BLUEBOOST is a three-year project co-funded by Horizon Europe through the Partnership for a Sustainable Blue Economy, which aims to demonstrate that co-culture of a wide range of low trophic level species with established species can boost today’s European aquaculture of blue food and feed, while reducing the environmental footprint and moving towards a carbon neutral aquaculture blue economy. IRTA is the coordinator of the project, which includes 9 institutions from 8 countries.

The project will develop six integrated IMTA systems, new at commercial and pilot level, with a wide range of low trophic species that exploit nutrient cycles and the circular use of waste streams. In addition, new blue products will be developed. LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) will be used to compare the environmental impact of current monoculture with that of new integrated systems; the results will be used both to optimise the design of new systems and to model the estimated environmental impact of full-scale commercial production.

BLUEBOOST will provide knowledge-based solutions that will enable the aquaculture industry to overcome the bottlenecks inhibiting governments and businesses, following an impact pathway that can increase the volume and diversity of aquaculture products, reduce the environmental footprint towards a carbon neutral economy, increase the circularity and competitiveness of the blue economy, provide new products, restore ecosystems, create jobs and increase the resilience of ecosystems against climate change.

More information on the project website: www.blueboost.eu.