Tools for Assessment and Planning of Aquaculture Sustainability

Project Information

TAPAS

Grant agreement ID: 678396

DOI

10.3030/678396

Project closed

EC signature date 4 February 2016

Start date 1 March 2016

End date 29 February 2020

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy

Total cost

€ 6 918 512,50

EU contribution

€ 6 918 512,50

Coordinated by

THE UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - TAPAS (Tools for Assessment and Planning of Aquaculture Sustainability)

Reporting period: 2019-03-01 to 2020-02-29

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The aquaculture industry is at the forefront of European ‘Blue Growth’, and it has been identified by the EU as one of five key industries that have the potential to deliver sustainable jobs to people in Europe, and in feeding a growing population. Deficiencies in licensing are contributing to a slow growth of the European aquaculture industry. This challenge inspired the EC-funded Horizon 2020 project, TAPAS (Tools for Assessment and Planning of Aquaculture Sustainability). Led by the University of Stirling, it is a collaboration between 15 European partner institutions that aims to address key sustainability challenges in the European aquaculture industry.

Effective licensing and regulation require industry and planners have access to good guidance and support through provision of environmental modelling tools for site selection, assessment of carrying capacity, and prediction of the fate of nutrient and chemical wastes to aid better decision-making. A range of species including salmon, trout, sea bass, sea bream, carp, oysters and mussels were used as case studies to create and test tools and models for regulation. In addition, more efficient, in-situ and real-time monitoring technologies, earth observation methodologies, and vehicles for automated inspection, have been developed to aid data application and provision.

A key outcome is the Aquaculture Toolbox (www.aquaculturetoolbox.eu) a decision support system hosting tools and guidance for regulation, which is easy to use for a range of end-users. It is expected that the Toolbox will improve the efficiency and transparency of aquaculture licensing in Europe.

Overall the TAPAS project successfully created policy recommendations and decision support techniques to augment aquaculture governance in Europe, resulting in an enhanced understanding of the relationship between aquaculture and the environment through effective regulatory and environmental management to improve economic, societal and environmental benefits and relieve licensing bottlenecks.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The advantages and disadvantages of existing licensing practice was used as a starting point to develop a strategy for improved and flexible governance European aquaculture. Eleven key recommendations were made by the project to streamline licensing in line with discovered “bottlenecks” and, through consultation, included in a policy document to contribute to the new Strategic Guidelines for the Sustainable Development of EU Aquaculture.

Aquaculture chemicals used for disease management and welfare can have impacts on aquatic environment. Chemical use in European aquaculture was reviewed and evaluated to improve rapid risk procedures to assess ecotoxicity. Fieldwork and models for marine and freshwaters gave enhanced risk scenarios for aquatic chemicals to refine environmental quality thresholds for environmental risk assessment and regulation in European aquaculture.

Ecosystem services (ES) and their contribution to society was considered in two case studies using Baysian Network Models; marine IMTA vs monoculture and environmental benefits of converting pond culture to recirculation systems. Agent-based modelling developed parallel strategies to maximise societal benefits and build frameworks to include ES from aquaculture and their trade-offs into licensing procedures.

Near- and far- field environmental models were evaluated and developed. Near-field models based on stakeholder needs were created and tested at eight case study sites for a range of species and environmental conditions, to estimate local carrying capacity. Outcomes were also incorporated into a GIS site selection model within the Aquaculture Toolbox. Far field models improved on existing approaches for Earth Observation (EO) data use and provided indicators for operational practise. Regional physical-biogeochemical models, EO techniques and long term in situ time series measurements were employed to develop novel EO-Model products for pan-European assessment of marine aquaculture capacity.

In situ or real-time operational tools for cost-efficient environmental monitoring of aquaculture production were created and evaluated, including novel bio- and optical sensors for water quality, and fish cage monitoring systems. Methods for quality control of the large data streams produced by automated real time measurement stations were established as early detection systems. Methods were also developed for monitoring water quality impacts using Copernicus Sentinel-2 MSI data.

A key outcome of the TAPAS project was a “proof-of-concept”, web-based Aquaculture Toolbox. It provides a broad overview of the main steps and approaches that can be used to provide information to support license applications and decisions. The Toolbox can be applied at all levels in the licensing process. Most project results and outcomes feed into the Toolbox, to produce a system for European level governance and decision making.

Communication and dissemination of project activities and outcomes was achieved through a public website and social media, newsletters and key stakeholder meetings and conferences. The project exploitation plan focussed on use of policy recommendations, modelling tools, technologies developed and implementation of the Aquaculture Toolbox. The TAPAS project was acknowledged through an Atlantic Project Award by the European Commission for “Accessibility and Connectivity” in Nov 2017.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

As a result of the four-year Horizon 2020 TAPAS project, a clearer picture of the needs of the European aquaculture licensing has been developed. Project results contributed clear recommendations for policy development and streamlining license procedures, which would alleviate “bottlenecks” to aquaculture development in Europe.

Testing and validation of existing and newly created environmental models for aquaculture systems in Europe produced improved tools to assess aquaculture capacity and more effective methods for licensing. This included socio-economic and societal implications of ecosystem services provision, and their inclusion into planning and management. The concept of ecosystem services is poorly understood by stakeholders, so the project outcomes have the potential to increase awareness and improve public image of aquaculture in Europe.

Improved environmental modelling tools, enhanced Earth Observation scenarios and methods, and development of in situ and real-time monitoring have been implemented within TAPAS. Such outcomes can be further applied as part of a “precision farming” approach to aquaculture regulation and management.

Results and outcomes from all aspects of TAPAS were used to develop a web-based Aquaculture Toolbox decision support system to enable appropriate, timely and cost-efficient environmental assessment and regulation. It can be used at various levels in the licensing process for marine and freshwater aquaculture by both inexperienced and experienced operators and provide tools or guidance as needed.

Outcomes and new knowledge assembled in TAPAS have added to state-of-the-art for licensing and regulation of European aquaculture. The 21 scientific publications, the 42-public project deliverables and the Aquaculture Toolbox, provides support and guidance to enable European countries to establish more efficient regulatory frameworks and help streamline barriers so the aquaculture industry can fulfil its potential to deliver sustainable Blue Growth for Europe.

In situ data collection for model validation

Meeting other H2020 project coordinators

Sampling in Spain

The TAPAS consortium

Some TAPAS activities

Case study site in Scotland

Annual meeting in Hungary

Laboratory work in Spain

Aquaculture Toolbox