Aquaculture is facing a double challenge: producing more to sustain a growing demand for aquatic products and preserving the environment. Integrated Multi Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) is one of the most promising pathways in the evolution of aquaculture systems. IMTA is based on the integrated cultivation of aquatic organisms belonging to different and complementary trophic levels. Inorganic and organic wastes from fed aquaculture organisms (e.g. finfish) are assimilated by respectively, autotrophs (phytoplankton, macroalgae, plants) and heterotroph species (oysters, mussels, sea cucumbers) that are co-cultured with the fed organisms. IMTA systems are designed in order to: - Decrease the dependence on external inputs, and increase the system efficiency by optimizing the use of nutrients and energy in the production loop, - Decrease the waste effluent and bio-deposit impacts by limiting the loss of nutrients (in water, sediments and air) - Diversify farm- products and generate a more robust source of income (less dependent on mono-product markets) - Generate and use different types and levels of ecosystem services There are several IMTA strategies that use different approaches of integration either by growing each trophic level separately in a cascade of water waste concentrations or by growing different trophic levels all together. The project IMTA-Effect aims to generate and integrate knowledge in order to design IMTA strategies for fish farmers being efficient, economically attractive, robust, and environmentally friendly, in marine and freshwater aquaculture systems. For this purpose, the project will combine experimental and modelling approaches to provide knowledge on the nutrient and energy efficiency gains generated by associating different aquatic species of different levels in the food web. Two basic production systems with various forms will be studied: multitrophic marine systems (in Portugal, France and Greece) and fresh water polyculture systems (in Romania, France, Indonesia and Madagascar). These systems are divided into two modalities : 1- species reared separately in different structures permitting a precise measurement of each species activities and role in nutrient and energy cycling, 2- Species reared all together in the same structure, showing an overall performance of species interactions. Particular attention will be paid on the primary production, as the main actor in the dissolved nutrient catching in IMTA, as a source of feed for the reared species, in a perspective of improved, and ideally total, recycling.

The simultaneous increase of population and living standards will create a high demand for fish-derived protein in the future. However, resource scarcity (feed, water and energy), environmental impacts, and changes in climate and growing conditions have to be seriously considered in aquaculture. New sustainable protein and lipid sources and improved technologies to increase bio-availability of existing sources will be needed to ensure adequate supply of aquafeeds. Although aquaculture effluents can be an excellent medium for algal growth, they are usually not reused since they contain residual organic compounds, minerals and other micro-pollutants. MARINALGAE4aqua is an innovative research project that targets to develop strategies for increasing efficiency of important European farmed fish and reducing their environmental impact using micro- & macro-algal biomass as feed ingredients by: I. Culturing marine algae under optimized technological processes to remove organic compounds and minerals from fish farm effluents so as to produce high value products for aquafeeds while recycling nutrients; thus improving the water body quality and reducing the environmental impact. II. Identifying novel feed additives to improve fish digestive capacity and nutrient metabolism upon using the selected algae. III. Improving fish growth and end product quality, reducing time to slaughter and providing consumers with a safe and healthy food item that has wider acceptance. MARINALGAE4aqua aims to tackle the sustainability challenges of the aquafeed industry by developing cost-effective and resource-efficient alternatives to fishmeal by providing: a) efficient new processes to valorize selected marine algae that could reduce EU imports of protein and lipid sources and minimize over-exploitation of wild fish stocks, loss of biodiversity and environmental burden and b) high sensory quality and consumer acceptance of fish products to meet food security and dietary needs for a healthy life.

The GENIALG project aims to boost the Blue Biotechnology Economy (BBE) by increasing the production and sustainable exploitation of two high-yielding species of the EU seaweed biomass: the brown alga Saccharina latissima and the green algae Ulva spp. GENIALG will demonstrate the economic feasibility and environmental sustainability of cultivating and refining seaweed biomass in multiple use demanded products of marine renewable origin. The consortium integrates available knowledge in algal biotechnology and ready to use reliable eco-friendly tools and methods for selecting and producing high yielding strains in economically feasible quantities and qualities. By cracking the biomass and supplying a wide diversity of chemical compounds for existing as well as new applications and markets, GENIALG will anticipate the economic, social and environmental impacts of such developments in term of economic benefit and job opportunities liable to increase the socio-economic value of the blue biotechnology sector. In a larger frame, conservation and biosafety issues will be addressed as well as more social aspects such as acceptability and competition for space and water regarding other maritime activities. To achieve these objectives GENIALG will foster a trans-sectorial and complementary consortium of scientists and private companies. • GENIALG will involve a diversity of private companies already positioned in the seaweed sector individually for different applications (texturants, feed, agriculture, bioplastics, pharmaceuticals, personal care products…) in order to strengthen interactions for developing a bio-refinery concept and accelerate efficient and sustainable exploitation of seaweed biomass to bring new high-value products on the market.

Seaweed is a valuable and underutilised resource that has large potential for exploitation in a variety of markets. Seaweed cultivation is a natural solution for mitigating climate change. The European seaweed industry remains in its infancy and requires significant growth in order to become commercially viable. Seamark will utilise recent ground-breaking selective breeding technologies within EU seaweed crop genetics to increase biomass yield. SeaMark aims to upscale circular ocean seaweed cultivation and land-based integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems and develop novel processing methods involving fermentation and biotransformation into twelve innovative seaweed-based products. The entire value chain will be analysed for techno-economic feasibility and socio-economic impact. SeaMark will also identify and quantify ecosystem services provided by seaweed cultivation. This will feed into a strategic development plan for upscaling seaweed production, and addressing the carrying capacity of seaweed cultivation in Europe. Due to the need to build more resilient food systems and decrease reliance on fossil-based products, it is necessary to grow the blue bio-economy through seaweed cultivation and product innovation. SeaMark will help fulfil the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (3, 8, 9, 12, 13 & 14) by developing this industry and, simultaneously, providing a positive impact on people and the planet.