AQUAHUB – Strengthening the networking of the Spanish marine aquaculture sector in the Blue Growth Framework, as a Competitiveness and Sustainability Strategy
Pleamar program
Description:
The AQUAHUB project has constituted a network with the most representative entities of the aquaculture sector to create the Innovation Working Group on Blue Growth and Aquaculture to:
- To carry out a diagnosis of the current situation of the policies, actions and applicability of Blue Growth to the entire value chain
- Establish a continuous monitoring service to improve knowledge management and create a database on Blue Economy and Sustainable Aquaculture
- Dissemination of knowledge through intrasectoral tools (universities, technology centres, companies, etc.)
- Preparation of an Action Plan to develop future lines of work, promote research and development, explore new opportunities, etc.
On the other hand, it is a source of dissemination of environmental values of the Natura 2000 Network through sustainable practices and its contribution to the conservation of ecosystems and marine biodiversity. TheWorkshop on Analysis of Natural Areas of the Natura 2000 Network and the integration of aquaculture practices has been held, assessing the compatibility and convergence of uses and interests.
With these measures, the networking of the Spanish marine aquaculture sector has been strengthened to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of its practices. The positioning of the sector, the management and transfer of knowledge has been reinforced to contribute to joint progress, involving all agents. This network, unique and innovative in Spain, promotes progress at the national level and the improvement of the application of European strategies, as well as an increase in the transmission of values and knowledge of the Natura 2000 Network, an indispensable piece in Europe’s ecosystem resilience.
The project aims to reach society as a whole and make use of the latest technologies to raise awareness in society about the need to respect and value protected areas, promote employment in coastal areas and publicize aquaculture as an activity that, in addition to producing high-quality ingredients, It is based on scientific research, is concerned with protecting natural spaces and is a generator of employment and social welfare.
In short, the aim has been to create a space of knowledge around aquaculture that brings together companies, technology centres, universities and agents involved that can generate knowledge for the search for opportunities and prevention of the threats identified within the framework of blue growth. At the same time, the generation of R+D+i projects and innovation activities has been promoted to promote the sustainable development of aquaculture.
Line of action:
Marine ecosystemsStatus:
FinalizadoExecution date:
2019General Objective:
Strengthening the networking of the Spanish marine aquaculture sector, within the framework of the blue growth, as a strategy for competitiveness and sustainability.
Specific objectives:
1. Strengthening the positioning of the sector within the blue growth policy, improving its sustainability.
2. The improvement of knowledge management, the reinforcement of mechanisms that facilitate the available information, the transfer of R+D+i results and networking.
3. Improve the compatibility of aquaculture with protected areas and natural areas, and the Natura 2000 Network through the improvement and transfer of knowledge.
4. To promote and modernise the socio-economic dimension of the sector and its competitiveness.
The AQUAHUB project, carried out by APROMAR and ACUIPLUS, has resulted in several reports on Aquaculture and Blue Growth relevant to the aquaculture sector in Spain and an application for mobile devices that alerts on news related to the project and contains the project documents.
Diagnosis: The first document has been a diagnosis that has allowed us to deepen the current knowledge regarding the role that the aquaculture sector currently plays in the field of the Blue Growth strategy in Spain. This study has sought to identify specific actions aimed at strengthening work within this framework, contributing to the design of national, regional, local and sectoral strategies that promote the Blue Economy. For the development of this diagnosis, a participatory methodology has been applied based on the following actions:
- Identification of information needs that make up the design of a questionnaire that is applied in the information collection process (see Annex 1).
- Review of secondary sources. Different sources have been consulted, some of which are referenced throughout the document.
This document can be downloaded here.
Guide: This guide for the sustainable development of aquaculture in the framework of blue growth includes recommendations to advance the integration of aquaculture into this strategy at several levels:
- Technological Innovation,
- Communication to Society,
- Legislation and Administrative Planning,
- Collaboration with Other Sectors Integrated in Blue Growth,
- Lines of Action to Ensure the Integration of the Aquaculture Company.
Action Plan: This Action Plan is complementary to the Guide for the Sustainable Development of Aquaculture in the framework of Blue Growth that has been developed within the framework of the AQUAHUB project. Its content is based on the recommendations defined in this Guide for the Sustainable Development of Aquaculture within the framework of Blue Growth and details specific proposals for the strengthening of the Spanish aquaculture sector as a relevant activity within the framework of the European Blue Growth policy and its direct impact on Spanish society.
Redaquahub App: This application, which can be downloaded for free here, allows continuous monitoring of everything related to Blue Growth and allows the analysis of the results of the project’s own measures to be disseminated.
AQUAHUB – Strengthening the networking of the Spanish marine aquaculture sector in the Blue Growth Framework, as a Competitiveness and Sustainability Strategy
back to search 