3 EU ITN projects on Aquaculture met in Vienna
The event brought together Ph.D. students and researchers to discuss their work on different aspects of research and development on sustainable aquaculture practices.
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic animals, such as fish, shellfish, and algae, and ensuring the sustainable development of these practices, minimizing their environmental and social impacts is of utmost importance for ensuring global food security. Therefore, sustainable aquaculture is essential for meeting the growing global demand for seafood while protecting the environment.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) consortiums RASOPTA, EATFISH, and EASYTRAIN held a joint event on September 22nd in Vienna, Austria. The event brought together Ph.D. students and researchers to discuss their work on different aspects of research and development on sustainable aquaculture practices. These consortiums are funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. Together, they join 33 students from all over the world, working in top-class universities and research centers around Europe.
The RASOPTA consortium, led by Copenhagen University, in Denmark, is working to develop new technologies and practices for sustainable recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). RAS systems are closed-loop systems that recycle water and nutrients, making them much more environmentally friendly than traditional open-net aquaculture systems.
The EATFISH consortium, led by Wageningen University, in the Netherlands, integrates the biological, technical, political, and socio-economic aspects of aquaculture, which are essential for optimizing these practices and enhancing their economic and environmental sustainability.
The EASYTRAIN consortium, led by Murcia University, in Spain is developing innovative aquaculture systems based on modern techniques, by bringing together industrial partners with expertise in the fields of feed production, aquaculture engineering and biotechnology.
The day brought intense discussions on many aspects of aquaculture productions and increased the contact and network between the projects. The connection between industry and science is of utmost importance for bringing the sector forwards and with the interaction between these three projects the network across Europe has been significantly increased.
The plan is to have another joint day at the Aquaculture Europe/World conference which will be held in Copenhagen in August 2024.