Within the context of the FINEFISH project, which seeks to improve fish hatchery performance on a Europe-wide scale, the SME partners will be given full access rights to knowledge generated by the project's work. Due to this, a successful project will contribute directly to increased efficiency and profitability for these individual farming companies.

The knowledge, expertise and skills developed will form potential business activity anticipated by the project consortium, where opportunities for training and workshop organisation will be assessed to provide the initial incentives for this. It is anticipated that hard copy manuals, interactive CDs and distance e-learning technology will be applied to dissemination activities.

Training courses for selected IAG personnel (technical staff) and European Hatchery SME personnel will be made within the project's timeline and within the budget limitations of the project.

The new knowledge will be summarized as guidelines for use in 'Best Practise' hatchery procedure manuals.

• Best Management Practise in Hatcheries (General)
• Best Management Practise for the reduction of malformations (Species-specific) This practise will be more detailed and individual in nature and focus on regional training courses for each species concerned.

Access to Knowledge by SMEs through whole Europe

In order to let the whole European aquaculture industry benefit from this project, the project will give all active members of the European fish farming profession access to the knowledge of the FineFish project.

The key target audience of disseminating the knowledge is the professional hatchery sector within European fish farming, numbering more than 600 enterprises. The second target audience is the fish farm production sector; buyers of the hatcheries' products, where knowledge of the work done will enable selected choice amongst the hatchery suppliers.

In order to reach all active members of the European fish farming profession, and to give them access to the knowledge of the FineFish project, the following approaches will be made:

Presentations at National Association meetings

FEAP will communicate the results and progress of the project to the representatives of European fish farming Associations. These Associations communicate to their own Member SMEs, either through regular Association meetings (most have 2-3 per year) or through newsletters and email.

Regional Workshops

One dedicated workshop on the project's outcomes is foreseen within the timescale of the project (at the end), while additional Regional Workshops would need to be developed on a sustainable basis - linked to the promotion of Best Management Practise.

Training

Training courses that are delivered following the end of the project may form part of the commercial activity of the consortium. The training courses will be about Best Management Practise for Hatcheries and species-specific training courses, both will be open to all European fish farmers, giving unrestricted access by European SMEs to the course materials and content

The guidelines developed within the project will be shaped into user-friendly learning tools for use as training materials. Examination of e-learning opportunities will be assessed for implementation. The distance-learning approach will be encouraged for widespread dissemination activities.

Execution of the training plan remains a function of how the individual RTD elements develop as well as the results of the feasibility of the plan for using and disseminating knowledge for exploitation of IPR. Though, it is believed that the results will provide enough data to develop repeatable courses on each species, of 2-3 days duration, for the reduction of malformations in hatcheries; given the size of the target audience and the importance of the topic, these courses should have the market and sectoral interest to be sustainable.

Consultancy services

The provision of technical and managerial consultancy will also be assessed. Consultancy services for:

Website & newsletters

The website will be an important source for information. During the project, FEAP secretariat and project participants will manage and update the site to provide actualised information.

Within a few months, this website will provide a free subscription-based electronic newsletter.