Projects

DIVERSIFY4Future advances the diversification of EU aquaculture through innovative methods for organic aquaculture, integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA), aquaponic–polyculture systems, and the cultivation of low trophic species. These strategies serve a dual purpose: provide sustainable food for human consumption and supply raw materials for aquafeed production. This fosters the sustainable development of local aquaculture within the framework of the One Health paradigm, with an emphasis on zero-waste practices, minimal environmental impact, and enhanced resilience to climate change. DIVERSIFY4Future supports social acceptance, consumer preferences and job creation for novel IMTA–LTA products, supporting evidence-based policies, best aquaculture practices, ecosystem health, and sustainable aquatic biodiversity management. COISPA leads WP5 on welfare and smart technologies.

The FIDEL project is part of EU initiatives to promote the sustainability of fisheries, the protection of marine ecosystems and the responsible management of marine living resources. Leveraging advanced scientific approaches, innovative monitoring methodologies and multidisciplinary cooperation, FIDEL pursues the objective of strengthening control and traceability systems in the fisheries sector, against unsustainable fishing practices (such as IUU - Ilegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing).

The overall objective for SelectOrganic is to develop selective breeding programs for the organic farming of European seabass, gilthead seabream, rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon, respecting high animal welfare requirements and aiming at improving species resilience, disease resistance, product quality and resource efficiency. Furthermore, we aim at fish utilizing as much alternative feed materials as possible. This will contribute to “develop and improve good practices in organic aquaculture, make sustainable use of biodiversity and provide a wide range of ecosystems services”.

Promoted by COISPA Foundation and funded by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests (MASAF) under the supply chain agreement “Grandi Pelagici in Filiera OPPAP”, The project PAST aims to enhance biological, ecological, and management knowledge of two highly migratory pelagic species of major economic and environmental importance in the Mediterranean: swordfish (Xiphias gladius) and albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga).

Endowed with a grant of EUR 4.3 million, the LIFE PROMETHEUS project is dedicated to enhance the well-being of 15 elasmobranch species (sharks and rays) listed as threatened with extinction and categorized as 'critically endangered', 'endangered', or 'vulnerable’ in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List.

The 4helixAquaCultureNet project aims to transform the aquaculture industry at an interregional level by establishing a cross-border 4helix Network connecting Aquaculture SMEs, Research & Academia, Public Authorities, and Civil Society.

The Horizon Europe DTO-Bioflow project aims to unlock "sleeping" biodiversity data for use in the EU Digital Twin Ocean system. The project will create a digital replica of marine biological processes by combining data streams, models, and new digital tools and services, supporting the European Mission to restore our oceans and waters by 2030 and the European Biodiversity Strategy.

B-USEFUL will contribute to the achievement of the ambitious policy objectives set by the EU Green Deal and the Biodiversity Strategy 2030 by developing user-oriented tools and solutions to conserve and protect marine biodiversity, effectively building and improving existing European data infrastructures and governance frameworks.

With the Farm-to-Fork Strategy (F2F), the EU has set targets of reaching at least 25% of the EU’s agricultural land under organic farming and significantly increasing organic aquaculture by 2030. The overall objective of OrganicTargets4EU project is to support the achievement of these targets. Based on an assessment of key drivers and lock-ins affecting the development of the organic sector, the project will set-up a multiactor process to create possible scenarios for reaching the targets. The project is structured into two strands, which run from start to finish: 1) Production and Markets; 2) Knowledge and Innovation.

The proposal of the DecarbonyT project aimed at determining a future direction towards high potential fishing fleet improvement.

The overarching aim of this Specific Contract is to assess to what extent the use of optimized trawling gears in the Mediterranean and Black Sea can lead to lower fuel consumption and a more decarbonized fishing fleet.

The following towed fishing gears are covered: otter trawlers (OTB); beam trawls (TBB); and pelagic trawlers (OTM).

SEAwise is a dynamic research program aimed at understanding the current state of fisheries management across Europe and facilitating the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) in the region. Through a focused research program and in close collaboration with the existing stakeholder network, the program aims to develop a fully operational and concise management advisory tool that highlights the benefits—or potential trade-offs—of fisheries management decisions.

Increasing the sustainability of fishing activities through cooperation between the marine fisheries sector and researchers involved in the management and conservation of marine resources is crucial to reducing the human impact on biodiversity and marine ecosystems. Through the introduction and development of technological and organizational innovations, the project aims to provide fishermen with valuable tools for implementing ex-ante fishing strategies to reduce the impact of their activities, ensure the coexistence of fisheries with protected predators (with particular reference to marine megafauna), increase the selectivity of fishing gear, reduce bycatch, discards, and fishing mortality, develop fisheries management plans that aim for a more sustainable use of marine biological resources, and ultimately promote the proper management of damage to fishing gear caused by interactions with toothed whales.

The experimental trawling survey is aimed to estimate the distribution and abundance of all species caught and the size structure of 52 commercially important fish species and all elasmobranch species. Identifying all the organisms caught allows for the characterization of benthic-demersal assemblages. The methodologies adopted ensure the results are comparable with similar surveys conducted in previous years in the same area, as well as in other European Mediterranean countries.

The experimental trawling survey is aimed to estimate the distribution and abundance of all species caught and the size structure of 52 commercially important fish species and all elasmobranch species. Identifying all the organisms caught allows for the characterization of benthic-demersal assemblages. The methodologies adopted ensure the results are comparable with similar surveys conducted in previous years in the same area, as well as in other European Mediterranean countries.

Under the hat of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) 2030 strategy and in support of the workplans of the GFCM Scientific Advisory Committee for fisheries (SAC) and the Working Group on the Black Sea (WGBS), endorsed by the 44th annual session of the GFCM, Fondazione COISPA provided technical support in fulfilling the requirements therein according to the following four tasks:

Task 1 – Fishery-independent scientific surveys

Task 2 – Stock assessment

Task 3 – Ageing of sardine in the Adriatic Sea

Task 4 – Pilot project on bamboo coral (Isidella elongata) in the Adriatic Sea

FuturEUAqua is to effectively promote the sustainable growth of climate-change resilient, environmentally-friendly organic and conventional aquaculture of major fish species and low trophic level organisms in Europe, to meet future challenges with respect to the growing consumer demand for high quality, nutritious and responsibly produced food.