The State Agency Spanish National Research Council – Spanish Institute of Oceanography (CSIC) is the largest public institution in Spain dedicated to scientific and technical research, and one of the most prominent in the European Research Area. The Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), a National Center of the CSIC, is dedicated to marine research, technological development, and the transfer of knowledge about the sea and its resources. The Canary Islands Oceanographic Centre (COC) is one of the research centers that the IEO operates across Spain. The Aquaculture area of the COC focuses its research on the production of marine organisms and the transfer and application of the results achieved to respond to the needs of aquaculture and promote its development, mainly in the Canary Islands and the Central-Eastern Atlantic region. The IEO-CSIC personnel participating in this project are part of the research group “Physiology and Welfare of Marine Species” (PHYSIS) and have extensive experience in marine species diversification and the development of sustainable farming techniques, as well as studies on nutrition and animal welfare. The group operates an “Experimental Marine Farming Facility” dedicated exclusively to aquaculture research, covering an area of 8,000 m² with large outdoor tanks, indoor experimental units, and well-equipped laboratories.
CSIC in ACUICONECTA: The research activities to be carried out by the COC-IEO in the project, in collaboration with other entities or individually, focus on the cultivation of new species and production systems to develop a more sustainable, efficient, competitive aquaculture sector with high levels of biosecurity. These include: the design of diets that improve the nutritional quality of new aquaculture species for human consumption; technological improvement of lighting, transport, handling, anesthesia, and euthanasia systems to enhance the welfare of farmed species; integration of renewable energies into aquaculture systems; water quality control and effluent reuse; and the study of climate change effects on reproduction and larval viability of farmed species. The IEO-CSIC will contribute to updating the “Guide for the establishment of aquaculture enterprises” to include the cooperation area (THINKINAZUL capitalization), incorporating actions for protocol validation with responsible stakeholders. The IEO-CSIC will also support the creation of a specialized platform for R&D&I services and access to equipment and infrastructure for aquaculture and marine biotechnology companies. It will also participate in the implementation of regulatory sandboxes, engage in forums and events with aquaculture stakeholders, and support the training of students and trainers for Europe and the project’s cooperation area.
Go to the website of the Spanish National Research Council – Spanish Institute of Oceanography