Aquaspace: Ecosystem Approach to Making Space for Sustainable Aquaculture

The aquaculture sector needs to increase production in the face of declining wild fish stocks and increased demand for seafood worldwide.  Despite many government and EU initiatives to increase aquaculture development, European aquaculture production has flat-lined in recent years.

AquaSpace aimed to provide increased space for aquaculture production by identifying and attempting to overcome key constraints limiting the industry’s development using an ecosystem approach leading to a sustainable increase in EU aquaculture, while maintaining environmental quality.

The overall impact of the project was be to enable the aquaculture sector to grow sustainably and to effectively negotiate for space using Marine Spatial Planning.

AquaSpace sought to provide increased space of high water quality for aquaculture, leading to sustainable development and increased production. 

Project partners

• The Scottish Association for Marine Science – Lead Partner (UK)
• The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (UK)
• Fundacion AZTI (ES)
• Bluefarm SRL (IT)
• Christian Michelsen Research AS (NO)
• Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (ES)
• Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations
• Nemzetti Agrarkutatasi es Innovacios-Kozpont (HU)
• Institut Francais de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (FR)
• Havforskningsinstituttet (NO)
• The James Hutton Institute (UK)
• Longline Environment Ltd (UK)
• Marine Scotland Science (UK)
• Sagremarisco-Viveiros de Marisco Lda (ES)
• Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Ländlische Räume, Wald und Fischerei (DE)
• University College Cork, National University of Ireland (IR)
• Panepistimio Kritis (University of Crete) (GR)
• Biharugrai Halgazdasag Mezogazdazagi Termelo Ertekesito es Termeszetvedelmi Kft (HU)

Associated partners

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Centers for Coastak Ocean Science (USA)
• Dalhousie University (CA)
• Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CN)