AVCC-News

Blue Food Innovation Summit 2023

The Blue Food Innovation Summit will take place on 23-24 May 2023, in London, aiming to put blue food, sustainable aquaculture, and restorative ocean practices at the heart of the global conversation.

The event brings aquaculture industry together to discuss forward-thinking approaches to aquatic food production, including sustainable aquafeed, seaweed, fish health and welfare, and digital platforms for smallholder farmers, encouraging collaboration and partnership between stakeholders across the value-chain.

The key topics to be covered are:

• Ocean data – scaling solutions in restorative and sustainable aquaculture
• Empowering small scale farmers
• A restorative deep dive
• Aquatic health and welfare
• Expanding the horizon for RAS (recirculating aquaculture systems)
• Blue investment
• Sustainable aquafeed
• Accelerating the seafood revolution
• Unlocking blue carbon

The first annual Blue Food Innovation Summit took place last year in London, featuring in-person sessions and networking, with a live audience of 250 and a virtual streaming to a global audience of over 60 delegates online. The participants, consisting of aquaculture producers, feed specialists, technology providers, kelp farmers, investors, start-ups and retailers from 41 countries, were able to exchange ideas, share experiences and forge new partnerships to scale blue food production sustainably while protecting and restoring the oceans.

For more information and registration, please access: https://www.bluefoodinnovation.com/

Financing Opportunity: Valorisation of Aquatic Biomass Waste and Residues

Programme: Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)

Call: Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023)

Type of action: HORIZON-JU-IA HORIZON JU Innovation Actions

Deadline date: 20 September 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 Innovation action is 70% (except for non-profit legal entities, where a rate of up to 100% applies).

Scope:

The specific challenge consists in demonstrating and deploying the efficient operation of a full value chain based on residuals and side streams from aquaculture, fisheries and aquatic processing for valorisation into new bio-based products (food/feed ingredients, chemicals and materials), increasing the value of extracted fractions, while retaining and adding functionality and increasing the range of end applications. Additional challenge consists in guaranteeing quality of the biomass for processing, including by mobile and modular units (where relevant). Microalgae and related streams are not in scope.

Proposals under this topic should:

• Demonstrate the suitability of small scale, decentralised biorefinery concepts (that may include modular and mobile units when relevant), extracting maximum value from (all components of) the sustainably sourced bio-based feedstock to produce a variety of products in the scope of CBE JU including chemicals, bioactives, soil nutrients, as well as food and feed ingredients.
• Upscale the production technologies and deploy the complete value chain to address the hurdles and bottlenecks regarding the availability, sourcing, logistics and associated infrastructure in the targeted biomass feedstock supply systems. These could include pre-treatment aspects as necessary to preserve feedstock quality and minimise losses due to biodegradation.
• Demonstrate the selection, extraction or production of specific compounds from these residual streams into products for further value-added applications in the chemical industry, cosmetics and human or animal nutrition. Proposals may address more than one feedstock and production chain in an integrated concept.
• Include processing operations tailored to local circumstances. These operations will need to cope with availabilities, distances, qualities of the residuals and side streams, possible variations in these qualities, etc. The business case underlying the proposal must include a feasibility assessment (technological and financial) of: (i) the associated processes at the envisaged scale; and (ii) combinations with other relevant processes.

Proposals are recommended to include a task to perform an assessment based on the safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) framework, developed by the European Commission, for assessing the safety and sustainability of chemicals and materials. Under this context, proposals are recommended to also include a task to contribute with and develop recommendations that can advance further the application of the SSbD framework.

Proposals may consider making existing/new industrial assets (e.g., labs, test rigs, etc.) accessible to researchers, SMEs, etc., for visit, training and testing bio-based processes.

Proposals must apply the concept of the ‘multi-actor approach’ and ensure adequate involvement of primary producers and other relevant actors in rural/coastal areas

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-ju-cbe-2023-iaflag-04;callCode=null;freeTextSearchKeyword=aquaculture;matchWholeText=true;typeCodes=0,1,2,8;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

Gene Editing in Aquaculture

The publication Gene editing in aquaculture is a brief of a specific aquaculture innovation. 

The document contains information on the technique and approach used, scope and scale of application, accessibility and the outcome and benefits of the innovation.

You can access the publication at the following address: https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/publication/294817

Sustainable Aquaculture Summit 2023

The Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) is holding the Sustainable Aquaculture Summit, during 16-17 May 2023. The event will be taking place at the Technology and Innovation Centre in Glasgow, United Kingdom and will focus on the future of aquaculture, exchanging ideas and knowledge on the following three themes: 

– Fish Health Matters;

– Innovation With Impact;

– Sustainable Foods, Strong Communities.

The two days of the event will consist of:

Day 1: The Future of Aquaculture: VISION – £100Featuring thought-provoking, challenging and novel panel sessions made up of aquaculture experts from across industry, academia and the public sector. 

Day 2: The Future of Aquaculture: DELIVERY – freeOffering a variety of in-depth, concurrent sessions and workshops.  

Conference dinner: Citation, Merchant City, Glasgow – £80
You can attend both or either day, and you can come along to the conference dinner on the evening of 16 May.

For registration, please access the following link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sustainable-aquaculture-summit-tickets-538796042467

Romania: Aquaculture and Fisheries Programme 2021-2027 Promotion Event

The General Department for Fisheries – Managing Authority for the Operational Programme for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs (Romania) is organizing the first Aquaculture and Fisheries Programme  2021-2027 promotion event on May 4, 2023, in Tulcea.

Representatives of entities from Tulcea, Braila, Galati, Vrancea and Constanta counties, interested in financing opportunities in the field of fisheries and aquaculture (fish farmers, processors, representatives of associates, professional federations, research institutes in the sector, representatives of public authorities, FLAGs, etc.) are invited to attend. 

Confirmation of participants will be done by communicating identification data (name, surname, e-mail, telephone) to the e-mail address popam.comunicare@madr.ro.

The agenda of the event is available at: https://ampeste.ro/popam-2014-2020/evenimente-popam-2014-2020/1406-agenda-evenimentului-de-promovare-popam-2014-2020-din-data-de-05-05-2023-din-tulcea.html

Romania: DECISION on the establishment of a state aid scheme to reduce the excise duty on diesel fuel used in aquaculture

On the 20th of April 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development published a draft of the Decision on the establishment of a state aid scheme to reduce the excise duty on diesel fuel used in aquaculture.

Citizens and interested institutions can send opinions/proposals/suggestions within 10 days from the date of publication, to the e-mail address: secretariat@anpa.ro

Interested persons or organizations that send written proposals, suggestions or opinions regarding the draft normative act subject to public debate shall specify the article or articles of the draft normative act to which they refer, mentioning the submission date and the contact details of the sender.

The draft decision is available at:

https://www.madr.ro/proiecte-de-acte-normative/8194-proiect-hg-schema-ajutor-reducere-acciza-motorina-acvacultura.html

Good Practices: Dinoville Aquafarm, South Korea

Webinar: The Pathology of Lates Calcarifer Herpesvirus

The World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association (WAVMA) will hold the webinar The pathology of Lates calcarifer herpesvirus on the 27th of April 2023, during 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EEST.

As part of WAVMA’s WebCEPD webinars, which are intended as educational programs on a variety of aquatic health issues and veterinary techniques, this webinar focuses on the clinical presentation, histopathology and pathogenesis of Lates calcarifer herpesvirus. 

For more information and for registration, you can access the link below:

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7261609526873062240

Financing Opportunity: (Interreg VI-B) NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme

The first call for proposals of the (Interreg VI-B) NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme was launched on 30 March 2023. Applications will be submitted online through the Jems application (Joint electronic monitoring system) at https://jems-bsb.mdlpa.ro/.The deadline for submission is July 4th, 2023, 16:00 hrs, Romania time.

Projects related to aquaculture are eligible under Priority 1: Blue and Smart Region, Specific Objective: Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities, Field of action 3: Use of innovative technologies for sustainable fisheries and eco-friendly aquaculture.

Eligible applicants under this Programme are:

• Public authorities (e.g. regional/county council, local council, municipality, ministries, etc.);
• Bodies governed by public law (e.g. state/regional owned institutes, universities and educational institutions, regional development agencies, nature parks and protected areas management bodies, research institutes, etc.);
• Non-profit organizations (e.g. associations, unions, foundations, private universities if their legal status is of a non-profit organization, Local Action Groups, Euro regions, European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation, etc.)

Co-financing rate: 10%

Geographical area covered:

Source: https://blacksea-cbc.net/interreg-next-bsb-2021-2027/calls-for-proposals/first-call-for-proposals

More information available at: https://blacksea-cbc.net/interreg-next-bsb-2021-2027

Good Practices: RDM Aquaculture LLC – One of the first indoor shrimp farms in the US

Located in Fowler, Indiana, RDM Aquaculture was started on July 13, 2010 and it raises Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), using biofloc or heterotrophic bacteria.

Find out more at https://www.rdmshrimp.com/.

You can also check out an interview with Karlanea Brown, co-founder of RDM Aquaculture:

https://thefishsite.com/articles/meet-the-farmer-karlanea-brown-indoor-biofloc-shrimp-farming