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EATIP AT THE AQUACULTURE EUROPE 2023, VIENNA

Our EATiP booth #39 was a great success with lots of visits from many colleagues from all over.

 

Information was given about our project work including:

    • Providing technical input to The EC Aquaculture Assistance Mechanism
    • The AQUAEXCEL 3.0 project – opening up transnational access to EU research networks
    • OLAMUR – considering marine multi use (aquaculture and wind energy) as part of the EU Mission Ocean Baltic and North Sea Lighthouse

The  EATiP / EC / EAS INNOVATION FORUM was extremely well attended on Wednesday 20 September (Programme), as well as the AQUAEXEL3.0 networking drink following the event.

 

More on the AQUAEXCEL3.0 presentations 

Experimental assessment of the fish meal content requirements for Meagre feeds, by Ramon Fontillas | Skretting ARC (Netherlands).

The effect of krill meal inclusion on the growth of juvenile gilthead seabream, by Kiranpreet Kaur | Aker BioMarine Antarctic AS (Norway).

Metal amino acid complexes as a cost-effective strategy to help reducing fish meal in European seabass diets, by Claudia Silva | Zinpro (Portugal).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AQUAEXCEL3.0 Call for TransNational Access

Apply for fully EC-funded access to top class aquaculture research infrastructures with AQUAEXCEL3.0

The AQUAEXCEL3.0 project unites major aquaculture experimental facilities with capacity to undertake experimental trials on a selection of commercially important aquaculture species and system types. These facilities are made available to the research community for Transnational Access (TNA) with the support of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (Infrastructures).

Transnational Access involves a research group in one country collaborating with one or more AQUAEXCEL3.0 Infrastructures that are located in a different country to the applicant, and which offer facilities and expertise not available in their own country. The collaboration normally takes the form of one or more scientists from the applicant organisation visiting the selected AQUAEXCEL3.0 installation to undertake research work there for up to 3 months. In some cases, remote access is also available (where the applicant is not present for some or all of the experimental period at the installation).

The facilities available cover the entire range of aquaculture production systems (recirculation, flowthrough, cage, hatchery and pond systems); environments (freshwater and marine, cold, temperate and warm water); scales (small, medium and industrial scale); culture species (fish, shellfish, seaweeds and insects); and fields of expertise (nutrition, physiology, health and welfare, genetics, engineering, monitoring and management technologies).

The overall objective of the project is to promote the coordinated use and development of these experimental facilities and encourage problem-based research and knowledge transfer to more effectively support the development of a sustainable European production of high-quality seafood with reduced environmental impact. The establishment of new transnational collaborations is strongly encouraged, as well as the participation by SMEs.

Applications for Transnational Access can be made at any time (continuously open call).

More details and to apply: see attached flyer, and https://aquaexcel.eu/transnational-access/

More information on each facility can be found here: https://aquaexcel.eu/resource-infrastructures/ and https://aquaexcel.eu/interactive-map/ – including pictures and videos of the facilities. Interested people with a project idea who need a little help finding the right facility can contact our orientation committee at aquaexcel-OC@inra.fr.

We also have a number of “success stories” from previous TNA users – https://aquaexcel.eu/videos/ and https://aquaexcel2020.eu/results (check out the Video and Innovative Outputs sections) which can be used as inspiration.

FEAP Award for Excellence in European Aquaculture 2023

We are delighted to announce that our President – Gustavo Larrazábal, CEO of Aquanaria has been awarded the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers 2023 award for excellence in European Aquaculture during the FEAP General Assembly, this year hosted by the Federation of Maltese Aquaculture Producers in St Julians, Malta.

Noting during the speech in which the FEAP President, Lara Barazi-Geroulanou, presented the award was recognition of the very significant contribution Gustavo has made in the support and promotion of research and innovation in European aquaculture, primarily in the encouragement and support of EATiP and through his long service as our President.

The EATiP Board and membership extend our congratulations at this well deserved award, in recognition of the support and long service that Gustavo has given to so many and, in the case of EATiP, on a voluntary basis.

The EATiP President Gustavo Larrazábal with the FEAP Award for Excellence in European Aquaculture 2023

Presented with the award by the FEAP President, Lara Barazi-Geroulanou, during the 2023 General Assembly of the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers in St Julian’s, Malta.

 

 

EATiP joins the AAC

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!

New Year: New Members!

The EATiP Platform extend to all readers our best wishes for 2022!  We look forward to a successful year full of innovation and development for our sector and stakeholders.

We begin this New Year in a very positive way by welcoming two new members to our network!  Indicative of our multi-stakeholder nature, one member comes from the aquaculture industry, the other from aquaculture academia.

Ace Aquatec is an award-winning aquaculture technology company specialising in in-water electric stunners; automated waterjet bleeding; gentle contactless pumping; predator deterrents, biomass cameras and Sea Lice removal systems.

Ace Aquatec – one of two new members joining EATiP in January 2022

Ace Aquatec help their customers businesses to thrive by making their operations efficient, ethical and sustainable.  With the high importance attached to aquatic animal health and welfare within European aquaculture, EATiP will certainly benefit from the knowledge and experience this company can bring.  With a head office in Dundee (Scotland, UK) Ace Aquatec were co-founded in 1999 by inventor John Ace Hopkins and investor Annette Pyne-Carter after they saw the potential technological innovation could have in accelerating the adoption of responsible fish farming practices. The company project manages global R&D projects, manufacturing at two UK factories, and co-ordinate installers and engineers worldwide. The company also has a Canadian office and distribution partners in key markets.

Ace Aquatec has grown from a family run business into a global supplier of aquaculture solutions retaining a key focus on local partnerships and personal customised solutions and we are delighted to welcome them to our network – sure in the knowledge we will value their experience and knowledge.

 

From the academic side, The University of Stavanger (Norway) represents another type of Technology Platform membership category, bringing an additional wealth of expertise to our scientific and academic membership.  The Department of Aquaculture offers a number of areas of specific knowledge and expertise, where the University is keen to collaborate with EATiP members and engage in both project and other activities. Specifically, the University seeks to engage in the areas of:

  • Offshore Fish Cage Design, Environmental Load Modelling, Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS), Artificial Reef, Contaminant Transport, Digital Twin Modelling, Fluid Mechanics and Dynamics, Turbulence Modelling
  • Aquatic diseases, Emerging infectious diseases, Pathogen molecular biology and sequencing
  • Innovation, Seafood markets, Competitiveness and resilience in Aquaculture
  • Fish health, fish welfare, Environmental impact, Risk assessment

The University of Stavanger – brining a wealth of expertise to the EATiP Platform.

Welcoming the new members to the EATiP platform, President Gustavo Larrazábal commented “at a challenging time for both the European aquaculture sector and European citizens in general, we are delighted to welcome these two new members to our platform, demonstrating that collaboration and engagement in the fields of research and innovation remain strong within our sector.  With the increasing emphasis on fish welfare in addition to fish health, and the ambitions set out in the Strategic Guidelines for European Aquaculture and Blue Economy, along Horizon Europe and the European Missions, the wealth of knowledge and expertise brought to EATiP through the University of Stavanger and Ace Aquatec will further extend and improve our contribution to the development of a sustainable and innovative European aquaculture sector.”

AQUAEXCEL3.0 TNA calls now open

The AQUAEXCEL3.0 Transnational Access (TNA) calls are now open.

Are you an Aquaculture Researcher?
Do you want to gain open, inclusive, streamlined and free access to the best Aquaculture Research Infrastructures in Europe?
The AQUAEXCEL3.0 project invites proposals from European researchers for scientific research that utilises the installations of selected participating Aquaculture Research Infrastructures. These installations are made available to the research community for Transnational Access (TNA) with the support of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Programme.

You can apply now through the project website.

Read more.

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

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!

EATiP and other food sector Technology Platforms call for a more ambitious budget for Horizon Europe

As part of providing the right framework for an economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic European Heads of State and Governments agreed earlier this week on the EU budget for 2021-2027. Whilst the Council decision provides a clear direction for a rapid decision later this autumn, the reduction in funds allocated to the next Research Program “Horizon Europe” is of concern. Investment in Research and Innovation (R&I) is fundamental to improve food security and the sustainability of EU food systems and ensure development in line with the Green Deal and Farm2Form strategy objectives.

Horizon Europe – the EU Research & Innovation Programme 2021 – 2027

Together with the European Technology Platforms FABRE, Plants for the Future, TP Organics, the National Food Technology Platforms and the Animal Task Force, EATiP addresses an urgent message to the European Council, European Parliament and European Commission on the importance of R&I to support robust and resilient food, agricultural and aquaculture systems.

Read the common statement below:

TECH TOUR OCEAN 2020 – NEW DATES

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.

EATiP in Government Europa: How to approach aquaculture innovation

European aquaculture encompasses the cultivation of a wide range of fish and shellfish species and is a truly pan-European production activity, which has grown rapidly from a cottage industry in the 1960s into an industrial sector that is composed of multinational companies, SMEs and family firms.

A common thread to each of aquaculture’s components is the knowledge base that has been developed through innovative research and development activities, led by universities and institutes throughout Europe, which have contributed to globally recognised levels of excellence in innovation.

Aquaculture in Europe has created a dynamic and effective knowledge-based sector. While most of the products of European aquaculture are destined for the European consumer, the sector’s service and knowledge activities have set international standards for global aquaculture innovation and development.

The European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATiP) has been designed to include all members of the European aquaculture value chain, from suppliers through producers to processors within the profession, as well as leading research groups and key representative organisations.

Goverment Europa this week had a chat with EATiP general secretary Alexandra Neyts about the importance of a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to aquaculture innovation. Among the things that were discussed, was the strategic research and innovation agenda (SRIA) and EATiPs involvement in different aquaculture projects.

(Retrieved from governmenteuropea.eu)

Read the article here! 

SRIA and projects

You can read the Review of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda document here. Also, make sure to read about the projects EATiP is involved with.