish for my own consumption.

My passion for fish growing in light of these projects, I decided to further focus on this direction. Norway seemed to be the perfect country to follow my interests. Therefore, after finishing my bachelor, I decided to study bioscience with a specialisation on aquaculture at Nord University.

I am excited to work with sticklebacks because it is a way for me to be in nature while simultaneously gaining greater understanding of the environment and the biology of fish.