Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture: An Overview 241
From research to the commercial scale
Since the very beginning of integrated aquaculture development, researchers have been concerned with its
commercial application. In 1972, Ryther and co-authors pointed out that there is the need to combine the
“small-scale and usually inadequately-supported basic research of the laboratory scientist with the bold,
often extravagant, and usually spectacularly unsuccessful empirical approach of industry if intensive
aquaculture is to succeed” (Ryther et al. 1972).
In the following decades, in Europe, consortia integrating research centers and companies from
a number of different countries developed and implemented projects to boost the knowledge transfer
between academia and industry and drive the IMTA concept to commercial scale (Table 4). Some of these
projects were more focused on seaweed cultivation, such as SEAPURA (SEAPURA 2004), whereas
others aimed at species diversification and novel integrated farming systems to increase sustainability,
such as the SEAFARE project (2010–2013, www.seafareproject.eu). IDREEM, a collaborative research
project, was launched in 2012 with 15 partners, to move IMTA beyond the current state of the art and
to demonstrate its viability for the European aquaculture sector. Seven pilot scale IMTA operations
were developed across Europe, which provided sufficient evidence that, even though the conditions are
not yet fully in place in Europe for the wide scale adoption of IMTA, there is a growing commercial
interest and a consumer interest. These pilot installations were established in Scotland (Ardtoe and Loch
Fyne), Norway (Oldervika), Ireland (Bantry Bay), Italy (Lavagna), Cyprus (Vasiliko/Zygi), and Israel
(Ashdod), associating fish farms (turbot, cod, Atlantic salmon, sea bream, and sea bass), oyster producers
(in Scotland) and research partners. IMTA systems were tested using a diverse set of economically
interesting organisms including seaweeds, sea urchins, sea cucumber, scallops, mussels, abalones, and
sponges (Hughes et al. 2016).
Table 4. Examples of past and present European projects concerned with development of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture.
Acronym
Title
Start
date
End
date
Coordination
Participants
Funding
Budget
IDREEM
Increasing Industrial
Resource Efficiency In
European Aquaculture
2012 2016
SAMS, UK
15 partners, from
seven countries:
Cyprus, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Norway, The
Netherlands, and UK
FP7 Program € 5.7 M
IMTAEFFECT
Integrated Multi
Trophic Aquaculture
for EFFiciency
and Environmental
ConservaTion
2016 2019 INRA, France
9 partners, from six
countries: Portugal,
Greece, France,
Romania, Madagascar,
and Indonesia
COFASP € 750 K
INTEGRATE Integrate Aquaculture: an
eco-innovative solution
to foster sustainability in
the Atlantic Area
2017 2020 CTAQUA, Spain
19 partners, from
five countries: Spain,
France, Ireland,
Portugal, and the
United Kingdom
INTERREG
Atlantic Area
€ 2 M
SEAFARE
Sustainable and
Environmentally friendly
Aquaculture For the
Atlantic Region of
Europe
2010 2013
Bangor
university, UK
5 partners and 9
associated partners,
from 5 countries:
United Kingdom,
France, Ireland,
Portugal, and Spain
European
Union
Atlantic Area
Transnational
Programme
€ 3.18
M
SEAPURA Species diversification
and improvement of
aquatic production in
seaweeds purifying
effluents from integrated
fish farms and from other
waste sources
2001 2004
ALFREDWEGENER
INSTITUT,
Germany
8 partners, from 5
countries: Germany,
France, UK, Spain, and
Portugal
FP 5
€ 1.45
M
From research to the commercial scale
Since the very beginning of integrated aquaculture development, researchers have been concerned with its
commercial application. In 1972, Ryther and co-authors pointed out that there is the need to combine the
“small-scale and usually inadequately-supported basic research of the laboratory scientist with the bold,
often extravagant, and usually spectacularly unsuccessful empirical approach of industry if intensive
aquaculture is to succeed” (Ryther et al. 1972).
In the following decades, in Europe, consortia integrating research centers and companies from
a number of different countries developed and implemented projects to boost the knowledge transfer
between academia and industry and drive the IMTA concept to commercial scale (Table 4). Some of these
projects were more focused on seaweed cultivation, such as SEAPURA (SEAPURA 2004), whereas
others aimed at species diversification and novel integrated farming systems to increase sustainability,
such as the SEAFARE project (2010–2013, www.seafareproject.eu). IDREEM, a collaborative research
project, was launched in 2012 with 15 partners, to move IMTA beyond the current state of the art and
to demonstrate its viability for the European aquaculture sector. Seven pilot scale IMTA operations
were developed across Europe, which provided sufficient evidence that, even though the conditions are
not yet fully in place in Europe for the wide scale adoption of IMTA, there is a growing commercial
interest and a consumer interest. These pilot installations were established in Scotland (Ardtoe and Loch
Fyne), Norway (Oldervika), Ireland (Bantry Bay), Italy (Lavagna), Cyprus (Vasiliko/Zygi), and Israel
(Ashdod), associating fish farms (turbot, cod, Atlantic salmon, sea bream, and sea bass), oyster producers
(in Scotland) and research partners. IMTA systems were tested using a diverse set of economically
interesting organisms including seaweeds, sea urchins, sea cucumber, scallops, mussels, abalones, and
sponges (Hughes et al. 2016).
Table 4. Examples of past and present European projects concerned with development of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture.
Acronym
Title
Start
date
End
date
Coordination
Participants
Funding
Budget
IDREEM
Increasing Industrial
Resource Efficiency In
European Aquaculture
2012 2016
SAMS, UK
15 partners, from
seven countries:
Cyprus, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Norway, The
Netherlands, and UK
FP7 Program € 5.7 M
IMTAEFFECT
Integrated Multi
Trophic Aquaculture
for EFFiciency
and Environmental
ConservaTion
2016 2019 INRA, France
9 partners, from six
countries: Portugal,
Greece, France,
Romania, Madagascar,
and Indonesia
COFASP € 750 K
INTEGRATE Integrate Aquaculture: an
eco-innovative solution
to foster sustainability in
the Atlantic Area
2017 2020 CTAQUA, Spain
19 partners, from
five countries: Spain,
France, Ireland,
Portugal, and the
United Kingdom
INTERREG
Atlantic Area
€ 2 M
SEAFARE
Sustainable and
Environmentally friendly
Aquaculture For the
Atlantic Region of
Europe
2010 2013
Bangor
university, UK
5 partners and 9
associated partners,
from 5 countries:
United Kingdom,
France, Ireland,
Portugal, and Spain
European
Union
Atlantic Area
Transnational
Programme
€ 3.18
M
SEAPURA Species diversification
and improvement of
aquatic production in
seaweeds purifying
effluents from integrated
fish farms and from other
waste sources
2001 2004
ALFREDWEGENER
INSTITUT,
Germany
8 partners, from 5
countries: Germany,
France, UK, Spain, and
Portugal
FP 5
€ 1.45
M