Monthly Archives: February 2023

Possibilities and Examples for Energy Transition of Fishing and Aquaculture Sectors

The Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (European Commission) has published the document Possibilities and examples for energy transition of fishing and aquaculture sectors, which presents an overview of known initiatives for the energy transition of fishing and aquaculture vessels, up to January 2023. 

The publication is a living document and it will be regularly updated. 

In order to check it out, please access the following link: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/23464c13-b1c0-11ed-8912-01aa75ed71a1

Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector – Sustainability and Resilience

On the 21st of February 2023, the European Commission presented a package of measures intended to improve the sustainability and resilience of the EU’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.

The package includes four elements: A  Communication on the Energy Transition of the EU Fisheries and Aquaculture sector; an Action Plan to protect and restore marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries; a Communication on the common fisheries policy today and tomorrow and a Report on the Common Market Organisation for fishery and aquaculture products.

The proposed measures, which will be carried out gradually in order to help the sector adapt, aim to promote the use of cleaner energy sources and reduce dependency on fossil fuels as well as reduce the sector’s impact on marine ecosystems and to make the sector an attractive job place for the younger generations. 

One of the key actions is an Energy Transition Partnership for EU Fisheries and Aquaculture, which will bring together all stakeholders, including in fisheries, aquaculture, shipbuilding, ports, energy, NGOs, national and regional authorities, to collectively address the challenges of the sector’s energy transition.

The Common Market Organisation (CMO) regulation aims to ensure a level playing field for all fishery and aquaculture products marketed in the EU and it contributes to achieving sustainability in the exploitation of living marine resources. The CMO important not only for the sector (fishers, aquaculture producers, fishmongers, distributors, processors), but also for the consumers who benefit from accurate labelling on the fish or seafood they buy and from the freshness and quality of products guaranteed by marketing standards. 

More information available at: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_23_828

Aquafuture Spain, 2023

The second edition of Aquafuture Spain will take place during 28-30 March in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Aquafuture Spain aims to provide the visitors a space in which to share experiences and knowledge, to learn and teach, to explore the possibility of opening new markets and to update themselves on the latest technological innovations and market strategies.

Apart from the exhibition, the event will also feature technical conferences, focusing on the sustainability and growth of the aquaculture sector, as well as a cookery demonstration programme, which will allow visitors to discover and enjoy exquisite dishes made with aquaculture products.

In order to find out more about the event and for registration, please access https://en.aquafuturespain.com/.

Strategic Guidelines for a More Sustainable and Competitive EU Aquaculture for the Period 2021 to 2030

The European Comission has provided general guidelines on addressing the challenges and opportunities of the EU aquaculture sector, prepared in close consultation with EU Member States and stakeholders, notably those represented in the Aquaculture Advisory Council, while also taking into consideration the results of a public consultation and the views expressed by the European Parliament on the development of EU aquaculture.

The document sets the path for EU aquaculture to become a reference as a sector that is resilient, competitive and a global standard in sustainability and quality. In order to achieve this objective, it is necessary to have the support of all relevant actors (including EU Member States, the EU aquaculture industry, and other stakeholders such as NGOs) in implementing these guidelines.

You can check out the guidelines at the following links:

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52021DC0236&from=EN (English)

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EL/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52021DC0236&from=EN (Greek)

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/RO/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52021DC0236&from=EN (Romanian)

AQUACULTURE AWARDS 2023

Applications are open for the Aquaculture Awards 2023 until the 3rd of March.

The awards recognize aquaculture’s rising stars, long-term heroes, most forward-thinking enterprises, businesses or individuals making an exceptional contribution to the global aquaculture community.

The categories for the Awards include:

• RISING STAR – this category is open to all under-35s and aims to mark the achievements of the up-and-coming generation of aquaculture professionals and entries/nominations;
• COLLABORATION – companies and/or academic institutions that have opted to work together to solve key challenges facing the industry;
• INNOVATION;
• SUSTAINABILITY;
• COMMUNITY INITIATIVE – individual, company or organisation that has enhanced the industry’s relationship with the local communities which host it;
• SHELLFISH FARMER OF THE YEAR;
• FINFISH FARMER OF THE YEAR;
• ANIMAL WELFARE – entries are open to any initiative adopted after January 2022 that has improved the welfare of farmed fish and/or the wildlife they interact with;
• AQUACULTURE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR – entrants could be suppliers of aquaculture products or suppliers of goods and services to fish and shellfish producers;
• BEST NEW START UP – entries are open to international businesses that have been operational for less than 3 years (as of November 2022);
• BEST AQUACULTURE COMPANY – the award recognises sustainable practice, business performance, investment, staff management practices and local community involvement.
• JUDGE’S SPECIAL RECOGNITION – the winner will be selected from the awards entries, and can be an individual, a project or a business with impressive commitment and responsible approach to aquaculture;
• UNSUNG HERO – this award recognises the people who’ve worked tirelessly behind the scenes in any aspect of aquaculture;
• OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION – the wider industry is invited to nominate any individuals or companies who they feel have enhanced how the wider public, politicians, regulators or stakeholders perceive the industry, or have made an outstanding contribution to the sector through their work.

In order to apply, please access the following link: https://aquacultureawards.com/entry-form/

Finalists will be announced on the 20th of March.

This year’s Aquaculture Awards will be held on the 15th of June, in Inverness, Scotland, at the Macdonald Drumossie Hotel.

More information available at: https://aquacultureawards.com/

EUMOFA STUDY – STURGEON MEAT AND OTHER BY-PRODUCTS OF CAVIAR: PRODUCTION, TRADE, AND CONSUMPTION IN AND OUTSIDE THE EU

The European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) published a new study, titled Sturgeon meat and other by-products of caviar: production, trade and consumption in and outside the EU.

The objective of the report is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the market for sturgeon meat and other by-products and processed products from sturgeon.

You can access the study at the following link:

https://www.eumofa.eu/documents/20178/432372/Sturgeon+meat.pdf/5e78102f-670e-bae9-521a-a2d764e59aa3?t=1675868036405

Financing Opportunity: Cultured Meat and Cultured Seafood – State of play and Future Prospects in the EU

Programme: Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)

Call: Fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food systems from primary production to consumption (HORIZON-CL6-2023-FARM2FORK-01)

Type of action: HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

Deadline date: 12 April 2023 17:00:00 Brussels time

Legal entities from Greece, Romania, Türkiye and Ukraine, among other countries, are eligible applicants.

The maximum Horizon Europe funding rate for Research and innovation actions is 100%.

The objective of this topic is to develop knowledge on the sustainability aspects relevant to this subject (i.e. environmental, economic, and social). It does not aim to help developing the market of cultured meat and cultured seafood in the EU.

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Full understanding and up-to-date knowledge provided to food system actors on environmental, economic and social aspects of cultured meat and cultured seafood, including on ethics.
• Additional knowledge provided on potential challenges of and opportunities offered by cultured meat and cultured seafood to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air, water and soil pollution, resource depletion and impact on ecosystems, generation of wastes, and on human health.

Proposals are expected to address the following:

• Study the social aspects related to cultured meat and cultured seafood (potential benefits and risks): including the consumers’ perception on cultured meat and cultured seafood, animal welfare, religious and ethical aspects, health aspects (for example impacts on obesity or NCDs, nutrition aspects) beyond safety risks eventually assessed by EFSA, etc.
• Study the economic aspects (potential benefits and risks): including how to reduce the high infrastructure costs and high-cost raw materials, as well as scaling up in a cost-effective way (including through reaching out to start-ups in this field to understand the difficulties and potential); and the “cost of inaction” (economic impact of not having such investments in the EU and Associated Countries).
• Study the environmental aspects (potential benefits and risks) considering the entire life cycle by using the Environmental Footprint methods, including elements on carbon footprint, pollution, impacts on biodiversity, resource use, and considerations on how the released land from livestock production could be utilised within the bioeconomy system, etc. and develop a comparison of the overall environmental impact of cultured meat/seafood vs. conventional meat/seafood. Particular attention should be given to the assessment of the energy intensiveness of cultured meat and cultured seafood production. Livestock co-products, such as leather, pet food, cosmetics, fertilisers, other chemicals, etc., should also be considered, as well as food waste and packaging issues.
• Study technical problems relating to the production of cultured meat and cultured seafood and identify possible solutions that could improve the economic viability, circularity and overall sustainability.
• Identify new sources of ingredients for the cultured meat and cultured seafood to increase the sustainability aspects of the products (including the nutritional value).
• Identify, explore and study scenarios of market penetration and consumer acceptance of cultured meat and cultured seafood and conduct LCA analysis to assess the environmental and sustainability impact/benefits each scenario would result in (considering issues such as the availability of energy for different levels of uptake of this technology).
• Explore the current and possible future impacts for the farmers (including aqua-farmers) and industry, including economic viability, challenges and opportunities for the farming sectors, etc.

Proposals should involve a multi-disciplinary consortium of independent researchers that should organize conferences and meetings gathering a wide range of food system actors. International cooperation is strongly encouraged.

The project should have a clear plan as to how it will collaborate with any other relevant project funded under other relevant topics. They should participate in joint activities, workshops, focus groups or social labs, and common communication and dissemination activities, and show potential for upscaling. Applicants should plan the necessary budget to cover these activities.

Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section).

More information available at:

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl6-2023-farm2fork-01-13;callCode=null;freeTextSearchKeyword=aquaculture;matchWholeText=true;typeCodes=1,2,8;statusCodes=31094502;programmePeriod=null;programCcm2Id=43108390;programDivisionCode=43121563;focusAreaCode=null;destinationGroup=45355322;missionGroup=null;geographicalZonesCode=null;programmeDivisionProspect=null;startDateLte=null;startDateGte=null;crossCuttingPriorityCode=null;cpvCode=null;performanceOfDelivery=null;sortQuery=sortStatus;orderBy=asc;onlyTenders=false;topicListKey=topicSearchTablePageState

Financing Opportunity: Research Infrastructure Services

Programme: Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)

Call: Research infrastructure services to support health research, accelerate the green and digital transformation, and advance frontier knowledge (2023) (HORIZON-INFRA-2023-SERV-01)

Type of action: HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

Deadline date: 09 March 2023 17:00:00 Brussels time

Legal entities from Greece, Romania, Türkiye and Ukraine, among other countries, are eligible applicants.

The maximum Horizon Europe funding rate for Research and innovation actions is 100%.

This topic aims at providing trans-national access (on-site or remote) and/or virtual access to integrated and customised RI services for challenge-driven research and innovation in several areas (including aquaculture), offered by a wide range of complementary and interdisciplinary top level research infrastructures.

Access also includes ad hoc users’ training and scientific and technical support. Training courses for using the infrastructures may also be supported. Training courses and ad hoc users’ training will prepare the new generations of researchers to properly exploit leading-edge RIs, and should provide them with appropriate skills for data stewardship.

Activities to facilitate and integrate the access procedures, to further develop the remote or virtual provision of services and to improve, customise and harmonise the services the infrastructures will also be supported, including for better serving the needs of open EU industrial research and innovation.

While the main goal of this topic is access provision to existing services, limited development of new services, relevant to the challenges, can also be supported, including joint/cross-RI services, provided that the resulting services are opened and offered already under the actions (short term R&D) and that the long term sustainability of such services is ensured by the participant RIs.

Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:

For all areas:

• provision of innovative, customised and efficient RI services enhancing and increasing society’s long-term and consistent problem-solving capacity and evidence-based policy making;

For RI services for sustainable aquaculture, fisheries and blue economy

• enabling/facilitating R&I for sustainable aquaculture, fisheries and the blue economy;
• enhanced and further integrated RI capacities in support of the Common Fisheries Policy, the Farm to Fork Strategy, the sustainable blue economy and the European Green Deal.

Proposals for RI services for sustainable aquaculture, fisheries and blue economy should provide access to a wide portfolio of complementary research infrastructures and their services needed to address the scientific challenges in support of the Common Fisheries Policy, the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy. Building on past integration of access to facilities such as inland and marine aquaculture experimental platforms, marine biological resources and analytical platforms, relevant marine data and observing platforms, proposals should further integrate, customise or combine services and adapt modalities of access to facilitate interdisciplinary research addressing EU priorities.

Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section).

More information available at:

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-infra-2023-serv-01-01;callCode=null;freeTextSearchKeyword=aquaculture;matchWholeText=true;typeCodes=1,2,8;statusCodes=31094502;programmePeriod=null;programCcm2Id=null;programDivisionCode=null;focusAreaCode=null;destinationGroup=null;missionGroup=null;geographicalZonesCode=null;programmeDivisionProspect=null;startDateLte=null;startDateGte=null;crossCuttingPriorityCode=null;cpvCode=null;performanceOfDelivery=null;sortQuery=sortStatus;orderBy=asc;onlyTenders=false;topicListKey=topicSearchTablePageState

Good Practices: UV Disinfection – ULTRAAQUA

The ULTRAAQUA international manufacturer produces sistems of advanced UV water disinfection for a wide range of applications, such as Recirculated Aquaculture Systems (RAS), Aquaculture Intake Water, Municipal Wastewater, Drinking Water, Wellboats and more.

The Danish company was founded in 1996 by two scientists, having the purpose of solving the increasing global water safety challenges, by combining extensive research, innovation, and technology. 

Today, more than 10 000 UV disinfection systems have been supplied worldwide, helping to improve sustainability. UV disinfection protects fish facilities from diseases caused by microorganisms. This method is a chemical-free and well-proven technology that disinfects water with powerful ultraviolet light. UV light penetrates deep into the viruses and bacteria, alternating the DNA of the microorganisms – leaving them inactivated, and unable to produce damage.