Project description
Setting promising precedent for the future of sustainable aquaculture
The EU faces a pressing challenge: how to intensify aquaculture production sustainably while complying with strict regulations. The EU-funded GAIN project aims to address this transdisciplinary problem. GAIN seeks to support the ecological intensification of aquaculture in Europe by increasing production and competitiveness while ensuring compliance with EU regulations on food safety and the environment. This requires integrating scientific and technical innovations, implementing new policies and overcoming social constraints. By successfully achieving eco-intensification, GAIN promises an array of benefits, including more and improved aquatic products, job creation and a reduced trade imbalance by decreasing imports. With its holistic approach, GAIN paves the way for a sustainable and prosperous future for European aquaculture.
Objective
GAIN is designed to support the ecological intensification of aquaculture in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA), with the dual objectives of increasing production and competitiveness of the industry, while ensuring sustainability and compliance with EU regulations on food safety and environment. Eco-intensification of European aquaculture is a transdisciplinary challenge that requires the integration of scientific and technical innovations, new policies and economic instruments, as well as the mitigation of social constraints. Successful eco-intensification of aquaculture will provide more and better aquatic products, more jobs, and improve trade balance by reducing imports.
GAIN, besides looking at innovative ways of integrating cultured species, will seek integration with other sectors, in order to promote the implementation of the principles of circular economy in Aquaculture. The GAIN Consortium includes a wide range of complementary expertise and a well blended mix of research institutes and industrial partners, which will ensure the achievement of the following specific objectives:
(i) Develop and optimize sustainable feeds, without increasing the pressure on land and fish stocks;
(ii) Add value to cultivation, by means of innovative processes, which turn both by-products and side-streams into valuable secondary materials, thus increasing profits and minimizing the environmental footprint;
(ii) Improve the management of finfish and shellfish farms, in terms of FCR, fish welfare and reduction of wastes, through the use of sensors, biomarkers, Big Data, IoT (Internet of Things) and predictive mathematical models;
(iv) Support integrated policies and address current barriers to the implementation of the principles of circular economy in aquatic production.
Fields of science
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesfisheries
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesfood technologyfood safety
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
30123 Venezia
Italy
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Participants (20)
Legal entity established in a non-associated third country that is not eligible for funding under Article 10 of the Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013 laying down the rules for participation and dissemination in Horizon 2020.
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FK9 4LA Stirling
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27570 Bremerhaven
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D15 HN66 DUBLIN
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28006 Madrid
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D02 EY47 Dublin
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
8700 221 Olhao
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
8120 Nygardsjoen
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
6708 PB Wageningen
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38116 Braunschweig
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BT9 5PX Belfast
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70 310 Szczecin
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36310 Vigo
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3170 Sem
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
8140 Inndyr
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
30889 Aguilas
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8650-192 Budens
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
38098 San Michele All'Adige
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B3H 4R2 Halifax
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510300 GUANGZHOU
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