Smart Circular Aquaculture Partnership Launched!

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On behalf of EATiP, our Mirror Platforms and the Hauts de France region, EATiP and Pole Aquimer have attended the launch of the Thematic Smart Specialisation Platform (TSSP) for Smart Circular Aquaculture at the S3 Forum in Barcelona.
Aquaculture has been identified as one of the highlighted areas in the S3 Thematic Platform on Sustainable Blue Economy. The partnership has particular ambitions to contribute to the blue economy targets related to:
  • Energy transition in the aquaculture sector: introduction of renewable energy sources, more efficient use of energy, less energy-demanding feed resources
  • More efficient use of water & space: RAS technologies, aquaponics, site optimisation with respect to ecosystem hydrodynamics and biogeochemistry and to other uses of the marine space, monitoring and management tools for precision farming
  • Fighting scarcity of feed ingredients: resource-efficient novel feeds e.g. SCP, algae, insects, marine invertebrates
  • Better use of side streams, promoting circular production systems: recovering and utilising by-products from processing plants: fish, shellfish; from RAS/closed systems: sludge, effluents; exploring business model for IMTA and aquaponics
  • More targeted and skilled human capacity: training of existing staff and educating new candidates to enable the needed transitions in aquaculture
Further details on the platform are available here.

The EATiP General Secretary introduces the founding EATiP Mirror Platforms and Lead Region

Founding EATiP Mirror Platforms within the Partnership include: Pole Aquimer, Cluster Acuiplus, NCE Aquatech, NCE Aquaculture, AquaCultuur Vlaanderen and with the lead Region of Hauts de France.

This platform is part of the Smart Specialisation Strategy Community of Practice (S3 CoP) concept.  This is itself part of the Communities and Networks policy of European Regional Cohesion Policy.
 
Two years ago DG MARE, in conjunction with DG REGIO, founded a new pillar of the Smart Specialisation strategy:  Blue Economy.  There are five areas of interest – Renewable Energy, Tourism, Blue Bio Technology, Fisheries and Aquaculture.
EATiP are very keen to hear from aquaculture stakeholders who think that there is interest from within their own region to join the TSSP, or who are aware of regional / national clusters that might like to join the EATiP Mirror Platform network.
  • If you are aware of other European regions that have aquaculture included within their Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies (this is a pre-requisite to be included in the Partnership) or of multi stakeholder, industry led, aquaculture clusters then please let us know!
We welcome any thoughts, comments or questions and look forward to hearing from you!

Presenting the new TSSP Smart Circular Aquaculture Platform to the plenary session.

Annual General Meeting of the EATiP

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The EATIP AGM was successfully held in Brussels on the 14th & 15th of June 2023 at the Manos Conference Center & Hotel.

Please see below the programme of the event:

Download (PDF, 2.65MB)

The presentations are available for EATiP members on our intranet.

Lorella de la Cruz Iglesias (EC DG MARE), Gustavo Larrazábal (EATIP President), David Bassett (EATIP General Secretary)

Alexandra Neyts (EATIP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gustavo Larrazábal, was thanked for 14 years of Presidency (2009-2023) and exceptional service to research and innovation in European Aquaculture. CONGRATULATIONS! especially since he received two weeks before the FEAP Award for Excellence in European Aquaculture.

 

EATiP Annual General Meeting

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21th & 22nd of June 2022 – NHOW Hotel, Rue Royale 250, Brussels

Schedule:


DAY 1 – 21th June 2022

  • 08:30 – 09:00    Registration
  • 09:00 – 12:30   “Smart Specialisation for Sustainable Blue Economy” an Aquaculture Brokerage Event
  • 12:30    Lunch for participants
  • 14:30 – 18:00    EATiP Annual General Meeting
    • Theme 1: Aquaculture to 2030 – The European Policy Context
      • Opening Key Note Speech: “Aquaculture Research & Innovation in DG MARE”
      • Research and Innovation support for aquaculture within Horizon Europe and the European Missions
      • Research and Innovation objectives within the work of the Aquaculture Advisory Council
    • Theme 2: Considering industry priorities for research and barriers to innovation uptake.
      • Industry Research priorities – a finfish perspective
      • Industry Research priorities – a shellfish perspective.
      • Aquaculture, Nature Based Solutions and addressing wider aquatic ecosystem research needs
      • Identified research priorities within other aquaculture networks: the work of SCAR-Fish, EFARO and KBBE networks.
    • Theme 3: Effective interactions within the new research and innovation landscape: applying innovation to ensure collaboration and common goals in the Blue Bio Economy
      • EATiP & AquaEXCEL 3.0
      • Commercialisation of research outputs for industry needs – The JPI & BlueBio Cofund perspective
      • Smart Specialisation for the Blue Economy and Aquaculture
      • EATiP Mirror Platforms: case studies of regional and inter-regional collaboration

DAY 2 – 22nd June 2022

  • 09:30 – 11:30    EATiP General Assembly
  • 11:45 – 12:30    Governance Issues (only for EATiP members)
  • 14:30    EATiP Mirror Platform Meeting (for mirror platforms and their members only)

EATiP joins the AAC

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Further to today’s special General Meeting, EATiP is delighted to have been officially welcomed as a member of the AAC – the European Aquaculture Advisory Council.  Commenting on the decision, the EATiP President, Gustavo Larrazábal, drew attention to the challenges and opportunities facing European aquaculture, noting: “the cutting edge research and innovation activities for which European aquaculture is justifiably highly regarded will be key in achieving the ambitions for European aquaculture production and realising the targets and objectives that the industry, civil society and regulators aspire to.  EATiP stand ready to lend our support to the AAC in their deliberations and to assist wherever possible through our experience, expertise and membership network, highlighting the role that technology, research and innovation may have to play and bringing strategic research and innovation priorities to the fore in considering further development for a sustainable European aquaculture sector.”

EATiP has been supportive of the establishment of the AAC from the first recommendations for such a Council to be established –  as part of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in 2013. For some time, EATiP has been operating as an observer at AAC and further to some internal organisational readjustments in 2021, EATiP is now able to commit sufficient staff time and resources to be able to operate as a full and active member of the AAC.

A key factor in the EATiP Boad agreeing this decision was set in the context of the adoption of the Com(2021) 236 – Communication for Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021- 2030 and Com(2021) 240 Communication on a new approach to a sustainable blue economy in the EU transforming the EU’s Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future. Within Annex 1 of the Com(2021) 236 (strategic guidelines) a number of points are referenced to the AAC where we feel EATiP will be in a position to assist and collaborate with the AAC and with the European Commission and we look forward to working proactively and productively on this.

Areas of specific interest for EATiP with regard to the AAC and the EU Strategic Guidelines inlcude:

Section 2.4 – Increasing Knowledge and Innovation

  • Encourage aquaculture producers and other stakeholders to work together with research and innovation institutes and public authorities to find solutions to the challenges of the sustainable development of EU Aquaculture
  • Disseminate information on research and innovation projects and their results among members
  • Promote the uptake by the EU aquaculture industry of existing innovation
  • Promote in the aquaculture sector the regular training of aquaculture professionals in particular on how to incorporate innovation practices.

Section 2.3 – Ensuring social acceptance and information to the Consumer

  • Support and ensure the broad dissemination by members of the coordinated EU-wide campaign on EU aquaculture.
  • Promote the use of digitalisation tools and artificial intelligence for the traceability and transparency of aquaculture products.

    Section 2.2 – Participating in the Green Transition

  • Ensure that EU aquaculture producers are informed about relevant research and innovation to improve the environmental performance of aquaculture operations.
  • Ensure that EU aquaculture producers are informed about relevant research and innovation on animal welfare.
  • Promote the monitoring and reporting by the aquaculture industry of environmental indicators. Section 2.1 – Building Resilience and Competitiveness
  • Ensure that EU aquaculture producers are informed about relevant research and innovation on animal-health and public-health matters.
  • Encourage the use by the aquaculture sector of digital tools for increased traceability and transparency.

We identify many areas where EATiP will be able to support and assist these ambitions – not only through dissemination and communication with out membership and Mirror Platform Network, but also through inclusion of AAC activities and membership in our online thematic forum events and “On the Horizon” project dissemination service.

The mutual assistance that may be provided between two multi stakeholder organisations such as the AAC and EATiP towards the promotion of a sustainable European aquaculture is clear – and we look forward to a long and fruitful working relationship together!

EATiP Internship – 2022

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We are delighted to inform Platform members and EATiP supporters that following on from our successful trial last year, we will be hosting another intern at the EATiP office – this time during the first half of February with a second two week block scheduled for the early summer.

Estelle Bertimes is a 22 year old Belgian student, who is currently studying in her second year of a Masters in Oceanography at the University of Liège, Belgium.

Estelle Bertimes, our 2nd EATiP intern.

As part of the Master programme, students have to experience a one-month internship in an organisation linked to the broad field of oceanography. For this internship, Estelle expressed a wish to work with the EATIP to experience a different point of view with regard to oceanography and to learn how aquaculture is included in ocean science.

It is Estelle’s view that “aquaculture is the future for marine organism production and I feel it is important to learn more about it.”   A further attraction is the wide range of conferences and events with which EATiP engage (although sadly most are still online at the moment…) with Estelle adding that she is “interested in learning everything especially when it comes to biology, environment or general science topics“.

Certain tasks have been identified by the Secretariat that Estelle will be able to work on independently whilst helping us, including analysis of our EATiP Forum events and also liaison work with our EATiP Mirror Platforms.  We thank members and supporters in advance for your support and willingness to engage with Estelle’s work to help the EATiP platform.

Bienvenue à bord Estelle!

Developing sustainable aquaculture in the south Atlantic

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All Atlantic Conference Side Event – 03 June 2021 – “Developing Sustainable Aquaculture in the south Atlantic”

EATiP, with the support of Innovation Norway and BluEcoNet, has been selected to undertake a Joint Action (JA) within the EU Horizon 2020 funded AANChOR(All Atlantic Cooperation for Ocean Research) Coordination and Support Action, considering the establishment and viability of a multi stakeholder platform for aquaculture.  The JA will use Brazil as a case study, but with the clear intention for  application to other south Atlantic nations, including South Africa.  This JA has been selected in part to complement European Union objectives with regard to Belém Statement partners and additional accords with Argentina and Cape Verde.   The JA seeks to scope the potential for self-sustaining Atlantic aquaculture multi stakeholder platform(s) in the development of national or regional Strategic Research & Innovation agenda for sustainable industry development.

By way of introducing and launching the Joint Action, EATiP is collaborating in a side event at the forthcoming All Atlantic Conference with two other Horizon 2020 aquaculture projects focusing on Atlantic aquaculture: ASTRAL and AquaVitae.

EATiP, collaborating with ASTRAL & AquaVitae to address sustainable aquaculture in the south Atlantic

ASTRAL focuses on integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) farming, aiming to define, support, and promote this type of sustainable aquaculture production across the Atlantic area.

AquaVitae aims to increase aquaculture production in and around the Atlantic Ocean by developing new species, processes and products, focusing on low trophic species.

During this side event we will be considering what are the challenges and opportunities in trans-Atlantic research collaboration and the development of a sustainable Atlantic aquaculture industry.  AquaVitae and Astral will share experiences and best practices based on their research toward more sustainable aquaculture activities in the Belém Statement areas. Both projects will offer examples and opportunities of innovation, stakeholder participation, social awareness, and capacity building.
The event aims to bring together representatives from research institutions, industry as well as policymakers to respond to the challenges of the Mission Starfish 2030, EU Blue growth strategy and UN’s SDGs and to complement the other themes under consideration at the All Atlantic Conference.

To register for the side event, please click on this link.

Practical Details:

  • 03 June 2021
  • 13:30 – 15:30 CET
  • Registration Required – see link above.

“Knowledge & Innovation key”: Strategic Guidelines for EU Aquaculture – The next decade.

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EATiP welcomes the publication by the European Commission (DG MARE) of a communication on the Strategic Guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture for the period 2021 to 2030.

Of particular importance to us is the clear commitment given to the objective of increasing knowledge and innovation, one of four cross cutting objectives that cover 13 areas of work identified within the Communication.

This much anticipated document takes into account the future of the aquaculture sector referenced in the context of important policy developments such as the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy – and also takes into account the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Of the four cross cutting objectives identified, the remaining three consider; building resilience and competitiveness, participating in the green transition and ensuring social acceptance and consumer information.

The Farm to Fork Strategy & EU Green Deal highlight the strategic potential for farmed seafood.

As the guidelines themselves note, “knowledge and innovation (including the use of digital technology) are key to achieve the other objectives [set out in the Communication] and they are especially important for building the resilience and competitiveness of aquaculture and ensuring its green transition”.

Horizon Europe, the forthcoming EU framework programme for research and innovation is set to play an important part in the realisation of these objectives. Sustainable aquaculture is identified as an important priority within Horizon Europe where it is hoped that aquaculture research and innovation will ensure a faster response to the current and future challenges and opportunities of the sector whilst avoiding a duplication of efforts and creating synergies across other research areas.

The multi stakeholder and collaborative approach is central to the function of EATiP and the development of our Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda.  As the new strategic guidelines note, further efforts are suggested in several areas that are highly complementary to our aims and current working methodology.  Specifically those listed in the Communication cover:

  • Creating a framework for cooperation that brings together public authorities, industry, researchers, and educators, both at national and regional/local levels. This framework should include the development of innovation clusters for sustainable aquaculture.
  • Fostering the development and matching of research and innovation strengths across Member States and regions. This should include smart-specialisation strategies aimed at building full value chains across the EU.
  • Fostering effective dissemination of research and innovation results to industry end-users and the general public, as well as their exploitation, including by means of the close monitoring of the establishment and implementation of solid dissemination and exploitation plans of EU funded projects.
  • Promoting complementarity and synergies between research projects.
  • Facilitating access to EU funds for research and innovation in the aquaculture sector, by providing a clear overview of the available EU funding.

EATiP currently operates with 16 national / regional innovation clusters across 11 nations. Will the Guidelines encourage more clusters to form?

EATiP will continue to work on all these fronts and the emphasis on the development of innovation clusters is something that EATiP particularly welcome – noting the vital role that the current 16 national & regional Mirror Platforms currently play within our organisation.   Welcome too is the commitment given to the setting up on an EU Aquaculture Assistance Mechanism, not only in terms of assisting in the sharing of best practice but also in the development on an online platform hosting information on EU funding and EU funded projects.

Two further significant themes also emerge from the guidelines with regard to innovation.

It is encouraging that emphasis is placed on promoting investment in innovative solutions. As the Communication goes on to note, “investors often enter unfamiliar territory when investing in innovation” and this can be particularly true for aquaculture. As such we welcome commitment that  the EU’s BlueInvest initiative will continue to bring together investors and entrepreneurs in the aquaculture sector and that a financial instrument will be set up with EMFAF and InvestEU contributions which will be available to support investment in sustainable aquaculture activities and technologies. This will be in addition to that support afforded by individual EU Member States.

Finally, the key area of skills, education and training are acknowledged, and we look forward to further development of the themes referenced in the Communicaiton relating to the “promotion of specialised curricula and knowledge on aquaculture… …as well as life-long training for farmers on innovative approaches for the aquaculture sector”.

EATiP looks forward to building on our strong relations with the European Commission and other linked stakeholders in the delivery of the ambitions contained within the newly published Commuication and will ensure that technology, knowledge and innovation remain at the forefront of a sustainable European aquaculture sector. The role that EATiP and our Mirror Platforms have in the development of European aquaculture is something that we have already been discussing with the European Commission and with the publication of these guidelines and the imminent publication of both the Horizon Europe work programmes and EMFAF funding mechanism these proposals will be progressed further.

An exciting decade of innovation in European aquaculture is underway!

Stiim Aqua Cluster: expanding the EATiP Mirror Platform Network

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EATiP is proud to announce that a further national Mirror Platform has joined the EATiP family – Stiim Aqua Cluster.  Stiim is the sixteenth national or regional cluster to join EATiP and demonstrates the strong commitment to the Platform from the Norwegian aquaculture industry.

Stiim Aqua Cluster – the 16th national cluster to join EATiP

Stiim Aqua Cluster represent a complete ecosystem for aquaculture innovation in Norway. The cluster now has about 130 members and partners from all of the country and is located on the south-western coast of Norway.

This brings the total number or organisations gathered under the EATiP Mirror Platform umbrella to around 1000 members – reaching across all aspects of the aquaculture industry value chain.

 

Amongst the cluster’s main focus areas are:

  • New areas for aquaculture to enhance sustainable seafood production
  • Increasing the availability of capital to stimulate innovation and growth
  • Promoting R&D projects and sharing of knowledge in member companies
  • Facilitating networking events and increasing competence within the indutstry

Blue Planet Academy is the cluster’s platform for promoting best practice in aquaculture. Blue Planet Academy is the world’s largest e-learning platform on aquaculture, offering thousands of videos and a variety of online courses on fish species from salmon to tilapia to customers around the world.

EATiP are delighted to welcome Stiim as a formal member of the platform and look forward to the increased experience, knowledge and potential for aquaculture innovation that our collaboration will bring.

Further details are available from the Stiim Aqua Cluster website and also through the LinkedIn network @Stiim Aqua Cluster

TECH TOUR OCEAN 2020 – NEW DATES

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Due to the Corona virus disease (COVID-19), Tech Tour together with their partner KunnskapsParken Bodø have taken the decision to postpone the Tech Tour Ocean event to this autumn.

NEW DATE: 03-04 November 2020

PLACE: Bodø, Norway (see here how to get there)

Venue information:

Day 1 – November 3rd Day 2 – November 4th                        
Venture Academy Venture Forum
Salomon Center Bodø Radisson Blu Hotel Bodø

About the event:

Tech Tour together with KunnskapsParken Bodø is organizing the Tech Tour Ocean (TT Ocean) on the 03-04 November 2020 in the mesmerizing Bodø, Norway.

The Tech Tour Ocean (TT Ocean) is a Venture Forum which gives a unique opportunity for the most innovative entrepreneurs to meet and present themselves in front of active international investors and corporations seeking investment and partnerships.
The event is organized by Tech Tour and hosted by Kunnskapsparken Bodø (Bodø Science Park).
Participation is free of charge for presenting companies but based on selection. Register before 20 March 2020.

For more information see here.