The first restorative aquaculture centre in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea was presented at the Global Seafood Expo in Barcelona.
The first restorative aquaculture centre in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea was presented at the Global Seafood Expo in Barcelona celebrated from 23-25 April 2024. The centre will be located in La Rapita, Cataluña, Spain, and is expected to open by the end of 2024.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), this innovation and capacity-building centre will highlight the importance of restorative aquaculture for Blue Transformation in the region.
This initiative has been possible thanks to the collaboration between the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d’Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural (DACC), with the support and infrastructures provided by the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA).
Regarding this collaboration, Sergi Tudela, Director General of the Direcció General de Política Marítima i Pesca Sostenible at DACC said: "We are honored to host the Mediterranean Restorative Aquaculture Centre, given the commitment of the Generalitat de Catalunya to promote the sustainable development of aquaculture and the strengthening of ecosystem services in the Mediterranean."
Moreover, GFCM Executive secretary Miguel Bernal noted: "The opening of the Mediterranean Restorative Aquaculture Centre as an innovation and capacity-building center is a very important milestone for our region. Within the framework of the GFCM 2030 Strategy, it aims at increasing and sharing knowledge on aquaculture resilience in the face of climate change."
In more detail, the Mediterranean Restorative Aquaculture Centre will focus on the innovation of macroalgae, sea urchins, bivalves, and holothurians farming as well as on integrated multi-trophic aquaculture systems and adaptation to climate change.
In addition, producers and interested companies will be able to exchange technical guidance, expertise, and experiences among stakeholders in the Mediterranean region. Furthermore, it will promote knowledge and guidance about restorative aquaculture.
FAO recalls that restorative aquaculture aligns with its Blue Transformation vision. Precisely, in 2023, the GFCM adopted a resolution that requested the countries of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea to adapt a regional climate plan for aquaculture.
Finally, restorative aquaculture practices contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 14 'Life below water', SDG 8 'Decent work and economic growth' and SDG 2 'Zero hunger'.