BLUEBOOST - Culture of a wide range of low trophic species to boost sustainable production of blue food and reduce environmental footprint

Short description of the project: BLUEBOOST is a three-year project co-financed by Horizon Europe through the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership aimed at demonstrating that co-culture of a wide range of low trophic species with established species can boost current European aquaculture of blue foods and feeds while reducing the environmental footprint and moving towards a carbon-neutral aquaculture blue economy.

Tangible results: The project will develop six novel integrated commercial and pilot scale IMTA systems with a wide range of low trophic species that exploit nutrient cycles and circular use of waste streams. In addition, new blue products will be developed. LCA will be used to compare environmental impacts of current monoculture to the novel integrated systems; results will be used both to further optimise the design of the novel systems and to model estimated environmental impacts of fully upscaled commercial production.

Application/relevance: BLUEBOOST will provide knowledge-based solutions that will enable the aquaculture industry to overcome bottlenecks that inhibit Governments and businesses, following an impact pathway that can increase the volume and diversity of aquaculture products, reduce environmental footprint towards a carbon-neutral economy, raise the circularity and competitiveness of the blue economy, provide new products, restore ecosystems, create jobs and increase ecosystems resilience against climate change.