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AquaVitae: Sustainable aquaculture around the Atlantic

Aquaculture is currently limited to a small number of highly sought-after species. Greater diversity and a stronger stock are needed to reduce disease vulnerability. IVL's researchers will develop techniques for growing both domestic oysters and the alien Pacific oysters in a transatlantic EU project.

There is great interest in sustainable aquaculture solutions worldwide. Oysters are an underutilized resource with great potential, but also with great challenges. Today, there is only a commercial cultivation of domestic flat oysters in Swedish waters. Above all, it is the availability of fry that limits the development of the industry.

More than 80 percent of all fry collected for release for cultivation are now of the alien species Pacific oysters and must therefore not be used. In Europe, there are also disease outbreaks of various viruses and parasites. There is a great risk that Swedish stocks will be affected. Not least because Sweden imports just over 400 tonnes of oysters every year, an import that increases annually.

The EU project AquaVitae will strengthen cooperation and the exchange of knowledge across the Atlantic and capture the entire aquaculture value chain: from market analysis and consumer perspective to circularity in production systems, sustainability and technological development.

IVL's task is to develop new cultivation techniques for both domestic oysters and for Pacific oysters, as well as to develop new protocols for land-based hatchery and sea-based fry collection.

The project runs for four years and brings together over 70 researchers and entrepreneurs from 16 different countries. In addition to European parties, organizations from Brazil, South Africa, Namibia and the USA are participating. IVL will have an extra close collaboration with Brazil.

Aqua Vitae is financed with eight million euros through Horizon 2020.

Project name: Aqua Vitae, Technology development for the cultivation of native oysters and the foreign Pacific oyster

Period: 2019-2022

Budget: EUR 8 million

Contact: Åsa Strand

Funder: EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020 through Vinnova. Project number: 510726

Partners: The Aqua vitae project is run by a transatlantic consortium consisting of about 60 actors from 16 different countries. In addition to European parties, organizations from Brazil, South Africa, Namibia and the USA are participating. IVL will have an extra close collaboration with Brazil.

Project website: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/818173 External link, opens in new window.

Watch the film about the project

Produced by CETMAR/Rafael Méndez

Project facts

  • Aqua Vitae, Technological development for the cultivation of native oysters and the alien Pacific oyster
  • Budget: 8 miljoner EUR
  • Funder: EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020 through Vinnova. Project number: 510726
  • Partners: The Aqua vitae project is run by a transatlantic consortium consisting of about 60 participates from 16 different countries. In addition to European parties, organizations from Brazil, South Africa, Namibia and the USA are participating. IVL will have an extra close collaboration with Brazil.
  • Period: 2019 - 2022

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