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AquaVitae · Project

Sustainable Aquaculture Tools for New Marine Species and Smarter Ocean Farming

foodTestedTRL 5
aquavitaeproject.eu

Imagine you could farm the ocean the way we farm land — but smarter, growing seaweed alongside shellfish and sea urchins so every part of the ecosystem helps the others grow. That's what AquaVitae worked on across the entire Atlantic, from Brazil to Norway. They figured out how to raise species that nobody was farming commercially before, built sensors that monitor water conditions in real time, and studied what consumers actually want to buy. The goal: produce more seafood without wrecking the ocean, using a zero-waste circular approach.

By the numbers
EUR 8,000,000
EU contribution to develop Atlantic aquaculture solutions
37
consortium partners across the Atlantic
16
countries involved in testing and validation
12
industry partners embedded in case studies
7
SMEs in the consortium
60
total project deliverables produced
The business problem

What needed solving

The Atlantic aquaculture industry is over-reliant on a handful of species, leaving farms exposed to disease outbreaks, market price swings, and environmental pressure. Meanwhile, high-value species like sea urchins and macroalgae go unfarmed because production know-how doesn't exist at commercial scale. Farms also lack real-time monitoring tools, making it hard to catch problems before they become expensive losses.

The solution

What was built

AquaVitae produced 60 deliverables including production protocols for new low-trophic species (macroalgae, sea urchins, sea cucumbers), integrated multi-trophic aquaculture systems, biosensors and IoT monitoring tools, consumer market analysis, training packages for industry adoption, and Good Practice standards for sustainable Atlantic aquaculture.

Audience

Who needs this

Aquaculture farm operators looking to diversify species and reduce riskSeafood processors seeking new premium product lines (sea urchin, macroalgae)Marine technology companies developing biosensors and IoT monitoring systemsShellfish and finfish producers wanting to optimize existing operationsCoastal development agencies promoting sustainable blue economy jobs
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Aquaculture & Seafood Farming
SME
Target: Aquaculture farms looking to diversify beyond salmon and shrimp

If you are an aquaculture operator stuck with one or two species and worried about disease risk or price crashes — this project developed production protocols for new low-trophic species like sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and macroalgae. With 12 industry partners testing across 16 countries, the methods are designed for real Atlantic conditions. The integrated multi-trophic approach lets you stack species so waste from one feeds the next, cutting costs and environmental impact.

Seafood Processing & Retail
mid-size
Target: Seafood processors and retailers seeking new premium product lines

If you are a seafood processor looking for the next high-margin product — AquaVitae mapped consumer attitudes and market potential for species like sea urchins and macroalgae across Atlantic markets. The project produced 60 deliverables including product characterization data and value chain analysis. This gives you hard data on what sells, where, and at what price point before you invest in new processing lines.

AgriTech & Marine Monitoring
SME
Target: Technology companies building sensors and IoT systems for marine environments

If you are a tech company developing monitoring solutions — AquaVitae built and tested biosensors and Internet of Things systems for real-time aquaculture monitoring across Atlantic conditions. With a consortium of 37 partners generating field data from 16 countries, the project validated sensor performance in diverse marine environments. This is ready-made R&D you can license or build upon for commercial marine monitoring products.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt these aquaculture methods?

The project data does not publish per-unit production costs. However, AquaVitae conducted profitability analysis and value chain economics across its case studies. Contact the consortium for specific cost models relevant to your species and region.

Can these methods work at industrial scale?

AquaVitae was designed for real production environments with 12 industry partners embedded in all case studies. The consortium spans 16 countries across the Atlantic with partners responsible for exploitation and commercialization. The multi-trophic farming approach was tested at operational scale, not just in labs.

How is the intellectual property handled — can I license results?

As an EU-funded Research and Innovation Action (RIA), project results follow Horizon 2020 IP rules where each partner owns what they developed. Industry partners have specific responsibility for exploitation and commercialization. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the relevant partner holding the IP.

Do these products meet EU food safety regulations?

AquaVitae included risk assessment and environmental monitoring as dedicated cross-cutting work packages. The project also produced policy briefs and contributed to governance dialogues. Specific regulatory compliance details would need to be confirmed with the consortium for your target market.

How long before I could start commercial production with these results?

The project ran from 2019 to 2023 and produced Good Practice standards and training programs for industry adoption. For established species like shellfish, optimized processes could be adopted relatively quickly. New species like sea urchins and sea cucumbers may require additional local adaptation and permitting.

Can these biosensors integrate with my existing farm monitoring systems?

AquaVitae developed biosensors and IoT solutions as a cross-cutting research theme tested across multiple case studies. Based on available project data, the systems were designed for aquaculture environments. Integration specifics would depend on your current setup — the consortium's tech partners can advise.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavyweight consortium — 37 partners from 16 countries spanning both sides of the Atlantic, including Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the US alongside European nations. The 32% industry ratio (12 companies, 7 of them SMEs) signals genuine commercial intent, not just academic research. The balance of 13 universities and 10 research institutes provides deep scientific backing, while industry partners were explicitly tasked with exploitation and commercialization. Coordinated by NOFIMA, Norway's leading food research institute, the project had credible leadership in seafood science. For a business buyer, this means results were validated across diverse Atlantic conditions with commercial partners who had skin in the game.

How to reach the team

NOFIMA AS is a Norwegian food research institute — their aquaculture team led this project. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction.

Order a report on this consortiumSee NOFIMA AS profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to know which AquaVitae results apply to your business? SciTransfer can match you with the right consortium partner and arrange an introduction — contact us for a free one-page brief.

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