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PerformFISH

Consumer driven Production: Integrating Innovative Approaches for Competitive and Sustainable Performance across the Mediterranean Aquaculture Value Chain

Abstract

Gilthead sea bream and European sea bass are by volume the third and fourth most farmed fish species in the EU, while their collective value surpasses that of salmon, trout or mussel. These two species are farmed and contribute significantly to wealth and job creation in rural and coastal areas in all EU Mediterranean countries. However, production of sea bream/bass in the EU has remained stagnant for the last decade and the industry faces significant sustainability challenges. The overarching objective of PerformFISH is to increase the competitiveness of Mediterranean aquaculture by overcoming biological, technical and operational issues with innovative, cost-effective, integrated solutions, while addressing social and environmental responsibility and contributing to “Blue Growth”. PerformFISH adopts a holistic approach constructed with active industry involvement to ensure that Mediterranean marine fish farming matures into a modern dynamic sector, highly appreciated by consumers and society for providing safe and healthy food with a low ecological footprint, and employment and trade in rural, peripheral regions. PerformFISH brings together a representative multi-stakeholder, multi-disciplinary consortium to generate, validate and apply new knowledge in real farming conditions to substantially improve the management and performance of the focal fish species, measured through Key Performance Indicators. At the core of PerformFISH design are, a) a link between consumer demand and product design, complemented with product certification and marketing strategies to drive consumer confidence, and b) the establishment and use of a numerical benchmarking system to cover all aspects of Mediterranean marine fish farming performance. Created knowledge and innovative solutions will underpin the developed code of conduct and good practices and will foster modernization through capacity building of the Mediterranean aquaculture workforce.

Project details

Unibo Team Leader: Marialetizia Fioravanti

Unibo involved Department/s:
Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie

Coordinator:
University of Thessaly - Research Committee - UTH (Greece)

Other Participants:
Università degli Studi di PADOVA (Italy)
Asociacion Empresarial De Productores De Cultivos Marinos - Apromar (Spain)
Ruder Boskovic Institute (Croatia)
Eurofish-International Organisation For The Development Of Fisheries In Eastern And Central Europe (Denmark)
Inra Cnrgv (France)
SFAMN-Syndicat Français de l'Aquaculture Marine et Nouvelle (France)
AquaTT UETP Ltd (Ireland)
Università degli Studi di UDINE (Italy)
Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (Italy)
Universitat Autonoma De Barcelona (Spain)
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - Università di Bologna (Italy)
Sintef As (Norway)
Centro De Ciencias Do Mar Do Algarve (Portugal)
Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (Csic) (Spain)
Universidad De Las Palmas De Gran Canaria - Fundacion Canaria Parque Cientifico Tecnologico (Spain)
Syndicat Des Selectionneurs Avicoles Et Aquacoles Francais (France)
Croatian Chamber Of Economy Cce (Croatia)
Panepistimio Kritis (Greece)
Aquark- Panagiotis Christofilogiannis - Ioana Tavla (Greece)
AQUAxprs Limited (United Kingdom)
Cluster De La Acuicultura De Galicia Asociacion (Spain)
Skretting Aquaculture Research Centre As (Norway)
Associazione Piscicoltori Italiani (Italy)
Syndesmos Ellhnikon Thalassokalliergeion Somateo-Association Of Greek Mariculture (Greece)
Sparos Lda (Portugal)
Hellenic Centre For Marine Research (Greece)
ISPRA - Istituto Superiore per la protezione e la ricerca ambientale (Italy)

Third parties:
Andromeda Iberica Acuicultura Sl (Spain)

Total Eu Contribution: Euro (EUR) 6.997.060,75
Project Duration in months: 60
Start Date: 01/05/2017
End Date: 30/04/2022

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