How to promote a sustainable future for fish production in Europe?
This is the question at the heart of ActFast (Actions for Climate Transition by Developing Future Aquaculture Strategies and Technologies), a Horizon Europe project coordinated by the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences at the University of Bologna. The project addresses the challenge by combining sustainable farming practices, environmental monitoring and Artificial Intelligence.
A multidisciplinary team of 28 partners from 10 EU countries, plus Norway, Tunisia and Egypt, will collaborate to develop innovative strategies for future aquaculture. In this context, the Regional Ocean Forecasting Systems (ROFS) division will play a key role as work package leader, contributing substantially to the development of high-resolution climate projections and forecasting systems specifically for the aquaculture sector.
48 months from 01/06/2025 to 30/06/2029
General aims
Its objectives include the prevention of climate change-related diseases and mortality in fish and shellfish; the use of climate-smart feeds to improve fish health and reduce the use of antibiotics; and the development of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), which integrates fish, shellfish and algae production as a regenerative aquaculture activity. AI-powered computing systems and biosensors will be used for advanced environmental conditions and fish health monitoring.
ActFast aims to achieve concrete benefits, such as a 20% reduction in bass and carp mortality and a 15% reduction in antibiotic use; a 20% increase in shellfish productivity in the Ebro Delta; a 35% reduction in CO₂ emissions from fish feeding systems; and the implementation of IMTA systems in thirty new farms.
The project will not be limited to research: it aims to disseminate knowledge by involving farmers, companies and decision-makers through the ActFast Virtual Lighthouse platform, a demonstration site using VR that will provide updates on the innovations developed and be used for stakeholder engagement initiatives and training for practitioners.
CMCC role
CMCC leads Work Package (WP) 1, which has the objective to empower aquaculture stakeholders with actionable knowledge and tools on climate change analyses and prediction to proactively implement adaptive strategies that safeguard aquafarms against environmental challenges.
More specifically the WP has following targets:
1. Identify and share the needs and experience of stakeholders/farmers in relation to the current climate change scenario in each target area.
2. Create an advanced open access database and a catalogue of climate products relevant to aquaculture
3. Provide a detailed and accurate representation of climate variables at a finer spatial resolution within the marine and coastal target areas.
4. Design and implement an innovative open access early warning system for the Mediterranean area based on AI technologies
Activities
The project includes the following work:
• High resolution climate projections and forecasting for aquaculture;
• Definition of concrete actions for target areas:
– Mediterranean
– Deltas (Ebro, Po, Nile)
– Central East European inland waters
– Northeast Atlantic Ocean;
• Sustainability and circularity under a life cycle perspective;
• Communication, dissemination, exploitation and training.
Expected results
ActFast aims to deliver clear indications on sustainable fish production in Europe for the four climatic regions: 1. The Mediterranean (Greece and Croatia) to improve the adaptability of species such as sea bass and sea bream; 2. The North East Atlantic (Norway) to develop technologies for salmon health; 3. Central and Eastern Europe (Hungary and Slovenia) to promote multi-trophic freshwater aquaculture systems for species such as carp and trout; 4. The Delta (Po, Ebro, Nile) to promote solutions for shellfish climate resilience and aquaponics.
Partners
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM – UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA (Italy, Coordinator)
FEDERATION EUROPEENNE DES PRODUCTEURS AQUACOLES ASSOCIATION (France)
FONDAZIONE CENTRO EURO-MEDITERRANEO SUI CAMBIAMENTI CLIMATICI (Italy)
AQUABIOTECH LIMITED (Malta)
NOFIMA AS (Norway)
INSTITUT DE RECERCA I TECNOLOGIA AGROALIMENTARIES (Spain)
ACONDICIONAMIENTO TARRASENSE ASSOCIACION (Spain)
FUNDACION AZTI – AZTI FUNDAZIOA (Spain)
CENTRE INTERNATIONAL DE HAUTES ETUDES AGRONOMIQUES MEDITERRANEENNES (France)
MEDITERRANEAN AGRONOMIC INSTITUTE OF ZARAGOZA / INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR ADVANCED MEDITERRANEAN AGRONOMIC STUDIES (Spain)
CENTRO INTERNAZIONALE DI ALTISTUDI AGRONOMICI MEDITERRANEI (Italy)
NTT DATA EUROPE & LATAM GREEN ENGINEERING SL (Spain)
NTT DATA SPAIN SL (Spain)
PLANETEK ITALIA SRL (Italy)
HELLENIC CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH (Greece)
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY AND FISHERIES (Egypt)
BIHARUGRAI HALGAZDASAG KORLATOLT FELELOSSEGU TARSASAG (Hungary)
PHILOSOFISH ANONYMI ETAIREIA (Greece)
G20 STORITVE DOO (Slovenia)
NATUREDULIS SRL (Italy)
BENCHMARK GENETICS NORWAY AS (Norway)
SKRETTING AQUACULTURE RESEARCH CENTRE AS (Norway)
FEPROMODEL (Spain)
KOZEP ES KELET EUROPAI AKVAKULTURAKOZPONTOK EGYESULET (Hungary)
INNOVA SRL (Italy)
SLIM GANA SUARL (Tunisia)
CROMARIS DIONICKO DRUSTVO ZA MARIKULTURU (Croatia)
ISTITUTO SUPERIORE PER LA PROTEZIONE E LA RICERCA AMBIENTALE (Italy)
GARANT – TIERNAHRUNG GESELLSCHAFT MBH (Austria)
WATER INSTITUTE – H2O SCITECH (Poland)
MAGYAR AGRAR- ES ELETTUDOMANYI EGYETEM (Hungary)