The AdriAquaNet project aim at creating a lasting dialogue between Italian and Croatian research, businesses and  public authorities on how to bring the Adriatic Sea aquaculture to technological and market excellence

The AdriAquaNet project, funded by the EU Interreg V Italy-Croatia Program 2014-2020 and led by a group of researchers from the University of Udine,  brings together six other research institutions, including the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), the Association of fish farmers from Croatia and four fish farming companies operating in Italy and Croatia. This community, which has about 100 experts, will work for two and a half years in the first technical-scientific cooperation initiative ever, with the aim of transferring advanced knowledge and new technologies throughout the whole aquaculture supply chain, from the management of the production plants up to the processed products market.

The project was presented to the Croatian government authorities and companies in in Split on 31 may 2019. The inaugural ceremony will be held aslo in Udine on 24 June 2019, with the aim of encouraging the involvement of aquaculture working communities and of the authorities responsible for territorial management on both sides of the Adriatic Sea.

The project starts from the recognition of the innovation and development needs expressed by the industries and from the knowledge and technologies available in the research institutions. Each research organization will have the task to encourage the technological applications in the fish farming companies that will experience innovations. After the first pilot phase, the technical-scientific training of the sector’s employees will follow, both in Italy and in Croatia.

Italian partners

  • University of Udine. Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences (Coordinator).
  • University of Trieste. Department of Life Sciences.
  • Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Padua.
  • National Research Council. Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technology, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Padua.
  • Ittica Caldoli. Società Agricola a rl, Foggia.
  • Friultrota di Pighin. Srl, San Daniele.

Croatian partners

  • Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb.
  • Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Split.
  • University of Rijeka. Faculty of tourism and hospitality management.
  • Klaster Marikultura. Association of Croatian aquaculture breeders, Split.
  • Friškina. D.o.o, Split.
  • Orada Adriatic. D.o.o, Cris.

AdriAquanet

Adriaquanet - Loghi partner

Three big themes

The three big themes of the project are:

  • The fish farm.  Partners will work to transfer greater sustainability and quality to fish farming through innovative solutions for feeding farmed fish and saving energy in production plants.
  • The fish doctor. To improve the management of health aspects through the preparation of new vaccines and the development of therapies based on natural products. A method will also be set up to monitor the welfare of farmed fish, which can be directly applied by farmers.
  • The fish market. The sensorial and hygienic-sanitary quality of fresh fish will be improved and new processed products will be studied, also assessing consumer satisfaction.

These innovations are essential for an ever-greater integration between the environment and aquaculture activities that make fish farms compatible with landscape and tourism, in order to provide the market with healthy, controlled fish and with appetizing preparations with high nutritional power, in line with the social and economic sustainability of the supply chain. Indeed, aquaculture can offer specialized and profitable job prospects.

The role of the IZSVe

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe) will be involved in vaccination protocols testing autologous vaccines against specific bacterial pathogens (Vibrio harveyi and Tenacibaculum maritimum) affecting sea bass and bream. The vaccination will be performed in some Project Partners fish farm facilities.

Furthermore, IZSVe will also develop a tool for assessing fish welfare (Operational Welfare Indicators) that can realistically be used by the fish farmers, based on behavioural and environmental parameters.

 

Details

  • Priority: Blue innovation
  • Duration: 01.01.2019-30.06.2021
  • Coordination: University of Udine
  • Funding: € 2,740,408, from the European Regional Development Fund and € 483,600.44 from national co-financing.

Contacts

Marco Galeotti
Project Manager and President of the Scientific Board

Università di Udine
Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari Ambientali e Animali
Via delle Scienze 206, Udine
E-mail: marco.galeotti@uniud.it
Ph. 3204366071

Amedeo Manfrin
Contact for the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie
Fish and Seafood Specialist Centre
Viale dell’Università 10, Legnaro (PD)
E-mail: amanfrin@izsvenezie.it
Ph. 0426 21841