The Geographical Scope of Intervention

Cooperation Area

The geographical scope of the ACUICONECTA project includes the European outermost regions of Azores, Canary Islands, and Madeira, as well as neighboring African countries Cabo Verde, Ghana, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Each region contributes different entities to the consortium, ensuring a homogeneous and complementary partnership coordinated by one of the research centers of the Canary Islands’ Autonomous Community, in close collaboration with the other Partners. The proposal is considered of strategic interest as the European ORs of Macaronesia have recently experienced significant development in the aquaculture sector, despite facing a series of scientific-technical and regulatory bottlenecks that hinder the full exploitation of their potential—key targets of ACUICONECTA. Meanwhile, the third countries in the consortium are at various stages of aquaculture development, from very early (São Tomé and Príncipe), and limited diversification (Cabo Verde), to a more advanced stage (Ghana), representing distinct and specific models of intervention that ACUICONECTA aims to address through tailored approaches. The consortium also includes a broader vision, involving cross-border associated entities from the outset, aiming to generate tricontinental synergies and foster knowledge exchange.

Territorial cooperation is essential to achieving ACUICONECTA’s objectives. The Eastern Atlantic is a unique and continuous environment where the effects of poor practices and inadequate marine resource management extend far beyond their immediate origin. Therefore, the development of sustainable, productive, and resilient aquaculture is inherently a collaborative endeavor, requiring and benefiting from territorial cooperation. The sustainable use of marine resources (promoting aquaculture vs. depletion of wild populations) and the dissemination of virtuous behaviors and best practices in aquaculture production (strategies to ensure sustainable processes, reduce environmental impact, and promote circular approaches) within the intervention area have the potential to generate widespread positive effects across the region.

The replicability and transferability of the proposed solutions to neighboring regions and countries will further amplify this impact, opening new markets and international trade routes. Moreover, the commitment to a comprehensive and cross-cutting approach that integrates environmental aspects requires joint participation from the various countries within the geographical area—particularly through entities that develop shared policies and strategies.

Shared Challenges and Opportunities

The regions of the Eastern Atlantic area possess ideal conditions for aquaculture development, thanks to high water quality, long coastlines, and favorable climate conditions, among other factors. Despite this, they face a series of common challenges that ACUICONECTA aims to address: (i) a significant deficit in applied research and innovation (compared to the rest of Spain and Portugal, in the case of the ORs); (ii) a lack of connection between science and industry to ensure research outcomes are transferred to productive sectors, hindering the development of the Blue Economy and other industrial fields; (iii) insufficient economic diversification, which causes vulnerability and low resilience to socio-economic changes (e.g., the Covid-19 crisis); (iv) intrinsic fragility to anthropogenic pressures (e.g., depletion of wild fish stocks) and climate change (e.g., increasing drought and desertification), due to the unique nature of their ecosystems; (v) a certain level of isolation affecting both archipelagos and remote or disconnected areas in continental countries like Ghana, impacting resource availability and supply, and/or forcing imports (e.g., aquaculture feed or fertilizers) that are economically and environmentally unsustainable.

ACUICONECTA seeks to overcome bottlenecks that prevent full exploitation of the advantages and opportunities making Macaronesia and the Eastern Atlantic one of the most promising regions for aquaculture development. The consolidation of a scientific-technological ecosystem that works synergistically and in coordination—avoiding duplication, enhancing complementarity, and actively seeking interaction (and feedback) with other stakeholders in the aquaculture sector—will allow (i) the attraction of targeted and sectoral funding, and (ii) the improvement of the quality and reach of applied research and validation of processes and technologies in relevant/industrial environments, increasing their transfer and impact on the business sector. The aim is also to (iii) promote the development of the aquaculture industry as a major opportunity for sustainable economic diversification, enhancing the socio-economic resilience of this region. Additionally, it seeks to (iv) develop adaptive tools and management strategies to reduce the potential impact of anthropogenic pressures and climate change on aquaculture—and vice versa—improving contamination prevention in aquaculture products, promoting more resilient and environmentally friendly farming, and encouraging the use of alternative water sources and (v) locally produced nutrients and feed to reduce imports.

Expected Benefits

The actions planned in ACUICONECTA aim to generate mutual (“win-win”) benefits that support both third countries and the Macaronesian ORs, adapting to their differences, specific needs, and the maturity level of the sector, offering development, diversification, and improvement in aquaculture production and management strategies. The training and capacity-building of skilled personnel in third countries lay the foundation for long-term knowledge exchange between African and European entities. Testing in Africa of new prototypes, technologies, and processes developed in the EU provides valuable insights into their potential in aquaculture and their adaptability to new geographical contexts, ensuring relevance in a changing environment. For example, aquaculture experiences in Atlantic African countries offer valuable case studies for understanding the effects of climate change on aquaculture, helping European regions—where desertification is advancing rapidly—plan strategies and adapt production processes more resiliently. Expanding economic diversification through aquaculture development in the intervention area also helps to strengthen political and social stability in the region, fostering long-lasting good neighbor relations and cooperation aligned with EU strategies.