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The European Green Deal has recognised aquaculture and algae as promising solutions to achieving the goals of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy. However, despite its potential, the growth of aquaculture in Europe has been limited compared to the significant expansion observed in Asia. In this context, the EU-funded INNOAQUA project aims to pave the path towards the upcoming sustainable and diversified EU land-based aquaculture industry by demonstrating and mainstreaming innovative algae-based foods and solutions, using ecology, circularity, and digitalization approaches.
The project will demonstrate the benefits of algae, from the production in combination with fish aquaculture in a circular approach, to the formulation and production of innovative seafood products. It starts by demonstrating the operational and technical robustness of digitally enhanced integrated fish and algae Recirculatory Aquaculture System – Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture cultivation systems at a pre-commercial level (Technological Readiness Levels between TRL6 and TRL7). Next, it will be piloting optimised processing techniques following biorefinery principles and the formulation of high added value seafood products, based on microalgae, macroalgae and fish processing side streams. A dedicated waste minimisation and valorisation strategy throughout the full value chain will help optimizing and increasing the economic and sustainability performance. Moreover, INNOAQUA will also work on understanding how consumer perceptions and social norms influence the consumption of innovative seafood products by co-creating the products together with end-users and simulating their uptake in digital models of communities to identify effective market deployment and penetration strategies. The project will actively contribute to the integration of innovations within the full value chain and will work towards expanding the reach of the industry.
The INNOAQUA consortium consists of a multidisciplinary and powerful combination of research organisations and universities, associations and companies (nice small and medium enterprises, and two large industries) from eight countries with complementary knowledge and skills required for the successful implementation of the project objectives. NORCE Norwegian Research Centre (NO) is the coordinator of the consortium, which further consists of Viking Aqua (NO), Marineholmen RASlab (NO), Algemy Ingredients (ES), A4F Algafuel (PT), Safiestela – Sustainable Aquafarming Investments (PT), INESC TEC – Instituto De Engenhariade Sistemas E Computadores, Tecnologia E Ciencia (PT), Acondicionamiento Tarrasense Associacion (ES), ERANOVA (FR), PESCANOVA Espana (ES), Viva Maris (DE), Sustainable INNOVATION (ES), PEDAL Consulting (SK), European Aquaculture Society (BE), Eco Imagination (FR), PERSEUS (BE), and Universidade Federal Do Rio De Janeiro (BR).
INNOAQUA’s total eligible costs are EUR 7.3 million and almost EUR 6 million are funded by the European Union under grant agreement number 101084383.
