ASTRAL All-Atlantic Sustainable Profitable Resilient Aquacul

ASTRAL develops new, sustainable, profitable, and robust value chains for integrated multitrophic aquaculture production (IMTA) within the framework of existing, emerging, and potential Atlantic markets. The project is contributing to the implementation of the Belém Declaration and other transatlantic agreements to develop a strategic partnership on marine research, and participates in the construction of the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Community.
The project's main objective is to increase the value and sustainability of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) production. In IMTA production, several aquatic species from different trophic levels are cultured together; waste from one species is used as input (fertilizer and feed) by other species.
ASTRAL brings together four IMTA laboratories including open offshore (Ireland, Scotland), onshore flow-through (South Africa) and recirculation flow systems (Brazil) and one possible IMTA laboratory (Argentina), focusing on a regional challenge-based perspective, including fish, mollusc, echinoderms, crustaceans, and algae. ASTRAL will increase circularity in IMTA systems and build circular business models, together with boosting income diversification and profitability for aquaculture producers. New and improved innovative technology are being developed, including biosensors, sensors, IoT and an AI data analytics platform to be validated at IMTA laboratories. Addressing potential environmental and climatic risks for the North and South Atlantic regions, ASTRAL will deliver a monitoring program and recommendations for harmful algal blooms (HABs), pathogens and microplastics. ASTRAL is also developing an ambitious and gender-sensitive Human Capital Development Plan (HUCAP) that improves professional skills and create a highly trained workforce. ASTRAL shares, integrates and co-generates knowledge, technology, practices, and efforts with and for society, oriented towards pro-poor and gender-sensitive development. The ASTRAL consortium brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts as well as SMEs, industrial clusters, intergovernmental organizations, and other relevant stakeholders from several countries along the Atlantic (Norway, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Nigeria, South Africa, Argentina and Brazil).
The ASTRAL's collaborative ecosystem brings together and connects industries (SMEs), researchers, policy makers, social representatives, and other relevant stakeholders, to promote data exchange, knowledge sharing and business opportunities and foster the development of sustainable aquaculture production.