Acronym ECASA
Category
Aquaculture
Title An ecosystem approach to sustainable aquaculture Programme FP6
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
FP6 - Specific Targeted Research Project
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
Research for Policy Support
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source European Coordinator Kenneth Black Coordinator email kdb@sams.ac.uk
Coordinator institution
SAMS - Scottish Association for Marine Science (United Kingdom)
Institutions involved
Akvaplan-niva - Akvaplan-niva AS (Norway) ,
NA - Azti (Spain) ,
UNIVE - Ca' Foscari University of Venice (Italy) ,
ICRAM - Central Institute for Marine Research (Italy) ,
NA - Edinburgh Napier University (United Kingdom) ,
IFREMER - French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (France) ,
IMR - Institute of Marine Research (Norway) ,
IFM-GEOMAR - Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences (Germany) ,
NIB - National institute of Biology (Slovenia) ,
PML - Plymouth Marine Laboratory (United Kingdom) ,
RBI - Rudjer Boskovic Institute (Croatia) ,
UoC - University of Crete (Greece) ,
UGOT - University of Gothenburg (Sweden) ,
NA - University of Haifa (Israel) ,
NA - University of Portsmouth (United Kingdom) ,
Start year 2004 End year 2007 Funding (€) € 3,142,046 Website https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/6540 Summary The ecosystem approach to the aquaculture sector will be addressed by identifying plausible quantitative indicators of the effects of aquaculture on ecosystems through a process of expert working groups, workshops and meetings, similarly, identifying indicators of the main drivers of ecosystem change affecting aquaculture, including natural and environmental pressures, assessing both sets of indicators using existing datasets (the partners collectively have extensive data archives), considering each in the context of appropriate selection criteria, developing a range of tools, particularly models, that encapsulate best process understanding at a wide range of scales, testing these models and indicators in a wide variety of field locations across Europe (~10) encompassing major culture species and technologies, and covering a wide spectrum of environment types, selected according to criteria developed during the project, using this data to test and select the final "toolpack" of models and indicators, including appropriate decision support tools to guide users to effective implementation. Interaction with stakeholders will ensure the practical relevance of the work and that the "user community" achieves ownership of the project's outputs: the "toolpack" of indicators and tools for effective environmental impact assessment and site selection.
(1) To identify quantitative and qualitative indicators of the effects of aquaculture on the environment and vice-versa, and to assess their applicability; (2) To develop operational tools, including models, to establish and describe the relationship between environmental conditions and aquaculture activities over a range of ecosystems and aquaculture production systems; (3) To develop effective environmental impact assessment and site selection methods for coastal area management. These objectives will be achieved, delivering aspects of the ecosystem approach to the aquaculture sector, by following the tasks outlined below: (1) Identifying and quantifying the most relevant indicators of the interactions (positive and negative) of aquaculture on ecosystem considering physical, chemical and biological factors, and including socio-economy (such as local fisheries) and secondary impacts; (2) Identifying and quantifying the main driving forces of ecosystem changes influencing the aquaculture sector and to develop the appropriate environmental indicators; (3) Assessing the applicability of such indicators (efficiency, cost effectiveness, robustness, practicality, feasibility, accuracy, precision, etc.) and developing operational tools, e.g. models establishing the functional relationship between environment and aquaculture activities; (4) Testing and validating these tools in order to include them in a methodology for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and effective site selection. Each of these will be presented as integrated workpackages themselves integrated at a higher level to ensure consistency of approach and compatibility of deliverables.
Keywords
Fish;
Indicators;
Economy;
Aquaculture management;
Shellfish;
Environmental impact;
Impacts;
Anthropic activity;
Open sea aquaculture;
Algal toxins;
Marine Region
7
Irish Sea (27.VIIa)
31
Southwest of Ireland-East (27.VIIj)
4
Eastern English Channel (27.VIId)
41
Norwegian Sea (27.IIa)
25
Faroes Grounds (27.Vb)
9
Western English Channel (27.VIIe)
38
Portuguese Waters (27.IXa,27.IXb)
13
Northern North Sea (27.IVa)
6
Central North Sea (27.IVb)
12
Bay of Biscay North (27.VIIIa)
17
Bothnian Sea (27.IIId.30)
34
Bay of Biscay offshore (27.VIIId)
23
Baltic West of Bornholm (27.IIId.24)
32
Southwest of Ireland-West (27.VIIk)
5
Southern North Sea (27.IVc)
15
Bay of Biscay Central (27.VIIIb)
28
Rockall (27.VIb)
35
West of Bay of Biscay (27.VIIIe)
8
Bristol Channel (27.VIIf)
48
South Tyrrhenian Sea (GSA 10)
26
Northwest Coast of Scotland and North Ireland (27.VIa)
27
Bothnian Bay (27.IIId.31)
29
West of Ireland (27.VIIb)
16
East of Gotland or Gulf of Riga (27.IIId.28)
14
Skagerrak, Kattegat (27.IIIa)
30
Porcupine Bank (27.VIIc)
22
Southern Central Baltic-West (27.IIId.25)
10
Celtic Sea North (27.VIIg)
21
Southern Central Baltic-East (27.IIId.26)
33
Bay of Biscay Southern (27.VIIIc)
18
West of Gotland (27.IIId.27)
20
Archipelago Sea (27.IIId. 29)
24
Sound, Belt Sea or Transition Area (27.IIIb,c)
11
Celtic Sea South (27.VIIh)
34
Marine Region Map
