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Operationalizing Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation for aquaculture

Project description

Innovative solutions for the aquaculture sector climate adaptation

To reduce emissions in the aquaculture sector, innovative solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation are essential. The EU-funded OCCAM project will develop and evaluate such solutions, providing scalable and practical recommendations for various aquaculture supply chains. Some solutions will have broad applicability, including guidelines for self-assessing CO2 emissions, meeting sustainability reporting requirements, and identifying opportunities for climate-resilient aquaculture production. Others will focus on specific species and production methods, such as carp, rainbow trout, salmon, bivalves, and seaweed (Ulva). Key strategies include upcycling sediments from freshwater aquaculture, producing biochar from sludge, and developing tools for self-assessing emissions from bivalve production.

Objective

The Operationalizing Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation for aquaculture (OCCAM) consortium consists of 22 industry and research partners from across Europe. The OCCAM objective is to implement, test, and evaluate innovative solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation in the aquaculture sector, and to deliver scalable, replicable, and exploitable solutions with accompanying recommendations ready for deployment in a wide variety of aquaculture supply chains. Some solutions are generic in nature with application across countries and sectors; this includes a Good Practice recommendation for self-assessment of CO2 emissions, guidelines for how to meet sustainability reporting requirements, templates for requesting and providing scientific advice, and a policy recommendation focusing on gaps and opportunities for climate-resilient aquaculture production. Other solutions are specific for sectors, species, and production methods, including solutions for carp, rainbow trout, salmon, bivalves, and seaweed (Ulva). To reduce emissions and contribute to aquaculture sector mitigation of climate change, sediments from freshwater aquaculture are upcycled, sludge is used to produce biochar, a digital tool for self-assessment of emissions from bivalve production is developed, and nets and pens with significantly reduced emissions are produced. Adaptation solutions include assessment of water availability and quality for freshwater aquaculture, selective breeding of more resilient rainbow trout, digital tools for forecasting and managing sea lice and Harmful Algal Blooms, and change of deployment parameters for oysters and seaweed given the expected changes in temperature and other environmental conditions. A prototype or proof of concept is developed for each solution, and where possible the proposed solution is also evaluated at a different site, and general recommendations are provided to other industry actors wishing to implement similar solutions.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-02

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Coordinator

NOFIMA AS
Net EU contribution
€ 997 854,00
Total cost
€ 997 855,00

Participants (22)