AQUAEXCEL3.0 E-Newsletter: Issue 2
Learn more about AQUAEXCEL3.0, its recent events, pitching courses, and other success stories.
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/media-centre/ and https://aquaexcel2020.eu/results (check out the Video and Innovative Outputs sections) which can be used as inspiration.
AQUAEXCEL3.0 is a research infrastructure project funded under the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme and coordinated by the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE). The project aims to further support the sustainable growth of the European aquaculture sector. For more details see the project website: https://aquaexcel.eu/
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.
Inaugural ‘On The Horizon’ online webinar
This event was the first in a series aiming to disseminate specific aquaculture project outputs from the EU Horizon Framework programmes and demonstrating support for key objectives including the Strategic Guidelines for competitive and sustainable aquaculture in the EU, the Blue Economy, the European Green Deal and Farm 2 Fork Strategies.
The forum was organised online on the 29th of September 2021 with the support of the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers.
Watch recording
If you are interested in taking part in a future “On the Horizon” project dissemination event then please contact the EATiP secretariat giving your name, organisation and a link to your project*.
Please find below all the presentations in pdf or watch the recordings.
29 September 2021
Agenda (10:00 – 12:00)
Welcome by the EATIP General Secretary, Mr. David Bassett
Introduction by the FEAP President, Mrs. Lara Barazi
Virtual Aquaculture Laboratory for optimizing experiments with fish and water treatment setups.
Finn Olav Bjørnson | SINTEF Ocean
Dietary effects on growth, survival and behavioural responses in lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus L.) larvae.
Ibon García Gallego | ULPGC
Potential of novel and circular based economy raw materials as main ingredients in salmon diets.
Katerina Kousoulaki | NOFIMA
Improving resource efficiency and disease resistance of farmed fish by selective breeding.
Antti Kause | Luke – Natural Resources Institute Finland
Genetic breeding approach to increase efficiency, reduction, and sustainability.
Julianna Kobolak | Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE)
Parasite management using data.
Björgólfur Hávarðsson | The Seafood Innovation Cluster Norway
Webinar conclusions
*As we develop the service, priority will be given to EATiP members and organisations linked to our Mirror Platforms (MIPs) and associates but we welcome expressions of interest from all within the aquaculture value chain.
AQUAEXCEL 3.0 – EATiP role : disseminating Knowledge Outputs
The second IRAP (Industry & Research Advisory Panel) meeting was successfully held on the 29th June 2021 where industry relevant projects’ outputs were further discussed by our experts.
AQUAEXCEL3.0 is a research infrastructure project funded under the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020, grant agreement number 871108. AQUAEXCEL3.0 aims to further boost the European aquaculture sector by, among other methods, expanding the Transnational Access programme to support even more external research teams collaborating with its high-quality facilities, providing free training courses on the latest topics and engaging closely with industry to ensure that research is aligned with industry needs.
Similar to the previous AQUAEXCEL (FP7, 2011-2015) and AQUAEXCEL2020 (H2020, 2015-2020) projects, one of the key aspects of AQUAEXCEL3.0 is to provide subsidised access to its top-class aquaculture facilities as well as numerous highly pertinent services for researchers from academia and industry. AQUAEXCEL3.0 will also provide training for transnational access users, aquaculture researchers, technical staff and industry stakeholders.
EATiP is managing the AQUAEXCEL3.0 Industry & Research Advisory Panel (IRAP), an interactive advisory body that contributes both to upstream guidance (e.g. industry need recommendations) as well as to downstream impact/dissemination as it aims at maximizing the possibilities for new knowledge to be translated into innovation, and so substantially increases the possibilities for success.
The AQUAEXCEL3.0 IRAP acts as a pro-active interface for the project involving the research community and the aquaculture industry. This strengthens industry-research relations and develops research that meets industry needs for innovation.
The first Knowledge Outputs will be disseminated on the 29 September 2021. Save the date!
Read more about the project here.
INNOVATIONS TO SUPPORT FISH WELFARE – WEBINAR PRESENTATIONS
Europe has one of the world’s highest standards of animal welfare. It provides the European aquaculture sector with a competitive advantage in the consumer’s search for safe, healthy and environmental-friendly food products. The Farm to Fork Strategy, which is at the heart of the European Green Deal, is aiming to strengthen this position. The EATiP Forum highlighted a set of smart solutions and digitalization tools to achieve better monitoring, control and management for different aquaculture systems, both at sea and on land.
The presentations can be viewed by clicking on the titles below.
The forum was organised in collaboration with the EU funded project AQUAEXCEL2020.
Presentations:
- Remote monitoring and analysis and fish welfare indicators in realtime. Sven Jørund Kolstø / CEO Optoscale
- Novel sensors to measure distributed flow in aquaculture sea cages. AQUAEXCEL2020 Asko Ristolainen /Tallinn University of Technology. View recording HERE
- Water Quality Monitoring in Relation to Animal Welfare. Mette Cristine Schou Frandsen / OxyGuard International
- Improving Atlantic salmon feeding process efficiency with the Smart System for Feeding Control (SICA). AQUAEXCEL2020 Rosa Martínez Álvarez-Castellanos / CTN-Marine Technology Centre
- AI-based fish health diagnosis. Dominik Ewald / Co-founder & CSO Monitorfish
- The potential of functional feeds to improve fish welfare. Charles McGurk / R&D manager Skretting ARC
Thank you for your interest and see you at our next event!
AQUAFEED OF THE FUTURE – WEBINAR OCTOBER 30TH
The first virtual EATiP Forum in a series of webinars related to aquaculture topics of high importance for the sector was held on October 30. More than 150 participants from 100 entities throughout Europe joined the event. Short talks about innovations in the the production of insect, single-cell protein and algae based fish feed were combined with Q&A sessions and surveys on the expected impact of the different solutions.
Please find below the presentations:
- The potential of new ingredients for aquaculture – a review of the current situation. Alex Obach | FEFAC / Skretting ARC
- Insects in Aquaculture market. Adriana Casillas | CEO in MEALFOOD Europe
- Effect of black soldier fly meal inclusion on production of pikeperch. AQUAEXCEL2020. Laura Gasco | University of Turin
- Microfood for macrochallenges. Allan LeBlanc | CALYSTA
- LSAqua protein source for rainbow trout diets. AQUAEXCEL2020. Paula Solé Jiménez | LSAQUA
- Unlocking the magnificent potential of algae in functional aquafeeds. Jorge Días | SPAROS LDA
Thank you for your interest and see you at our next event!
AQUAFEED OF THE FUTURE – WEBINAR OCTOBER 30TH
The Farm to Fork Strategy aims to reduce the environmental and climate impact of animal production, and to support the ongoing transition towards more sustainable livestock farming. Therefore, the European Commission will facilitate the placing on the market of sustainable and innovative feed additives. EATiP acknowledges the limitations on specific resource supplies for compound feeds. In addition to contributing to the sustainability of the sector, it is critical that alternative feed ingredients should not reduce the dietary and health attributes of the final product. The aim of this webinar is to show the potential of new ingredients for aquafeed, to highlight innovations in the use of algae, insects and single-cell proteins as promising feed ingredients and to stimulate discussions and potential project collaboration among attendants.
The forum is organised in collaboration with the EU funded project AQUAEXCEL2020.
Agenda
Welcome by the EATIP
Opening talk.
The potential of new ingredients for aquaculture – a review of the current situation. Alex Obach | FEFAC / Skretting ARC
Insects
- Insects in Aquaculture market. Adriana Casillas | CEO in MEALFOOD Europe
- Effect of black soldier fly meal inclusion on production of pikeperch AQUAEXCEL2020. Laura Gasco | University of Turin
Single-cells
- Microfood for macrochallenges. Allan LeBlanc | CALYSTA
- LSAqua protein source for rainbow trout diets AQUAEXCEL2020. Paula Sole-Jiminez | LSAQUA
Algae
- Unlocking the magnificent potential of algae in functional aquafeeds. Jorge Dias | SPAROS LDA
Open discussion. Chair: Yolanda Molares, Cluster ACUIPLUS
Webinar conclusions