IMPAQT progressed the current state of the art by providing specific outcomes in 3 main axes.
1. IMTA set-ups and pilots: IMPAQT implemented and demonstrated IMTA systems in real pilot sites, covering geographical differences and different production scenarios. Better estimates of the overall costs and benefits of IMTA to the ecosystem including the business, the environment, the species and the food product has been provided to create financial and regulatory incentives for industry and government to invest in the IMTA approach, based on real data coming from the 6 pilots.
2. Innovations in monitoring and management systems: The project went step beyond the IMTA system, by providing technologies and innovations to manage IMTA to increase sustainability, production volumes and quality, and in the end the business case.
The technologies and innovations developed include novel sensors and data sources developed and prototyped in the project. A prototype integrated autonomous data acquisition system (IADAS), and data aggregator system (DAS) have been developed and deployment. These acquired datasets to enable predictive analytics which will advance ecosystem-scale and farm-scale models, fish/seafood product’s quality and safety assessment methods. The smart data acquisition system and non-physical data sources enables autonomous decision making for alert/actuation, all in one multi-purpose, multi-sensing and multi-functional management platform for IMTA production.
This innovative management platform has modularity, open systems approach and interoperability, and the ability to support multiple stakeholders in planning, operational and marketing phases. The platform can improve the efficiency and sustainability of the IMTA systems, by enabling better production, animal welfare and environmental protection.
3. Training activities and IMTA promotion: IMPAQT build an ecosystem around the project, developed training activities, and open documentation, to promote IMTA and demonstrate the value of IMPAQT services. Training activities included MOOCS, face-to-face end-user training, and on-line training targeted at end-users and next-to-end-users. Dissemination and communication activities contributed to this by giving visibility to the project outcomes in events, scientific and sectoral publications, digital channels and media. The project also contributed to the eco-intensification of EU aquaculture, by assessing the potential environmental impacts of the new implemented solutions at the different pilots and demonstrating their minimization.
The IMPAQT MOOC is hosted on the Open University's OpenLearnCreate educational site - Linkhttps://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=7116 ).
The Key outputs from the project are summerised in an accessible format in the IMPAQT Handbook, which can be downloaded from the project website.
