INFORMATION ON THE INITIATIVE
Initiative objective:
The objective of this project is to identify how Croatia and Norway can contribute to the increase in capacity of sustainable aquaculture, by learning from their joined experiences, by implementing novel innovative and smart technologies and ideas and by advancing the blue skills in both countries. Project will result in building a strong framework for a future long-term cooperation between Norway and Croatia related to sustainable aquaculture growth, as one of the fastest economic sectors globally.
Description and justification of the initiative:
Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing industries worldwide. During last twenty years, the global aquaculture production has tripled from 34 to 112 million metric tons in live weight and the demand for the sea food product on the market is rapidly increasing.
In Croatia, aquaculture is proclaimed as one of the strategic branches, as an environmentally and economically sustainable activity, with high productivity and efficiency. It is offering competitive and healthy food products with recognizable quality, and in synergy with related activities, thus creates better working and living conditions in rural and coastal areas.
Norway is the second largest seafood-exporting country with 3.1 million metric tons of seafood worth 12.1 billion EUR exported in 2021. There is an intention to increase aquaculture production in the future, however there are certain challenges that need to be systematically addressed to support this growth in sustainable manner. Currently the focus is on management of pathogens and parasites and improvement of fish health and welfare, circular economy, and full automation of production. To do so, Norwegian industry has developed and/or taken in use number of innovative types of production systems and smart solution for better monitoring and control of production.
Despite the different environmental conditions and the main targeted species in production (sea bass/ sea bream and tuna vs. salmon), there are several common challenges mentioned above that require more in-depth focus and joint solutions that could be derived from different experiences within the proposed partnership.
Target group(s), location:
Scientific and teaching staff, students, entrepreneurs/aquaculture industry, local and national governmental bodies, employees of aquaculture companies, students of secondary schools interested in blue skills, etc.
Location is Norway and Croatia
Contribution to strengthening bilateral cooperation:
COADVANCe project will lead to better insight into challenges and opportunities that sustainable development of aquaculture will provide, as seen by interested parties in Croatia and Norway (industry, regulators, R&D and educational entities) (activity 1). It will introduce the novel aquaculture production concepts and smart solutions used in Norway to Croatian partners (activity 2). At the same time, it will Introduce Norwegian partners to potential of Croatian aquaculture and the existing knowledge in areas that are less researched in the north, such as IMTA (activity 2). The potential for use of existing innovative and smart solution in both countries will be discussed between partners (activity 2). Conclusions from discussions and workshops together with the existing knowledge about challenges in aquaculture and potential solutions for establishment of sustainable aquaculture will be conveyed to students at both faculties in activity 3. In this way both countries will contribute to advancement of the blue skills in partner country. In activity 4 a concrete framework for future bilateral cooperation between Croatia and Norway will be made.
All the above activities will strengthen the bilateral cooperation as it will bring relevant partners from both countries together and the newly established network will be an excellent platform for further collaboration on topic of sustainable aquaculture and advancement of blue skills between the two countries.
Expectations of future bilateral cooperation or other benefits after finalization of the initiative’s implementation:
How two counties can help each other on the way to sustainable future aquaculture will be the focus.
COADVANCe project will lead to closer collaboration between two universities resulting in future:
• Joined research project application
• Development of joined teaching activities
• Student exchange and internships
• Transfer of advance knowledge and skills related to sustainable aquaculture between two countries
• Increased aquaculture competence in both countries
In addition, the final workshop in this project will be dedicated to creating future bilateral cooperation between partners from two countries using the results and knowledge created in this project.