AQUAEXCEL - Aquaculture Infrastructures for Excellence in European Fish Research

 


    Coordinator: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), France
    Start:     March 2011
    Duration:     48 months
    Funding Programme:     7th Framework Programme (FP7)
    Sub-Programme:     Capacities; Research Infrastructures
    Funding Scheme:     Combination of Collaborative projects and Coordination and Support actions (CP-CSA)

    For more information on this project:

    Visit: www.aquaexcel.eu
    Or contact: Marieke Reuver, Email: marieke@aquatt.ie, Tel: +353 1 644 9008

    Background:

    Aquaculture is a pan-European production activity that includes a wide range of fish and mollusc species. It has grown rapidly from a cottage industry in the 1960s into an industrial sector that contributes substantially to the European Union's goal of becoming the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion.

    Today, European aquaculture technology is one of the areas where Europe has the edge and can make a difference in the future. Nevertheless, the European aquaculture industry is facing increasing challenges due to a more demanding and selective market combined with competition from outside the EU. These complex challenges require technological solutions that can only be solved with the contribution of high level experts and experienced professionals, and with excellent research facilities, outstanding services, and the right biological resources.

    Objective:

    AQUAEXCEL aims to integrate key aquaculture research infrastructures across Europe, in order to promote their coordinated use and development.

    Deliverables/Expected Outcomes:

    • Access to state-of-the-art aquaculture research infrastructures by research teams who would otherwise not normally have access to these facilities.
    • Coordination of key research infrastructures in Europe, creating the basis for joint research projects.
    • An online platform mapping out partner-related infrastructures, facilities and services.
    • Harmonisation and standardization of resources between partners, notably but not exclusively for fish models and experimental methods developed in-house.
    • Transfer of knowledge activities, such as training early-stage researchers and technicians on the latest experimental methods in aquaculture research.

    Partners:

    1. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), France
    2. Havforskningsinstituttet (IMR), Norway
    3. The University of Stirling (UoS), UK
    4. Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Spain
    5. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Greece
    6. Research Institute for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Irrigation (HAKI), Hungary
    7. Institut Francais de Recherche Pour L’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER), France
    8. Nofima Marin AS (NOFIMA), Norway
    9. Jihoceska univerzita v Ceskych Budejovicich (VURH), Czech Republic
    10. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet (NTNU), Norway
    11. Sintef Fiskeri og Havbruk AS (SINTEF), Norway
    12. Universidad de las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Spain
    13. Wageningen Universiteit (WU), Netherlands
    14. Universiteit Gent (UGent), Belgium
    15. Institute for Marine Resources & Ecosystem Studies (IMARES), Netherlands
    16. AquaTT UETP Ltd (AquaTT), Ireland
    17. Inra Transfert S.A. (IT), France