In order to meet the general and specific objectives of the project , following main activities are foreseen within the project: 

5 CASE STUDIES  - APPLIED RESEARCH

In five different case studies in Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Switzerland, the project consortium is developing and researching different options for upgrading existing aquaculture farms in the direction of product diversification, quality improvement, and optimisation of production processes. Each study represents one of Europe’s most relevant freshwater aquaculture fish species.

The consortium intends to transfer the highly effective nutrient management principles of natural systems into competitive aquaculture farm strategies. One example: alongside the fish production, organic material will be exploited as far as possible for the production of marketable products like macroinvertebrates, algae, or plants for different industrial applications. This optimised nutrient chain reduces waste to nearly zero, avoids the implementation of expensive wastewater treatment and filter technologies, and reduces costs. These principles are tested in different extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive aquaculture systems.

As „health“ and „taste“ are important consumer determinants, the consortium will prove by professional sensory and analytical tests whether the foreseen optimisation steps will have an influence on the quality of the fish products.

TRANSFERABILITY

The evaluation of the research results’ transferability to other European freshwater aquaculture farms will prove the practical application and overall potential of SustainAqua.

TRAINING EUROPEAN AQUACULTURE FARMERS

The consortium intends to train more than 10,000 aquaculture farmers via workshops and E-learning seminars. Special training material will be developed in ten different languages.

PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

The consortium will develop a practical implementation guide for the European Aquaculture farmers, including market and legal requirements, benefits, risks and costs of the different research modules, technical information, information about measurable success criteria and parameter, information about Codes of Conducts and Sustainable Quality Standards, recommendations how to prepare for upcoming environmental and health legislations and consumers’ requirements, etc.

CONTACT POINTS/ADVISORY PLATFORMS

Each participating Association will install regional contact points as individual advisory platforms for aquaculture farmers.

DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES

The consortium will present the project results on different workshops, conferences, in newsletters and magazines, and via the SustainAqua webpage. Additionally it will contact potential customers, related research projects and other stakeholders in order to support clustering activities.

SCIENTIFICALLY SUPPORT THE CODES OF CONDUCTS AND FURTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

The consortium intents to scientifically contribute to the development of the Europe-wide discussed sustainable quality standards for freshwater aquaculture and to the implementation of the Codes of Conducts for responsible fisheries (FAO) and for European Aquaculture (FEAP) as it pertains to water use and quality, food, feeding, and nutritious and diverse products of highest quality. Based on the project results, the consortium will give recommendations for necessary further research steps.