EATiP MiP MEETING & ORRI WORKSHOP IN WESTPORT, IRELAND
Our Mirror Platform clusters met in person in Westport, on Ireland’s west coast, on 15–16 September 2026 — two days of exchange, site visits and workshops!
BaMS / EATIP – Blue Value Chains Webinar
Online Webinar – Wednesday, July 8th from 10:00 to 11:45 CEST.
As part of EATiP’s webinar series, launched to promote knowledge exchange and foster collaboration among its Mirror Platforms, aquaculture clusters from across Europe were invited to present their activities, expertise and innovation capacities to peers and member enterprises.
On July 8th, BaMS – Blaue Bioökonomie – hosted a 1h30 webinar exploring the complexities of the Blue Value Chain from four perspectives:
- Production: The EU Project OLAMUR discussed the challenges and opportunities involved in cultivating low-trophic biomass at offshore wind farms. (by Pam Ernstberger (EATIP), Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWII), and ETT S.p.A. partners.
- Diversification: The EU LOCALITY Algae showcased the diverse industrial applications of micro and macroalgae, ranging from sustainable textiles to alternative proteins.
- Market Reality: Viva Maris GmbH provided insights into consumer adoption and the food marker for algae-based products, completing the picture.
- Scaling Up: Blue Bioeconomy auf Marinen Stadorten (BaMS) presented their late work on conceptualising a modular pilot facility to help local innovators overcome infrastructure challenges.
The webinar has been recorded: coming soon.
EATIP @ Aquaculture UK
EATIP had the pleasure of attending the Aquaculture UK conference, which kicked off with an inspiring speech from Scotland’s new Minister for Agriculture, Marine, and the Islands, Jim Fairlie. This event highlighted the growing importance of aquaculture for both national 🏴 and global economies 🌎, featuring over 250 exhibitors from 20 countries and facilitating networking among key industry stakeholders involved in projects AQUAPHOENIX, OCCAM Project, and OLAMUR. It was good to connect with our partners, including the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP).
Read more
EATIP Annual General Meeting 2026
This year, our EATIP AGM has been successfully held in Brussels on the 28th & 29th of April 2026 at the Norwegian House of Research & Innovation.
Please see below the programme of the event:
EATIP @ AQUACULTURE EUROPE 2024
EXPLORING COLLABORATION & INNOVATION TRANSFER VEHICLES FOR AQUACULTURE
AQUA2024 – COPENHAGEN – Innovation Forum, August 28th
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!
09:00 Introductions
Moderators: David Bassett (EATiP); Alistair Lane (EAS)
09:15 Session 1: Fostering regional synergies in Europe for innovation in aquaculture
(Chair: David Bassett, EATIP)
- DG MARE, Unit A2 – Lorella de la Cruz Iglesias
- DG RTD, Unit Healthy Seas and Oceans – Nikos Zampoukas
- DG REGIO / S3 Community of Practice / IDEA Consult – Els Van de Velde
10:15 Plenary Discussion
10:45 BREAK
11:15 Session 2: Inter-Regional Innovation Landscape in Practice: case studies on how innovation transfer vehicles promote advances in aquaculture
(Chair: Mieke Eggermont, EATIP Mirror Platform WG chair)
- Example 1: InterReg – Adriatic Interregional Collaboration – Francesca Perretta (IPA ADRION National Contact Point Marche Region)
- Example 2: TSSP for Smart and Circular Aquaculture – David Bassett (EATiP)
- Example 3: Innovation Transfer with Mission Ocean – Blue Mission Banos (Efthalia Arvaniti (Submariner Network)
- Example 4: EATiP Mirror Platform Working Group on Sludge – Ann Cecilie Hilling (NCE Aquaculture)
- Example 5: The Nordic Research and Innovation Initiative for Sustainable Aquaculture – Kjell Maroni (Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry Research Fund / Nordforsk)
12:15 Panel discussion among speakers
12:30 LUNCH
14:00 Session 3: Innovation transfer within the Aquaculture Research Community
(Chair: Ana Hererro (Patogen / AQUAEXCEL3.0 IRAP)
- Example 1a: High impact AQUAEXCEL3.0 Knowledge Outputs
-
- Introduction: Open experiment facilities as tools for knowledge exchange – Karla Corrales (ERINN Innovation)
- CryoPlankton benefits in seabass aquaculture – Konstantinos Tzakris (Planktonic)
- Transforming food industry and agriculture waste into nutrient-rich alternative feed for fish: A Case Study with Black Soldier Fly Larvae – Martin Kulma (Czech University of Life Sciences Prague)
- Application of innovative and easy sustainable environmental enrichment on the behaviour and welfare of farmed trout – Georgina Lea Fazekas (MATE)
- Mentimeter
- Example 1b: European Marine Biological Resource Centre – Mery Pina (EMBRC)
- Panel discussion
- Example 2: EU-Asian International capacity building as a vehicle for future innovation transfer – Patrick Sorgeloos (EATiP International Cooperation Working Group)
- Example 3: FAO Aquaculture Unit – case study of the Shanghai Ocean University – TBC.
15:45 Session 4 – Facilitation, funding models and future calls for inter-regional innovation transfer
(Chair: Damien Toner / BIM)
- BlueInvest: Funding as international support tool – Cathrine Frideres (BlueInvest)
- ECBF – European Circular BioeconomyFund – Mathias Brink Lorenz (ECBF)
- EMFAF funds for the Flemish Aquaculture Cluster VAP – Stefan Teerlinck (Inagro)
- Mentoring and Accelerator Programme for Blue Growth – Efthalia Arvaniti (Submariner Network)
- Innovation and knowledge transfer support by Blue Bioeconomy CoLAB, a Portuguese case study – Taynara Franco (B2E)
- International Innovation Transfer as development support – Paw Petersen (Oxyguard)
16:45 Closing discussions
17:00 NETWORKING DRINK
NCE AQUATECH / EATIP webinar
Online Webinar – Wednesday June 26th @ 11:00 – 12:30 CEST
The European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform EATiP seeks to promote and support research and innovation for the benefit and development of a sustainable European aquaculture sector. It consolidates the aquaculture community and facilitates collaborative initiatives across Europe, e.g. through the recently established Smart Circular Aquaculture Partnership, seeking to promote inter-regional innovation transfer.
A series of digital seminars arranged for the EATiPs Mirror Platforms will introduce aquaculture clusters to their peers and member enterprises with the aim to provide insight into cluster competences and capacities, and to stimulate bilateral or interregional cooperation.
NCE Aquatech Cluster will host the first seminar
Register now and view agenda
EATIP Annual General Meeting 2024
The EATIP Annual General Meeting was held this year on the 19th & 20th of June 2024 at the HILTON Brussels Grand Place
DAY 1 – 19th June 2022
- 10:00 Visit to BIGH fish farm (for EATIP members and upon registration only)
- 13h00 Networking lunch for all participants.
Hilton Brussels Grand Place – Carrefour de l’Europe 3, 1000 Brussels
- 14:00 Introduction & Welcome
- 14:10 Session 1: Research & Innovation Trends: A policy context. / Session Lead: David Bassett, General Secretary, EATIP
- Aspects of aquaculture research and innovation within EU Mission Ocean Restore our Ocean and Freshwaters and Sustainable Food Policy.
- Foresight : a timeline to the 10th European Framework Programme for Research & Innovation.
Szilvia Nemeth, European Commission Deputy Head of the Ocean, Seas and Waters Unit B4, DG RTD - Strengthening Regional Innovation Capacity and Interregional Cooperation through Cohesion Policy.
Wolfgang Munch, European Commission DG Regional & Urban Policy, Unit G1 – smart & sustainable growth - Group Exercise / Discussion
- 15:00 Session 2: Focus on European Partnerships and Missions / Session Lead: David Bassett, General Secretary, EATIP
- An overview of the European Partnership for Animal Health and Welfare and current first funding call – the aquatic animal perspective.
Nathalie Vanderheijden, University of Ghent Coordinator of the European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare - Updating aquaculture stakeholders on the European Partnership for Sustainable Blue Economy.
Maurice Heral, Brussels Cellule, European Partnership for Sustainable Blue Economy - Aquaculture Stakeholder Engagement with EU Mission Restore our Oceans and Freshwaters: A basin/lighthouse approach to blue economy research, dissemination and exploitation.
Mission Ocean Team & Prep4Blue Project - Group Exercise / Discussion
- An overview of the European Partnership for Animal Health and Welfare and current first funding call – the aquatic animal perspective.
- 16:30 Session 3: Smart Specialisation for Smart & Circular Aquaculture / Session Lead: Alexandra Neyts, Senior Advisor, EATIP
- An EATiP Strategy for improved regional innovation transfer using the EATIP Mirror Platform network and the EC Smart Specialisation Strategy.
- Introducing the EATiP Smart & Circular Aquaculture Platform.
- Results from the EATiP Mirror Platform Mapping Exercise.
- Identification of EATIP members engagement with regional authorities and national smart specialisation strategies.
- Identification of EATiP members engagement with regional authorities and national smart specialisation strategies.
- An EATiP Strategy for improved regional innovation transfer using the EATIP Mirror Platform network and the EC Smart Specialisation Strategy.
- 17:00 Session 4: Prioritisation exercise within the EATiP Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda – 2026/2027 and beyond / Session Lead: Alex Obach, EATIP President and Director of Innovation, Skretting
- Further to the circulation of a paper on identified topics for research and innovation prioritisation, a discussion will be moderated on agreed priorities for action for the remaining duration of Horizon Europe (2026 – 2027) with a forward look to the 10th Framework Programme.
- 17:30 Session 5: Project Updates & Opportunities for Collaboration
- EATiP Projects Update
- AquaExcel 3.0 / Alexandra Neyts
- Aquaculture Assistance Mechanism / David Bassett
- OLAMUR / Pam Ernstberger
- Current summary of EATiP project roles – invitation for EATIP member engagement
- Identification of collaboration activities with EATiP members
- Aquaculture Europe 2024 – EC/EATIP/EAS innovation Forum
- … your event!…
- EATiP Projects Update
- 18:30 Closing Aperitif and Networking Opportunity, offered by EATIP
DAY 2 – 20th June 2024
- 09:30 Session 6: EATIP Communications & Member Projects
- Membership communication: getting value from EATiP activities and information and making the most of the EATiP Basecamp System / Catherine Pons
- Boosting project communication, dissemination and exploitation with profile raising through EATiP social media / Pam Ernstberger
- EATiP Member Project Pitches
- BlueBoost: Riccardo Napolitano / ITAQUA-CREA
- ValueShell : Andrea Forgione and Lucia Tudini / CREA
- 11:00 General Assembly of EATiP – Only for EATiP Members
- 13:00 Walking lunch for all participants
- 16:00 EATiP Mirror Platform Meeting (for mirror platforms and their members only)
For further details on presentations during the AGM, please contact the secretariat.
Annual General Meeting of the EATiP
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:
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
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
- Theme 1: Aquaculture to 2030 – The European Policy Context
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 Internship – 2022
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
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.
