AQUAESYS is a blueprint for future proofing MCES restoration and demonstrates land-based algae-assisted aquaculture solidly assists the restoration process. Indeed, AQUAESYS unlocks the potential ecosystem-enhancing mechanisms sourced in land-based bivalve aquaculture. Bivalves are cultivated in land and then transferred into coastal and marine degraded ecosystems to be used as bioengineers. Bivalves are stocked into nutrient rich environments in high densities in order to restore such environments and eventually assist the restoration of a natural biodiversity rich situation. To ensure both marine and terrestrial ecosystems are preserved and overall environmental impact is avoided, AQUAESYS practices first-of-its-kind sustainable land-based aquaculture combining bivalves juvenile production with algae, and fish farming, via novel algae-assisted multi-trophic aquaculture encompassing recirculated aquaculture systems (RAS).
In the process, AQUAESYS demonstrates the restoration of a series of services in 5 selected landscapes, also integrating additional landscapes to engage as receptors of demonstrated good practices, in pan-EU countries and in the world. Know services connected to bivalves span from the ‘original’ ecosystem commodity derived from the ocean or sea to water quality maintenance and habitat structure (also, expansion of the cultured species well beyond its natural benthic occurrence), mitigation of eutrophication, healthcare (potential therapeutants, anti-microbial and anti-cancer candidates among other compounds), culturally-driven cuisine, paving material and inlays
in furniture and musical instruments.
All Norwegian companies are participants.
Coordinator University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV) Professor Liliana Badulescu.
The total project budget is €25Mill while the Norwegian budget is estimated at € 800.000