AQUAPHOENIX is pleased to be featured as one of 26 EU-funded projects working to strengthen sustainability, resilience and competitiveness of European aquaculture in a recent European Commission output. Published as a CORDIS Info Pack from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), the output details projects that are responding to a pressing priority: the need for the sustainable growth in the EU aquaculture industry to meet growing food demands within safe planetary boundaries.
The publication summarises the challenge as follows: “The EU is looking to turn the tide on aquaculture production. But growth cannot come at the expense of its ambitious climate goals. This means aquaculture needs to be scalable, but also sustainable. To achieve this, the EU adopted the Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture. Research and innovation play an important part in these guidelines.” From sustainable production and circular principles to novel products and approaches, the EU is currently funding multiple projects that respond to this challenge.
Alongside projects working across the value chain, AQUAPHOENIX is featured as a key innovation in aquaculture. According to the Info Pack: Whether it be fish feed or fish faeces, aquaculture creates a lot of waste, which is often carried into open water, polluting the surrounding marine environment. When pollutant levels become too high, fish farmers are forced to limit or even cease production. To reduce waste released into the environment, AQUAPHOENIX is developing technologies to collect and store it as sludge. This material can be turned into renewable energy, sustainable fertilisers and feed ingredients.”
