A new €8 million EU project, ASTRAL (All Atlantic Ocean Sustainable, Profitable and Resilient Aquaculture), will increase value and sustainability for integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) production by developing new, resilient and profitable value chains.

The project will contribute to the implementation of the Belém Statement, an agreement signed by EU, Brazil and South Africa to develop a strategic partnership on marine research, and it will participate in building the All Atlantic Ocean Community. The ASTRAL consortium includes 16 partners from ten countries (Norway, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Nigeria, South Africa, Argentina and Brazil).

ASTRAL will develop new, sustainable, profitable and resilient value chains for IMTA production within the framework of existing, emerging and potential Atlantic markets. The project goals include the increase of circularity and the achievement of zero-waste aquaculture systems, as well as the creation of appropriated business models to increasing profitability.

The ASTRAL consortium includes research and technology organizations (NORCE, LEITAT, SAMS CSIR, CONICET, Marine Institute, NIOMR), universities (Federal University of Rio Grande, University of Cape Town), SMEs (BioceanOR, EGM, Crowdhelix, M&O Partners, Viking Aquaculture), associations/industrial cluster (PoleMer Bretagne Atlantique) and intergovernmental organizations (AIR Centre).

“We are looking forward to collaborating with stakeholders from both sides of the Atlantic, as well as with all the projects financed under the same program, to build together the best solutions for sustainable aquaculture in the Atlantic Ocean,” said project coordinator, Elisa Ravagnan.