The main goal of the NewTechAqua (New Technologies, Tools and Strategies for a sustainable, resilient and innovative European Aquaculture) project is to expand and diversify European aquaculture production of finfish, molluscs and microalgae by developing and validating technologically-advances, resilient and sustainable applications.
As the demand for seafood has increased, new technologies have made it possible to grow fish and molluscs in inland and marine waters to avoid putting additional pressure on natural ecosystems: this is how the aquaculture sector is born. Aquaculture is the aquatic equivalent of agriculture. Fish produced by the aquaculture sector are raised and caught in controlled environments, in inland or coastal waters, or in the ocean. In that sense, aquaculture can be used as a method to produce more fish without endangering existing stocks, but also to restore habitat, replenish wild stocks, and rebuild populations of threatened and endangered species. By 2050, 30% more population which implies an unprecedented challenge: food systems need to substantially increase the production of safe and nutritious food, while reducing the pressure on environmental resources. The European aquaculture sector has become increasingly important in this context.