BALTIC SEA

ECOSEAL PROJECT (INTERREG IV A): Balancing between sustainable seal population management and fisheries

PROJECT DURATION January 2012 – December 2013

MEMBERSHIP Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute (leader partner) / University of Helsinki, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources and Estonian Marine Institute of Tartu

AIMS The project ECOSEAL brings together experts on seal , fish stock management, and mathematical modelling as well as different stakeholders from Finland, Sweden and Estonia in order to produce and utilise new, extensive information and practical tools to be introduced to favourable seal management in the Baltic countries. The project aims at providing practical tools for conservation and management actions for the Baltic seals. The project also disseminates up-to-date information on different aspects of seal-fishery interactions (by-catch, impact of seals on fish and fishery) to fishermen and other stakeholders and proposes ways to mitigate the conflict. The project also assesses possibilities of local people in the coastal archipelageo region to start utilising seals as a goal of nature tourism.

WEBSITE http://www.ecosealproject.eu

AQUABEST PROJECT (INTERREG IV B): Innovative practices and technologies for developing sustainable in the Baltic Sea region

PROJECT DURATION June 2011 - March 2014

MEMBERSHIP Riista-ja kalatalouden tutkimuslaitos (leader partner) / Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, University of Helsinki (Faculty of Law), The Government of Aland (Section Fisheries and Environment), Regional Council of Jamtland, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Swedish Board of Agriculture, Polish Trout Breeeders Association, Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment, Belarusian State Agricultural Academy, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Aqua), The Danish Aquaculture Organisation, Association for marine aquaculture, Johann Heinrich von Thunen Institute (Federal Research Institue for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries), University of Tartu. Associated partners: HELCOM Helsinki Commission, ICES International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, NACEE Network for Aquaculture Centres in Central and Eastern , BioMar AS, Raisio Agro, AquaCircle, The Association of Fishmeal and Fishoil Manufacturers in Denmark, Finnish Fish Farmer’s Association, The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, Jamtland County Administrative Board, Kalmar County Administrative Board, The Kalmarsund Commission, The Regional County of Kalmar, The County Administrative Board of Stockholm, Regional Council of Southwest Finland, Regional Council of Central Finland.

AIMS AQUABEST strives to demonstrate that the Baltic Sea region aquaculture has the potential to become a sustainable and responsible food production system, accepted by all stakeholders. It will target the following four specific problems and demonstrate practices to solve them.

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1) Aquaculture relies upon nutrients imported from oceans thus contributing to eutrofication of the Baltic Sea. 2) Recent spatial planning knowledge has not been transferred to most Baltic Sea regions, and aquaculture has therefore not developed in offshore or other remote areas with less environmental effects, competition and conflicts. 3) Feasibility of recirculation farming has not been assessed and technology transferred throughout BSR regions. 4) Licensing systems do not encourage adoption of eco-efficient technologies and practices.

RESULTS AQUABEST has progressed in all four themes towards sustainable aquaculture in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). Firstly, a Code of Conduct for responsible aquaculture in the Baltic Sea Region, a result of a process conducted by flagship project BESTAQ of the EUSBSR, has been printed, published on the AQUABEST website and delivered to relevant international decision makers such as BALTFISH, HELCOM and EU Commission as well as to national decision makers. As far as the legislative framework is concerned, the licensing system is very heterogenous across the BSR. There are only a limited amount of incentives in legislation. Instead, the sector experiences red tape in several countries. To overcome these obstacles, AQUABEST is involved in a regional pilot at Åland in the form of a dialogue within their government to introduce incentive elements into the legislation, such as taking into account nutrient recirculation via fish feeds. Changes in legislation are expected to take place already during the project lifespan. The AQUABEST Aquaculture Spatial Planning Manual is being field tested through the Jämtland, Kalmar and Åland spatial planning processes. These cases will be thoroughly evaluated to serve as roadmaps for aquaculture spatial planning in other BSR regions. Regional spatial planning activities are ongoing involving numerous stakeholder consulations, which is an essential part of successful spatial planning. In Jämtland and Kalmar, GIS-based ranking of areas for new aquaculture activities has been prepared. Since spatial planning will show more conflict-free and ecologically less sensitive areas further from the coast towards the harsh open sea conditions, AQUABEST has been active in cage farming technology issues. A weather statistic analysis and more site-specific wind and wave condition analysis have been conducted. This report was used by the international market leader in cage farming technology, during their specialists visit at potential new farming sites. For mussel farming, existing information on technology for especially icy conditions has been reviewed and a collaborative workshop with the Submariner-project was organized on the theme. In the four day workshop, two days were devoted to start the series of AQUABEST roundtable discussions with the feed industry, fish farmers and decision makers on the Baltic Sea region -sourced fish feed ingredients. The first pilot farming using regionally sourced feed ingredients has been completed. Rainbow trout performed in net cages in the Baltic Sea equally well in comparison to commercial-type feeds. Full nutrient recirculation at the Baltic Sea level was achieved and 20% of nutrients were recirculated locally using mussel meal and local fish silage in the feed. To promote adoption of new technologies for the land-based farming, tests to develop nitrogen removal have been started, and preparations for intensive course on the water recirculation technology were initialized.

WEBSITE http://www.aquabestproject.eu

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MEDITERRANEAN SEA

FISHINMED (Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme): Mediterranean Network of sustainable small- scale fishing communities

PROJECT DURATION November 2011- November 2014

MEMBERSHIP Apulia Region – Regional Ministry to Agrofood Policies – Department Hunting and Fishing (leader partner) / Agricultural Research Center - The Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research (Egypt), Hellenic Centre for Marine Research Institute of Marine Biological Resources (Greece), Regional Agency LAORE Sardegna Vegetables Production Department Studies and Projects Sector, Sicilian Region – Department of Fisheries (Italy), International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies - Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Ministry of Agriculture Department Of Fisheries & Wildlife (Lebanon) and General Direction of Fishing and Aquaculture (Tunisia)

AIMS FISHINMED aims at protecting and enhancing small fishing communities, thus increasing employment opportunities as well as preventing the uncontrolled exploitation of sea resources. The results expected are:

 Definition of strategies for the socioeconomic development of small fishing communities  Setting up of a system for the technical support and assistance to small fishing communities to diversify activities and strengthen the competitiveness of fishing operators  Enhancement of the role of Mediterranean small fishing communities

WEBSITE www.enpicbcmed.eu/projects

AQUAMED PROJECT (7FP): The future of research on aquaculture in the Mediterranean Region

PROJECT DURATION June 2010 – May 2013

MEMBERSHIP European Fisheries and Aquaculture Organisation (leader partner) / Ifremer, Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute for Marine Ressources and Ecosystem Studies (as part of Wageningen University & Research centre, National Institute of Biological Resources and Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale.

Associated Partners: University of Annaba, Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries (Croatia), National Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries (Egypt), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France), AquaTT, Agricultural Research Organisation Volcani Centre (Israel), Institut d’Océanographie et des pêches (Lebanon), Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (Morocco), Institut National des Sciences et Techniques de la Mer (Tunisia), Central Fisheries Research Institute (Turkey).

AIMS AQUAMED will promote innovative Mediterranean research and focus on the most relevant issues needed to sustain aquaculture in the region. It will strengthen the EU-Mediterranean partnership in developing common projects, and in planning for the challenges Mediterranean aquaculture faces, now and into the future. The main achievements of AQUAMED will be:

 Coordinated research activities across EU Member States and third countries in the Mediterranean region;

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 Synergies between stakeholders and a network of partners committed to mutually agreed applied research objectives;  A sustainability pathway for transnational joint research activities through a multi-stakeholder platform, a long-term structure to be used after the project is completed.

RESULTS Methodology: A specific Work package (WP) dedicated at defining the most efficient methods to reach the goals of the work packages was identified from the beginning of the project proved relevant and contributed to the project mapping and collecting relevant data, to establish the methodological lay out of a database and to define an efficient method for typology. More generally it had an efficient contribution to help reaching a common understanding among project partners with very different cultural backgrounds.

Data collection and database: The first objective was to collect data concerning research aquaculture in the partner countries. The characteristics of the data were discussed and a consensus on the level of precision was reached during a WP leader meeting. Three questionnaires were prepared for each national representative and three databases could be filled in through internet. When the process of data collection was closed, 533 descriptions of research projects, 145 descriptions of research institutions and 218 descriptions of stakeholders were submitted. All the information was sent back to the national representatives for cleaning and completing. The three remaining problems are the method and means for a periodic updating and cleaning, the access level for the database and the final database long term storage.

Typology and recommendations: The typology and the formulation of recommendations will allow identifying relevant intermediate multi-stakeholder platforms contributing to set up the final project platform, which will formulate recommendations at the national and at Mediterranean levels. The data processing to regroup countries per type of situations will facilitate exchanges between partners, in order to formulate relevant recommendations.

Assessment tools: The objective of this WP is to provide a frame for evaluation of the progress at the two levels: research activity and global sustainability of the sector, using selected sustainability indicators. A selection of relevant sustainability indicators developed through past projects will be validated. A compilation of existing sustainability indicators was already carried out.

Multi-stakeholder platform set up and sustaining: One of the first activities of WP9 was to prepare the terms of reference (TOR) of the platform. The updated version of TORs is in circulation among partners.

Members of the AQUAMED project joined the Aquainnova stakeholders meeting on Mediterranean aquaculture. It was recommended to maintain a close update and interaction with Aquainnova platform and to evaluate alternative umbrella such as CAQ-GFCM.

To find ways for continuing the multi-stakeholder platform operation beyond the project life, collaborative research proposals were prepared. One proposal was already submitted and a second proposal is being considered.

The first official MSHP meeting took place at the second half of 2012, in Roma.

WEBSITE http://www.aquamedproject.eu

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NORTH SEA

NORTH SEA FISH PROJECT (INTERREG IV B): Innovation from catch to plate

PROJECT DURATION July 2012 – June 2014

MEMBERSHIP Municipality of Marne (leader partner) / Municipality of Harlingen (The Netherlands), Municipality of Sluis (The Netherlands), University of Hull (United Kingdom), EV- ILVO (Belgium), VLAGEW (Belgium), Port of Hanstholm (Denmark).

AIMS The approach of the North Sea Fish project is to enhance logistics in the total supply chain of wet fish from catch to plate. This includes logistical solutions for fish based regional economies to benefit local communities. North Sea Fish focuses on broadening the supply chain to include alternative sustainable solutions, specialization of activities in parts of the chain and increasing the efficiency between chain parts. These innovations aim to safeguard the much needed change of fisheries to towards a sustainable, consumer-oriented and competitive future. The objectives are:

 Increase the innovative capacity of fish based regional economies by means of specializing within the wet fish supply chain  Increase the innovative capacity of fish based regional economies by means of broadening the wet fish supply chain  Contributing to the sustainable transition of fishing, by implementing concrete strategies, technologies and methods  Communicate North Sea Fish in such a way that other regions with fishery economies in (and outside) the NSR can benefit and take advantage from the outcome and results of North Sea Fish

WEBSITE http://www.northseafish.eu/

ATLANTIC ARC

DEEPFISHMAN PROJECT (7FP): Management and monitoring of deep sea fisheries and stocks

PROJECT DURATION April 2009 – September 2012

MEMBERSHIP IFREMER (leader partner) / CEFAS (United Kingdom), University of Iceland, Institute of Marine Research (Norway), Imperial College of London, National Marine Information and Research Center (Namibia), Azti-tecnalia (), IPIMAR (Portugal), Marine Institute (Ireland), HCMR (Greece), IEO (Spain), MRI (Iceland), University of Portsmouth.

AIMS This project is expected to result in a number of case studies detailing current problems with assessment or management of deep sea fisheries. On the basis of such results new methods will be developed, tested and recommended for future adoption within the EU. The socio-economic profile and projected impact of such management strategy options as applied both over a short time and in the longer-term will be reported for selected fisheries. The analysis will consider historical catch data in order to evaluate changes in biodiversity and to identify protocols for monitoring biodiversity of both vertebrates and invertebrates in the deep-water ecosystem. The project will focus on various deep-species including Orange Roughy, Blue Ling, Red Seabream Black Scabbardfish, Redfish, Greenland Halibut and Namibian Orange Roughy. A review of the historical development of the fisheries and a describiption of the main characteristics of the fleets currently involved will be carried

5 out. Reviews of the biology, ecological and other biological aspects, including data collected from stock assessment surveys will be extended to cover aspects of biodiversity, Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) and socio-economic data. Information currently available for management and monitoring purposes will be used to identifying strengths and weaknesses as well as existing data/information not fully used at present. Collated fisheries data will include all aspects of by-catch data, including other commercial and non-commercial fish species, corals, sponges and other benthos. The project will also report on current and historical management and monitoring procedures/methods including assessments, biological reference points, harvest control rules, measures to protect and conserve biodiversity such as Marine Protected Areas and status of stocks. In general it will identify possible improvements in the current management and monitoring framework that could be made by making better use of data currently available.

WEBSITE http://www.ifremer.fr/deepfishman

SEAFARE PROJECT (INTERREG IV B): Sustainable and environmentally friendly aquaculture for the Atlantic Region of Europe

PROJECT DURATION January 2010 – December 2012

MEMBERSHIP Bangor University (leader partner) / Ifremer, IFAPA, AquaTT, INRB I.P. - IPIMAR - Olhao.

Associated Partners: FORMOSA, Environment Agency Wales, Fitoplancton Marino (Easyalgae), Marine Institute, North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee, Scottish Association for Marine Science, University de Bretagne Occidentale, University College Cork, Pesquerias .

AIMS

SEAFARE is designed to provide small-to-medium enterprises and public authorities with tools for sustainable and environmentally friendly aquaculture. It will strengthen links between researchers and industry, and influence policy development at regional and national levels. It will deliver innovative solutions for coastal zone management and the sustainable management of economic activity.

The project's intent is for the group to form a long-term resource on the western seaboard of Europe and beyond. The main objectives of the project are:

 To promote diversification of the aquaculture industry by providing a greater range of species and alternative production systems, including offshore systems;  To protect sensitive coastal environments through the development of novel integrated farming systems in sensitive and to minimise the impacts of aquaculture discharges through the use of as natural biofilters;  To assess the dangers associated with introduced aquaculture species using Pacific oysters as a model.

RESULTS

The SEAFARE project has focused its main efforts on a broad spectrum of areas as diverse as improving the rearing/breeding system for mollusc, increasing understanding of the genetics of the oyster populations in the European Atlantic area, and developing integrated multitrophic aquaculture systems in earthen ponds. The project has made significant gains developing better understanding of the trophic interactions in extensive fish farming culture through its work on the Veta de la Palma ecosystem case study.

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Veta la Palma is an aquaculture farm located on an island in the river, 10 miles (16km) inland from the Atlantic Ocean in (south of Spain). Pedro Cañavate, representative of IFAPA and responsible for the work carried out in the case study, said “Veta la Palma provides excellent proof that extensive fish farming culture can be highly beneficial for areas that share similar characteristics. The Veta la Palma case study has shown that aquaculture can contribute to the recovery of lands that were once left idle due to their poor productivity. Currently, the aquaculture complex supports a great ecosystem that has developed around it”.

WEBSITE http://www.seafareproject.eu

CELTIC SEAS

CELTIC SEA TROUT PROJECT (INTERREG IV A)

PROJECT DURATION April 2010 – April 2013

MEMBERSHIP Bangor University and Inland Fisheries Ireland (leader Partners) / CEFAS (United Kingdom), Association of River Trusts, Solway Sea Trout Group, Clwyd and Conwy Fisheries Trust, Carmarthenshire rivers Trust, Teifi Rivers Trust, Slaney Rivers Trust, Loughs Agency, AFBI, University College Cork, Queens University Belfast, Marine Institute, Countryside Council for Wales, Department for Culture Arts and Leisure.

AIMS The Celtic Sea Trout Programme aims are:

 To understand and describe sea trout stocks in the Irish Sea in order to enhance their fisheries, and strengthen their contributions to quality of life, to rural economies and to national biodiversity.  To explore the use of sea trout life history variation as a tool to detect and understand the effects of climate change.

WEBSITE http://www.celticseatrout.com

EUROPEAN WATERS

COEXIST PROJECT (7FP): Interaction in coastal waters: A roadmap to sustainable integration of aquaculture and fisheries

PROJECT DURATION April 2010 – April 2013

MEMBERSHIP Havforskningsinstituttet (leader partner) Johann heinrich von thuenen-institut, University College Cork, Ifremer, Instituto Nacional de Recursos Biologicos, IMAR, RIISTA, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, The Secretary of State for environment, food and rural affairs, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, AquaTT, Suomen Ymparistokeskus, Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek.

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AIMS

COEXIST is a broad, multidisciplinary project which will evaluate competing activities and interactions in European coastal areas. A roadmap for integration of aquaculture and fisheries with other activities in the coastal zone will be the central output of the project. The ultimate project outcomes will be:

 Characterisation of relevant European coastal marine ecosystems, their current utilisation and spatial management.  Evaluation of spatial management tools for combining coastal fisheries, aquaculture and other uses, both now and in the future.

RESULTS

Geographically diverse case studies, representing the various conditions and combinations of activities in European coastal areas, have been analysed, and the main conflicts and synergies between the activities carried out in these areas have been identified.

WEBSITE http://www.coexistproject.eu

AQUAINNOVA PROJECT (7FP): Supporting governance and multi-stakeholder participation in aquaculture research and innovation

PROJECT DURATION February 2010 – July 2012

MEMBERSHIP European Agriculture Technology and Innovation Platform (leader partner)

AIMS

AQUAINNOVA assists The European Agriculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATIP) in actively promoting the exploitation, dissemination and communication of Community aquaculture research actions and results, looking to improve the manner in which the knowledge generated is efficiently managed, disseminated and transferred.

Specifically, the project focuses on providing the support and the methodologies required to facilitate the development of vision documents and strategic research agendas on the sectoral components of European aquaculture, by:

 Establishing a basis for applying good governance principles between the different stakeholders, using a participative process, so as to facilitate the creation and development of vision documents and strategic research agendas for the main thematic areas identified by EATIP. This means:

 To optimise communication between stakeholders in European aquaculture;  To identify knowledge and innovation gaps within the aquaculture value chain;  To improve knowledge management within the operating sector;  To develop policy support guidelines and identify potential inputs for future legislative processes;  To respond to societal concerns on the processes and products of livestock rearing.  Providing dedicated fora to facilitate the dialogue between National and European policy makers, researchers and stakeholders, through the organisation of 4 transnational workshops covering the thematic components of the aquaculture value chain.

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 Assuring the promotion of the communication, dissemination and exploitation of Community funded RTD projects by sourcing and summarising, in easy-to-understand terms, research results in aquaculture from the different Community Framework Programmes, focusing on relevance to development and exploitation - using web-based information supply, compendia and demonstrations.  Creating the conditions for managing knowledge by identifying needs, challenges and methodologies for knowledge application and utilisation.

WEBSITE http://www.eatip.eu

CREAM PROJECT (7FP): Coordinating research in support to application of EAF (Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries) ad management advice in the Mediterranean and Black seas

PROJECT DURATION May 2011 – May 2014

MEMBERSHIP Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza - International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic studies (leader partner) / Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Hellenic centre for Marine Research, Consorzio per il Centro Interuniversitario di Biologia Marina ed Ecologia Applicata, University of Rome, Ifremer, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia, National Research Council - Institute for Coastal Marine Environment (Italy), Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (Morocco), National Institute for Marine Sciences and Technologies (Tunisia), EgeUniversity Fisheries Faculty (Turkey), National Institute for Marine Research and Development (Romania), Institute of Oceanology (Bulgaria), Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (Russian Federation), Southern Scientific Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography (Ukraine), Alexandria University, Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (Croatia), American University of Beirut, Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs (Malta), Ministry of Agriculture (Cyprus), Water Ecology and Fisheries Research Institute (Georgia)

AIMS

The main expected result of the project is a network of research bodies and teams, including third countries in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, to improve coordination of research programmes on fisheries management. And also:  Exhaustive diagnosis on the data and methodologies currently available and being used for the implementation of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) in the Mediterranean and Black Seas;  Identification of knowledge gaps and opportunities to improve research coordination;  Proposals for the harmonization of methodologies for data collection and analysis;  Integration in the network of the regional bodies and the national bodies and the national organisations responsible for fisheries management in the Mediterranean and Black Seas;  Fisheries researchers, technicians and decision makers trained in the EAF and project results disseminated.

WEBSITE http://www.cream-fp7.eu

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MEFEPO PROJECT (7FP): Making the European Fisheries Ecosystem Operational

PROJECT DURATION September 2008 – November 2011

MEMBERSHIP University of Liverpool (leader partner) / Instituto Nacional de Recursos Biologicos, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Marine Institute, Universitetet i Tromsoe, The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Aalborg Universitet, IMAR, Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia, Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek

AIMS

MEFEPO aims to show how ecosystem-based fisheries management can be introduced to Europe. The project is based on the extensive research which has already been conducted by national governments and the European Union.

This is a governance-based project and is primarily focused on showing how the different strands of information used in management (ecology, economics and social sciences) can be brought together into an integrated governance system.

The project is using three regional case studies. The regions follow the borders of the following Regional Advisory Committees (RACs).

WEBSITE http://www.liv.ac.uk/mefepo

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