Project description
Engaging stakeholders to improve aquatic animal health
Farmed seafood is a significant source of protein for food with a low-emissions footprint. However, the efficient and cost-effective control of pathogens represents a critical challenge for the sector where there are diverse species and production systems. The EU-funded Cure4Aqua project will improve aquatic animal health and welfare and support environmentally friendly, inclusive, safe and healthy seafood production. Cure4Aqua will engage key stakeholders in developing cost-effective vaccines to prevent disease caused by five pathogens of economic significance to EU aquaculture. Cure4Aqua will identify markers with a diagnostic capacity to integrate into selective breeding programmes and develop innovative, bio-based alternatives to antibiotics solutions for controlling fish pathogens.
Objective
Farmed seafood is an important source of protein for food and feeds with a low-carbon footprint which has an important role to play in helping to build a sustainable food system. A strategic and long-term approach for the sustainable growth of a resilient EU aquaculture is, therefore, more relevant today than ever. However, the efficient and cost-effective control of pathogens remains among the main challenges for the sector, particularly relevant for Europe, where there is a great variety of species and production systems, which hinders the implementation of good husbandry practices tailored to each aquatic species. Through active engagement with key stakeholders, Cure4Aqua aims to jointly improve the resilience of EU aquaculture under environmental, biological, and socio-economic stress, by improving aquatic animal health and welfare and supporting the environmentally friendly, inclusive, safe, and healthy production of seafood. Cure4Aqua will do so by 1) developing cost-effective vaccines to prevent disease caused by 5 pathogens of economic significance to EU aquaculture; 2) Identifying markers with diagnostic capacity to be integrated to selective breeding programs to improve stress and disease management; 3) Developing innovative, bio-based and sustainable solutions as an alternative to antibiotics for controlling fish pathogens at various life stages and alleviate the pressure of global antimicrobial resistance; 4) Developing new tools and technology to improve health and welfare monitoring at the fish farm level and diagnostics of fish pathogens both at the laboratory and the fish farm levels; 5) Placing fish welfare at the foreground of aquaculture production, through the development of high welfare standards that consider different life-stages, production systems, and knowledge of welfare needs, and 6) Ensuring effective external communication, dissemination and exploitation of project activities and results to all relevant target groups.
Fields of science
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesfisheries
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsantibiotics
- agricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animalsanimal husbandry
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug resistanceantibiotic resistance
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
370 05 Ceske Budejovice
Czechia
See on map
Participants (21)
See on map
D08H67X Dublin
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
19013 Attikia Anavissos
See on map
2800 Kongens Lyngby
See on map
1165 Kobenhavn
See on map
33170 GRADIGNAN
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
74100 Rethimno
See on map
15782 Santiago De Compostela
See on map
21000 SPLIT
See on map
2411-901 Leiria
See on map
715 00 IRAKLEIO
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
8026 Bodo
See on map
08193 Cerdanyola Del Valles
See on map
30559 Hannover
See on map
28006 Madrid
See on map
332 00 GALAXIDI
See on map
06560 Valbonne
See on map
10556 ATHENS
See on map
77-100 BYTOW
See on map
1210 Wien
See on map
10330 Bangkok
See on map
Partners (9)
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
8092 Zuerich
See on map
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
6928 Manno
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
8307 Effretikon
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
N/A Valparaiso
See on map
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
WA14 1ES Altrincham
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
EH26 0PZ Penicuik
See on map
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
AB24 3FX ABERDEEN
See on map
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
SA2 8PP Swansea
See on map
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
SW7 2AZ LONDON
See on map