ASTRAL (All Atlantic Ocean Sustainable, Profitable and Resilient Aquaculture ) is a Horizon 2020 project focused on integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), aiming to define, support, and promote this type of sustainable aquaculture production across the Atlantic area. IMTA is the farming of species from different trophic levels in a way that allows one species ‘uneaten feed and wastes to be used as inputs (fertilizers and feed) for another species.
ASTRAL is committed to increasing the public acceptance and awareness of aquaculture by fostering public understanding of the value of aquaculture and especially IMTA, as a sustainable way to produce aquatic products. The project is also committed to reinforcing existing international efforts to advance acceptance and awareness about the sustainable exploitation of marine resources.
The Atlantic Aquaculture Network is the effort to gather stakeholders and exert networking influence towards “promoting institutional changes in aquaculture management”, aiming at social acceptance, reputational capital, and social license.
The backbone of the network is the Aquaculture Helix , a virtual community and marketplace around ASTRAL to support its long-term establishment. Through the Helix, the Atlantic Aquaculture Network provide a community for understanding and applying a sustainable harnessing of Atlantic Ocean resources. It brings together and systematically connect industrial partners, SMEs, scientists, policymakers, social representatives, and other stakeholders, promoting data exchange, knowledge sharing, business opportunities and capacity building.
ASTRAL is an EU H 2020 project (GA 863034) funded under the Blue Growth programme.
Further information: www.astral-project.eu/